Reports of loud explosions heard in and around Iola in recent weeks likely stem from the use of a compound that detonates upon impact from a high-powered rifle, said Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy said Wednesday.
The product is called Tannerite, named after its Oregon-based manufacturer.
While the explosions are loud, they are relatively harmless, as long as proper safety practices are followed, Murphy said.
The targets consist of small plastic canisters filled with ammonium nitrate. From there, users mix in aluminum powder.
The concoction sounds scarier than it actually is, Murphy said, because the mix remains stable. The only way to create enough friction to cause an explosion is from a bullet traveling about 2,000 feet per second.
The targets are safer than other explosive devices because they do not emit a fireball, Murphy said.
Tannerite sometimes is given a bad rap, Murphy said, because of various social media outlets showing videos of large explosions. Those videos typically use much more than the half-pound of Tannerite recommended by the manufacturers.
