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Tree Pruner finds loaded M72 rocket launcher in bush on Canadian highway

P

Pardus

Diamond Member
Article
3747875.bin

Military police are investigating how a loaded rocket launcher with instructions on how to use it ended up on the side of the Malahat.

A tree pruner discovered the weapon Thursday afternoon.

It doesn't belong to the navy and it's a mystery how it ended up in the bush near a busy highway, CFB Esquimalt spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Nathalie Garcia said Friday.

Steve Taylor, 33, couldn't believe his eyes when he looked down from the trees he was pruning, about 100 metres north of McCurdy Drive in Shawnigan Lake, and saw something that was cylindrical.

Upon closer inspection he could see instructions printed on the launcher. "It said pull pin, aim through scope, and push trigger," said Taylor. "I had an idea it might be a rocket launcher at that point."

When Shawnigan Lake RCMP arrived, the weapon was identified as an M72 rocket launcher. One of the RCMP officers on the scene was a former soldier who did two tours in Afghanistan.

Taylor estimated the handheld weapon is about 1.2 metres long and weighs about 2.5 kilograms.

"And it turns out it was loaded," Taylor said. The RCMP said a live rocket grenade was in the tube.

Taylor, who works for Capital Tree Service, said the rocket launcher "was within throwing distance" from the highway.

Garcia held a press conference Friday to warn anyone who finds a rocket launcher not to touch the weapon and instead call police immediately.

That message came after Taylor picked up the rocket launcher Thursday and posed with it for a photograph. "Obviously, I didn't push the trigger and I was careful," Taylor said.

The Canadian Forces Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit picked up the weapon and turned the investigation over to military police.

Garcia said M72 rocket launchers are used by the Canadian Forces but "it's not a naval weapon."

"We are concerned with the fact that a live piece of equipment was found on the side of the road and we have to determine how it came to be there," Garcia said.

She couldn't specify what type of M72 rocket launcher was found. "There's lots of variants of that weapon. It is a fairly common weapon that has been in production for more than 40 years."

The National Firearms Association said the loaded rocket launcher was probably stolen from the military. Group spokesman Blair Hagen said the anti-tank weapon is illegal to possess in Canada and would have military origins. "There are a number of deactivated delivery systems in private collections, but they are deactivated before they are released by militaries, but the actual ordnance are not legal for ownership."
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Why does the article keep pointing out it doesn't belong to the navy?

Sounds like someone is trying to cover up something.
 
The pic shows no end-cap for the tube. I doubt that it could be fired.

There's a training version that fires a small projectile with an orange marking powder. Who knows what munition is in it? Just contact the manufacturer with the lot number and they'll tell you. I doubt that the journalist would have photographed the lot number markings, though. They don't write them in French.





😀
 
(caption for pic, above)
"Tree pruner finds quicker way to trim back pesky tree limbs from power lines....news at eleven!" :awe:
 
The end cap is removed before firing.
Also, the tube has been extended to the firing position. I wonder if the tree worker did that or if someone was ready to fire it before they tossed it.
 
oldsmoboat said:
The end cap is removed before firing.
Also, the tube has been extended to the firing position. I wonder if the tree worker did that or if someone was ready to fire it before they tossed it.
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Exactly. It should either be on the tube or dangling under it.
 
This device could have exploded in his face. Not very bright to be handling and playing with it.
How this ended up there is anybodies guess.
 
Number1 said:
This device could have exploded in his face. Not very bright to be handling and playing with it.
How this ended up there is anybodies guess.
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Pretty sure they're designed so exactly that doesn't happen. I would bet the rocket has a kinetic trigger.

Edit: Yupp, wikipedia has a it showing a wire going from the nose cone to the fuse in the middle of it.
 
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halik said:
Pretty sure they're designed so exactly that doesn't happen. I would bet the rocket has a kinetic trigger.
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Maybe in new condition. But how long has that thing been laying around and what built a nest in the tube?
 
I fired those thing when I was in the army. There is no kick back and all you get is an unremarkable explosion when it hit the target, in my case an old tank.

Trowing a grenade was more exiting.
 
Number1 said:
I fired those thing when I was in the army. There is no kick back and all you get is an unremarkable explosion when it hit the target, in my case an old tank.

Trowing a grenade was more exiting.
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The first time I fired one, except for the round impacting down range, I wasn't sure it even fired. But the wooden crates the drill sergeants set up in the back blast area were shredded.
 
keird said:
The pic shows no end-cap for the tube. I doubt that it could be fired.

There's a training version that fires a small projectile with an orange marking powder. Who knows what munition is in it? Just contact the manufacturer with the lot number and they'll tell you. I doubt that the journalist would have photographed the lot number markings, though. They don't write them in French.





😀
Click to expand...

:hmm:
 
This was in the news here a few days ago. Apparently they figure the thing was there for at least 6 months, and it did have a live round in it.
 
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