M-18 Smoke canisters?

[BillyVance 35]

Anybody know where I can find some military M-18 smoke canisters, especially colored ones? I'm not holding out much hope because everybody I know can't find them, most likely due to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We used the last we had on a demo jump this past May. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Billy

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[riggerrob 643]

M-18 smoke cannisters are really messy.
I found the "Skydiver Smoke" - sold by Para-Gear to be cleaner, cooler and safer.

[diablopilot 2]

Yes, but it doesn't have the much desired effect of setting your foot on fire!

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[mjosparky 4]

M-18's only come in colors, Red, Violet, green, yellow and white. White is white phosphorus, stay away from it. Green blows out of both ends and is real messy.
If you locate any, be prepared to pay $35 to $45 per can.
As Rob said, the Para Gear "Skydiver" smoke is a better bet.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

White is white phosphorus

Not quite, white phosphorus is a completely different type of grenade and there is no way you could even remotely confuse it as a smoke as it immediately begins to burn through what ever it is touching. White smoke is labeled as "HC" and is indeed a heavy concentrate of just that, white smoke.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[rickjump1 0]

Don't forget CS.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[cvfd1399 0]

That would make for a interesting demo jump into a stadium. Especially if they closed the roof on a dome stadium after you landed!

[rickjump1 0]

It would certainly bring tears to their eyes.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[cvfd1399 0]

Especially if it was a cn/cs mix

[BillyVance 35]

Quote

M-18 smoke cannisters are really messy.
I found the "Skydiver Smoke" - sold by Para-Gear to be cleaner, cooler and safer.

Thanks for the help. My demo jump buddies used the M-18's, but they were careful and suspended them on metal chain-link lines several feet long from their ankles, well out of reach to be any danger to themselves. However, my wife unwittingly tried to touch one (already spent) after we all landed and my buddy quickly pulled it away...woulda blistered her fingers for sure.

As for the Skydiver Smoke in Paragear, anybody use them? Is one canister enough? Has any of them not work? Several PRO rated people here plan to pitch in for a whole box to last us a bunch of demos.

Thanks and blue skies
Billy

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[motherhucker 0]

Quote

As for the Skydiver Smoke in Paragear, anybody use them? Is one canister enough? Has any of them not work? Several PRO rated people here plan to pitch in for a whole box to last us a bunch of demos.

They suck. They are mostly expired and are sold from PG as an "as is, use at own risk" item. My understanding is that they were made in the late fifties or sixties and half of them are duds.
mh

[sabr190 0]

Really??? I bought 2 dozen white and 2 dozen assorted colors a couple of years ago, used the last one a few months back, not one dudd in the bunch.

"The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa

[sabr190 0]

We have used them for years, never really had a problem with them at all. They do not have the volume of smoke that M-18's have, so you may have to use two at a time to get the disired effect. The colored smoke was the same story. The white smoke worked best on clear days with few clouds and the colored worked best on days with more clouds creating a background.

"The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa

[bowlan 0]

not any more.
we now manufacture the viatnam M18 flame-less color smoke grenade.
no baffels and no ports.
flame-less color smoke compositions white yellow red blue green smoke 60 second burn 35,000cfm.
Price info removed by slotperfect
lab testing will be complete the first week in 07
and yes they are legal to sell and buy without a ATF licence.
www.flamelesssmokegrenades.com
we are still the leader in flame-less smoke compositions.
b.a.industries.

[councilman24 37]

Since we've already broken the rules, maybe, what is it you're advertising in the classifieds?

About 4 or 5 years ago there was a bunch of east german surplus smoke grenades on the gun show circuit. They're shorter and a little smaller in diameter than an M-18 but worked pretty well. And they were cheap but haven't seen them for several years. I have a few that I've been hording in orange, grey and white.

It has been reported on this forum that real M-18's are illegal to own these days due to the fuse. I'll let those folks in the know chime in. Too lazy to search.

Don't know anything about the above posters product.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Anybody know where I can find some military M-18 smoke canisters, especially colored ones?

http://www.keepshooting.com/militarysurplus/flares/smoke_flares_surplus.htm

[dustin19d 0]

Quote

Quote

White is white phosphorus

Not quite, white phosphorus is a completely different type of grenade and there is no way you could even remotely confuse it as a smoke as it immediately begins to burn through what ever it is touching. White smoke is labeled as "HC" and is indeed a heavy concentrate of just that, white smoke.

Just some clarification. The colored smoke: yellow, green, red and violet are M18's. White comes in 2 varieties. M83-TA and M8-HC (not Heavy Concentrate but rather HexaChloroethane) witch is toxic. HC is easily distinguishable from TA by weight alone, its heavier and burns longer and thicker hence the nick name "Heavy Concentrate". HC will also burn whatever it is thrown on because it shoots a good amount of flame out the bottom like a blow torch.

Oh and the white phosphorus one your talking about is an all Red canister labeled "Incendiary". If you come across one don't tie it to your foot unless you want to die.

[PWScottIV 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

White is white phosphorus

Not quite, white phosphorus is a completely different type of grenade and there is no way you could even remotely confuse it as a smoke as it immediately begins to burn through what ever it is touching. White smoke is labeled as "HC" and is indeed a heavy concentrate of just that, white smoke.

Just some clarification. The colored smoke: yellow, green, red and violet are M18's. White comes in 2 varieties. M83-TA and M8-HC (not Heavy Concentrate but rather HexaChloroethane) witch is toxic. HC is easily distinguishable from TA by weight alone, its heavier and burns longer and thicker hence the nick name "Heavy Concentrate". HC will also burn whatever it is thrown on because it shoots a good amount of flame out the bottom like a blow torch.

Oh and the white phosphorus one your talking about is an all Red canister labeled "Incendiary". If you come across one don't tie it to your foot unless you want to die.

Actually, you might get lucky enough to have a fully cauterized stump remaining when your leg gets vaporized.

You should get one that says "HE" on it, that would do a much better job of killing you...

Gravity Waits for No One.

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Oh and the white phosphorus one your talking about is an all Red canister labeled "Incendiary". If you come across one don't tie it to your foot unless you want to die.

OOOOOhhhhhhhHHHHH!!!

Where can I get me some of those!!!!????

Believe me, I won't be tiein' it to my foot!

[NickDG 23]

On a demo once we were suspending M-18s below us with Dacron line using a hose clamp attachment (don’t do that). We had primed the igniters by unbending the pins (don’t do that) and carried the M-18s in the front leg pockets on our jumpsuits (remember those) prior to use (don’t do that either).

One of the jumpers, a woman, under canopy reached into her pocket to deploy the smoke grenade and with her gloves on she accidentally pulled the pin while the M-18 was still inside the pocket. Then she couldn't get it out. She rose to the occasion by using one hand to steer (fairly tight LZ) and with the other hand trying to hold the jumpsuit away from her leg. She landed in a heap, and safely, but had very severe burns on her upper leg.

We stopped using smoke (hot or cold) after that and went with colored paper ribbons which you can get pretty creative with and they are lighter, safer, and don’t misfire or go out too soon. And with ribbons you don’t need the bucket of water on the LZ.

We also had trouble from time to time dong 4th of July demos, where fireworks are set up, and the fireworks crew didn't like the fact we are descending with hot smoke bombs above all that gunpowder sitting around . . .

NickD BASE 194

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

yeah... same thing different way... I was on the 4th of July Demo into the park at Cal City one year where the fireworks guys thought it would be "cool" to shoot off one firework while we were undercanoy coming into land... ... nothing like being on final and having a mortar go off like 50yds away and shoot this explosive up in the air in your vicinity... DOH!!!

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

My demo jump buddies used the M-18's, but they were careful and suspended them on metal chain-link lines several feet long from their ankles, well out of reach to be any danger to themselves. However, my wife unwittingly tried to touch one (already spent) after we all landed and my buddy quickly pulled it away...woulda blistered her fingers for sure.

Yes. I had children come running towards me once, after I had just landed with smoke, all of them anxious to claim a souvenir of the occasion. You have to keep the little buggers away from it to keep them from being burned.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

...under canopy reached into her pocket to deploy the smoke grenade and with her gloves on she accidentally pulled the pin while the M-18 was still inside the pocket. Then she couldn't get it out. She rose to the occasion by using one hand to steer (fairly tight LZ) and with the other hand trying to hold the jumpsuit away from her leg. She landed in a heap, and safely, but had very severe burns on her upper leg

Hook knife!

[slotperfect 7]

bowlan: please read your PMs.

Arrive Safely

John

[highspeeddirt 0]

Someone I knew years ago, tied an M18 to a 20 foot tether nade of 550 nylon. .The tether melted and the smoke bomb landed near an old lady.She had a heart attack and sued this guy.