General Opinion on ThunderB grenades

[kullwarrior]

As a former user myself here's my take:
+Setup cost is cheap ($30+shell and co2 cost)
+Relatively simple to use
+ Audible unlike Tornado banger
-$3 per throw, rakes up the cost quickly
-Doesn't go bang everytime/ Timer is too dependent on temperature
-Core is made of cheap material, breaks way too often
-Noise level is louder than a 9mm Acustic blank (this is confirmed on Airsoftology and numerous people who don't use either)


Myself and two friends jump on the SWAT's VTG a blank fire grenade that use 9mm blank (aside from buying the wrong type of 9mm blank, it works amazingly) cost per throw... 40cents if you run 9mm PAK, 9cents if you run surplus 9mm blank. They go bang everytime as long as you use the right adapter

[Grudge]

There is a simple fix to the inconsistent timing. You place a penny in the bottom of the CO2 cartridge case (I used some glue to hold mine in place). Mine have a consistent 3 second cook off time since then.

[Azathoth]

These things are pretty cool, but I never owned one because it was stupidly expensive to use. I bought the SWAT VTG with Kullwarrior. I believe the net cost was

~250 dollars to the whole system. which included enough blanks to throw the grenade 960 times.

Throwing a thunderB 960 times would cost me a year of university tuition. assuming that the core survived. From my experience on fields failure are relatively common among ThunderB users and when they fail its fantastically. and are no longer serviceable

I'll post a review later when I have the proper adaptor for the 9mm that are readily available in Canada. Jury rigged a 'fix' for now.

[msk-sarge]

I have used thunderb grenades at a field before and i agree they are very loud but a friend of mine there said that iff you fill it with pouder then it muffles the noise extremely well havent tried it yet but it seems like a sound idea

[CR0M]

I think they are a weak gimmick ... they dont bother me at all, but they dont change anything to me at all either. Overall I just think they are pretty lame.

[~Ghost~]

Kullwarrior,

I'm definitely interested in that as I have spent numerous $$ on the shells, I'm just curious as to if the bang is worth the buck at roughly 180$ shipped? Are they consistently loud enough to surprise/distract the individual in the room or are the players able to still focus on the main breach point? Just hoping for some personal experience before I make such a large $$ commitment!

[Danke]

They put out 130db or the same as a gunshot. You pretty well won't see anyone shooting these days without ear protection on.

So if the whole field is running proper ear protection then great. If not you'll need to relegate them to being set off a hundred feet or so from personal.

Ear damage is permanent; kind of like getting lazed. 20-30 years from now when you can't hear for shit there will be some more than hurt feelings.

And yes I have been in close proximity to someone cooking one off and I would definitely rate it as too loud. That is coming from someone who's already had their hearing wrecked by gunfire before ear protectors were in style and at-guns going off all day on the range.

[Drake]

Rather than an allow/ban approach, I think something more constructive would be determining what the minimum level of ear pro is required for their safe use.

Sordins/Peltors all around isn't realistic, nor do I think its necessary: I've been to shooting ranges with nothing but foamy earplugs and I'm fine. I've also worked on stage at concerts with nothing but foamy earplugs (the stage of a rock concert makes a shooting range sound like a library). So for outdoors I think regular earplugs would be adequate (and a reasonable requirement if ThunderBs are allowed).

For indoors I'm not sure.

[Azathoth]

Originally Posted by ~Ghost~

Kullwarrior,

I'm definitely interested in that as I have spent numerous $$ on the shells, I'm just curious as to if the bang is worth the buck at roughly 180$ shipped? Are they consistently loud enough to surprise/distract the individual in the room or are the players able to still focus on the main breach point? Just hoping for some personal experience before I make such a large $$ commitment!

They are a consistent 120db. Several locations around the globe have done measurements and the concensus is that with the 9mm adaptor its quieter than a thunderb. Their is a Shotgun primer adaptor which is lower volume. If you think the ThunderB is not sufficient as a distraction device this will not be either.

Kull has been throwing them on weekend skirmishes in Edmonton and i've been doing testing on an acreage. it's very reliable, I have yet to have a misfire or error. i'm at about 80 throws

Airsoft Flashbang Grenade Review - The VTG blank firing "delay" grenade - YouTube

[Grudge]

Are the VTG's available in Canada?

I have both the Tornado Grenade (impact) and the thunder B's and find each has its uses. I want to start using the Thunder B's are early warning device. Fishing line on the pin, strung between trees on a path.

[Danke]

Originally Posted by Drake

Rather than an allow/ban approach, I think something more constructive would be determining what the minimum level of ear pro is required for their safe use.

Sordins/Peltors all around isn't realistic, nor do I think its necessary: I've been to shooting ranges with nothing but foamy earplugs and I'm fine. I've also worked on stage at concerts with nothing but foamy earplugs (the stage of a rock concert makes a shooting range sound like a library). So for outdoors I think regular earplugs would be adequate (and a reasonable requirement if ThunderBs are allowed).

For indoors I'm not sure.

I guess if you bring grenades then the rule is to bring earplugs for all.

[Strelok]

Well, my goal is to bring these things down to a level where they're both effective, and safe to use.

I'll be testing sound levels through equipment (depending on how they're loaded. From empty to near full.) and physical response from local players that have volunteered for the tests. And yes, on the closer proximity ones they will be wearing protection!

[Chemo]

I'd have to agree with Magnaroth. I've been at enough concerts and played enough small gigs to know how important ear protection is. As a musician, the general consensus is that you're going to have hearing damage eventually, the only question is when.
That being said, I like ThunderBs, they're awesome. Even if you're not clutching your ears in pain after one goes off, you're still disoriented for a few seconds. However, they do have the potential to cause damage; some protection should be distributed to all.
You can buy soft ear plugs in huge bulk packs for next to nothing. If a field is going to allow ThunderBs, then for at least a large event, they shouldn't have a problem handing out a pair of plugs to each player and warning them that ThunderBs will be used. It could literally cost less than a quarter per player, so it's not like it'd be a big cost to anyone.

[Cobrajr122]

Originally Posted by Danke

I guess if you bring grenades then the rule is to bring earplugs for all.

I think it should be left up to the individual. If they feel that they need, or want ear pro, it is up to them to obtain and use a level of earpro that they deem sufficient for their own needs.

Sound distraction devices add a very cool aesthetic to the game, removing it because somebody is unwilling to buy a $5 pack of ear plugs is unfair to all that enjoy the more in depth game play.

We require eyepro, but leave dental, facial, hand, etc. protection up to the individual, despite numerous incidents of chipped teeth, embedded BBs/BBs going inside nose/ears, and BBs destroying fingers and knuckles.
All this, yet there is not a single thread trying to remove BBs from play because people don't want to wear more protection.

Edit

Random note;

According to the 'Academy of Pediatrics and the National Campaign for Hearing Health' the report from my ASG is above safe hearing levels. Nobody is complaining about that...

[TANNER]

Having recently had an ear infection that resulted in very loud temporary tinnitus for a few months I highly recommend protecting your ears. You only need to be in the wrong place at the wrong time once to mess them up when it comes to these loud devices.

You 100% don't want permanent tinnitus. That shit will not make for a pleasant life.