Explosions in south Grady were heard over the weekend

Reports of loud explosions in southern Grady County late Saturday afternoon turned out to be friends working on their shooting skills, according to officials with the Grady County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy sent to investigate the loud noises in the area of Hadley Ferry Road, found people had been shooting Tannerite targets on private property. The exploding targets are legal and used most often for firearms practice. According to the name-brand product’s website, “It may be useful for persons who are firing at long ranges; in this scenario, a long-range rifle shooter places targets downrange, retreats to his firing position, and fires. The shooter does not have to walk down range to see if he has a hit, the Tannerite brand target will detonate and serve as an indicator.”
Adam Clark, manager of South Georgia Outdoors’ website, says such exploding targets are sold with two separate powders of ammonium nitrate and aluminum sulfate, which are not explosive until mixed together. “They have to actually mix it themselves,” Clark says of his customers. When the mixture is shot, it explodes.