M-100's are a class of powerful

firecracker A firecracker (cracker, noise maker, banger) is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang, usually for celebration or entertainment; any visual effect is incidental t ...

s commonly called

salutes A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Sco ...

Description

M-100's generally consist of a

cardboard Cardboard is a generic term for heavy paper-based products. The construction can range from a thick paper known as paperboard to corrugated fiberboard which is made of multiple plies of material. Natural cardboards can range from grey to light b ...

tube 2-1/8" x 3/4". Colors may vary. They contain 10 grams and max out at 15g. These contain

flash powder Flash powder is a pyrotechnic composition, a mixture of oxidizer and metallic fuel, which burns quickly and produces a loud noise regardless of confinement. It is widely used in theatrical pyrotechnics and fireworks (namely salutes, e.g., cherry ...

that is ignited via a

visco fuse {{Unreferenced, date=February 2008 A visco fuse is a higher-quality fuse used for consumer fireworks. It is most commonly colored green or red, and is found as a twisted, coated strand. It is also used to create delays in the firing of multiple f ...

positioned in the center or side of the tube. In the United States, M-100s are illegal to manufacture, possess, and sell without a proper license, and are regulated by the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...

(ATF). M-100s were first banned by the Child Protection Act of 1966.

Accidents

In 1983, an explosion at a secret unlicensed fireworks factory manufacturing M-80 and M-100 fireworks near

Benton, Tennessee Benton is a town in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,532 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Polk County. Benton is included in the Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area. Nancy Ward, a Cherokee known as '' ...

, killed eleven, injured one, and inflicted damage within a radius of several miles. The operation was by far the largest-known illegal fireworks operation in US history, and the initial blast was heard as far away as from the site.

References

{{reflist Types of fireworks

Description

Accidents

See also

References