Quarter stick
Quarter stick is a slang term used to refer to the M-80 flashcracker. The term derives from the incorrect belief that an M-80 is equivalent in explosive power to 1/4 of a stick of dynamite. In fact, a classic M-80 contains three grams of flash powder, while a quarter of a stick of dynamite would contain 35 grams of nitroglycerine. Furthermore, nitroglycerine is a high explosive, while the flash powder used in flashcrackers is not. Despite this, a "quarter stick" is still powerful enough to mangle a human limb if it explodes in close proximity. Explosive devices containing more than 50 milligrams of flash powder are illegal to manufacture, use, or possess in the United States without a license from the BATF.
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