Can underwater ammo explode?

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I have a friend that found an unexploded WW2 era torpedo off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale about 20 years ago. They gave it a wide berth.

I'm going to Bikini next summer. I plan on treating the bombs in the Saratoga with great respect.
 
I have a friend that found an unexploded WW2 era torpedo off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale about 20 years ago. They gave it a wide berth.

I'm going to Bikini next summer. I plan on treating the bombs in the Saratoga with great respect.
Some of the larger bombs on the Saratoga were marked "inert" at the time of testing, but there are tens of thousands of 40mm rounds in ammo cans. Some of them would have to be tracers, but I have never seen evidence of any of them fizzing, despite being tumbled around in collapses. Then there are the depth charges on the destroyers, corroded open and full of white crystals, and the 16" projectiles on the Nagato, blocking an overhead hatch in a jumble just waiting to fall...
 
I've been finding and recovering 40MM AAA ammo from the ocean on and off since 1970 never had a problem. After the powder is dried it makes a dandy campfire starter. It looks like the food rabbits are fed little pellet looking things. I'm pretty sure there is at least one live torpedo in U853 and the charts of the area were marked and may still be with warnings of unexploded depth charges. So it depends what it is. I'd leave live torpedos and depth charges be, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up cartridge type ammo.

edit: small arms ammo does not explode unless it is confided in the chamber of a firearm with the possible exception of shotgun ammo, the wad is pressed in over the powder using a ram with adjustable pressure, at least my Mec600jr. shot shell reloading press is setup that way. That maybe enough confinement to create enough pressure to cause an explosion big enough to throw shot and possibly cause injury.
Throw a loaded metallic cartridge into a fire all you'll get is a pop.
 
Didn't one of 853's torpedoes mysteriously disappear, presumably plundered by some madman?

That will make for an interesting call when his grandkids are cleaning out the basement. Or it would be one hell of a dive scooter housing...
 
Didn't one of 853's torpedoes mysteriously disappear, presumably plundered by some madman?

That will make for an interesting call when his grandkids are cleaning out the basement. Or it would be one hell of a dive scooter housing...

Makes me think of the scene from Hot Fuzz.

Arthur Webley : Sea mine.

Nicholas Angel : Well, Mr. Webley this is an extremely dangerous collection, it's a wonder nobody's been hurt before.

Arthur Webley : Nah, just a lot of junk.

[He hits the mine with the butt of his shotgun. With a creak, it slowly tips onto its side and starts ticking softly. The three men exchange a look]

Nicholas Angel : MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
 

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