[zemkacz]

is it actually possible to build a "neutron gun" from americinum-241 from smoke detectors?

[constant thinker]

Some past posts related to your topic.
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=7041.0
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=3761.0

I also found this post though...

I just had to laugh at this little fact.  I had to go to Wal-Mart today to pick up some things and decided to walk by the solvents and plumbing area.  Of course, they really don't have anything there that could be useful as the whole methamphetamine crap has caused Wal-Mart to remove anything good.

As I'm heading to the registers, I walked by the smoke detector area.  I nearly fell on the ground laughing when I saw this "barely in English" generic smoke detector there for $5.  On the back was the phrase "Caution: This detector contains approximately 1.0 microCuries of Americium-241...."  For only $5, how could I not pick this up?  Sure enough, I take it apart at home and there's the ionization chamber with a nice button of Am-241 in there.  So I, after much effort, removed it from the circuitboard and put it in a jar with my other Am-241 sample.

Who'd have thunk you could get a transuranic element for $5 at Wal-Mart?!!!!!   

Good luck with your neutron gun.

[Psilacybin]

Didn't they worry that the terrorists' were trying to do something like this?

I even think they found some dude stock-piling some Am246* during a raid on a terror site. The smart lady one the news said that we dont have to worry aabout nuetron guns.

[GEOELECTRONICS]

yes, but it is illegal in the US to take a smoke detector apart.

Geo

[nwiggin]

yeah, its illegal in the states, but thats not gonna stop very many people

[UG]

You can get polonium 210