Earlier quoted context omitted.
>before 9/11 caused them to tighten up the rules, You mean "before the Weather Underground blew up a bunch of random shit with hardware store dynamite in the 1970s". >It still isn't difficult today from my understanding, there is just more paperwork. The paperwork and compliance is enough of an expensive PITA it precludes everyone who isn't a regular commercial user, which is exactly the point. It used to be that far…
It worked how I described in the late 1990s. I know someone who went through the new process and it didn't seem that onerous. As I recall it isn't that different from the process for getting Global Entry on your passport. Explosives are still heavily used in mining and construction. Many of those operations are just a couple individuals, not any kind of real company.
My understanding is that it's nigh on impossible as an individual now but I may be wrong.
>Many of those operations are just a couple individuals, not any kind of real company.
In my limited experience the guys who do the explosives have typically made a business out of it and get subcontracted to many mines and jobsites to blow this or that up.