old shotgun shells

[93marshooter]

My wife and I are moving after 20 years. I shoot lots of hand gun and rifle ammo but little shotgun. Apparently in some past time past some one gave me a couple of boxes of 12 gauge reloads. Some are really poorly made. What is the best way to dispose of these shells? I am thinking of cutting them to save the lead for melting.

[Sixgun]

I never did like throwing out any kind of ammo. I would sort through 'em and keep the "keepers". The rest I'd just throw in a river somewhere. Yea, you could take 'em apart as it ain't nothin' to run a knife around the top and dump out the bb's and then thrown that in the river. Put 'em in a heavy plastic bag with some rocks.

It sounds like littering but I still remember what some guy told me 30 years ago. he had a big box full of all kinds of old rifle ammo and could not find anybody to give them to so he threw 'em in the Brandwine Creek, about a 1/4 mile from where George Washington crossed back in 1776. He said they all sank. I cried for about a month thinking about all of the blackpowder 45-70's and all that went to the bottom. ------------Sixgun

[93marshooter]

My answer!!! I cut the shells salvaged the lead. cut again and discarded the powder, about 1/4 cup.

[Batman1939]

I think throwing them in the river doesn't just "sound" like littering; it is littering. Surely, a better place could be found to dispose of them. Why junk up another aquatic system??

[.45colt]

Find someone with a weber charcole grill. drop them in put the lid on,run about 75yds and wait for the top to go over the roof. I heard about this from a friend................... .

[2571]

What's the matter with you? Don't put trash in our waters. How'd you like it if I came and peed in your well?

[Ji in Hawaii]

Give them to a fried who shoots shotgun. I'm always happy to receive free ammo. Seems a waste to take apart.

[Sixgun]

Oh stop your crying, you wannabe moral high grounders. Some dirt can be cleaned with a little soap but the dirt some carry can't be cleaned with all the soap in China. 'ya hear? -----Sixgun

[1894]

My answer!!! I cut the shells salvaged the lead. cut again and discarded the powder, about 1/4 cup.

I believe that the old powder can help in a garden ( in small doses ) if the dirt is lacking one of the chemicals that plants like ( I'm not smart enough to remember which one , but thinking Nitrogen ?? )

As a kid my father was into trap and skeet shooting . He also had an old single shot 12 gauge that was a hand me down to his father . Old enough that " Don't EVER put a full round through this "
Any who , During reloading , The older paper shells and early plastic ones would of course , not survive the reloading process. Dad would take his pocket knife and cut the shell off above the wad and reuse the shot , and stack in a tray the rest of the shell. As a youngin' I got to " shoot " Grampas old single shot 12 guage down in the basement and try not to hit the block walls with those fiber wads with the red wax on them too often

[Griff]

If you're into the "prim and proper" thing to do... either the fire dep't or the police dep't will take old ammo off your hands. Some big dept's have "bomb disposal" divisions and they love stuff to test out their toys with!

Sixgun... you should take up diving. Fresh water shouldn't contaminate the shells or projectiles... Heck, if C&B pistols can still fire after being submerged in creeks for over a century...

[2571]

"Some dirt can be cleaned with a little soap but the dirt some carry can't be cleaned with all the soap in China. 'ya hear?"

What does that mean?

[vancelw]

I think throwing them in the river doesn't just "sound" like littering; it is littering. Surely, a better place could be found to dispose of them. Why junk up another aquatic system??

Amen. Littering is littering. I nearly got snake bit (not really, just scared scared to death) picking up ber bottles in the bar ditch the other day.

Smaller local Fire Departments and Police Departments usually don't have any way to store or dispose of ammo.
If it's legal to burn trash in your area, you can burn them in a 55 gallon drum. I'd keep an assured, safe distance just in case (not to forget the water hose). They should burn but not deflagrate or detonate.