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Ammo disposal

bohdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
1,753
Location
Centreville, Virginia, USA
Have a friend who has numerous rounds of 38 that he says are 20 years old, kept in an ammo can in dry cool place. He isn't sure what to do with it and is looking for suggestions on disposal. Anyone?
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Many gun offer safeboxes for damaged ammunition at the range. Call around and see if any of them might be able to help.
 

Blk97F150

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
1,179
Location
Virginia
Have a friend who has numerous rounds of 38 that he says are 20 years old, kept in an ammo can in dry cool place. He isn't sure what to do with it and is looking for suggestions on disposal. Anyone?

20 years isn't really that old when you think about some of the surplus ammo people buy/shoot. If its factory loads and he really wants to get rid of it, I'll take it and 'dispose' of it. :p
 

bohdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
1,753
Location
Centreville, Virginia, USA
I think they are factory loads. I'll have to ask him but I am pretty sure it's "new in box". He told me when we were out camping about two weeks ago. He has a 357 but as you can imagine, rarely shoots. I suggested he contact a few ranges but haven't gotten him links to them but I am sure he could have looked them up. If your serious about taking it off his hands let me know and I'll help make it happen. Otherwise I think the range route is probably the best option but I figured there would be someone on here who might have another opinion or four :)
 

Blk97F150

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
1,179
Location
Virginia
I think they are factory loads. I'll have to ask him but I am pretty sure it's "new in box". He told me when we were out camping about two weeks ago. He has a 357 but as you can imagine, rarely shoots. I suggested he contact a few ranges but haven't gotten him links to them but I am sure he could have looked them up. If your serious about taking it off his hands let me know and I'll help make it happen. Otherwise I think the range route is probably the best option but I figured there would be someone on here who might have another opinion or four :)

Sure, I'm serious. I'll be coming through Centerville Wed. afternoon and can pick it up then. If that doesn't work out, I can ride up there this weekend.
 

wrightme

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
5,574
Location
Fallon, Nevada, USA
Very carefully, dispose of it one round at a time. :eek:




Place them in a suitable container and render them inoperable.


Here is a suitable container.....

100175564-1-L.JPG
 

JoeSparky

Centurion
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,621
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
I think they are factory loads. I'll have to ask him but I am pretty sure it's "new in box". He told me when we were out camping about two weeks ago. He has a 357 but as you can imagine, rarely shoots. I suggested he contact a few ranges but haven't gotten him links to them but I am sure he could have looked them up. If your serious about taking it off his hands let me know and I'll help make it happen. Otherwise I think the range route is probably the best option but I figured there would be someone on here who might have another opinion or four :)

Load em up in the .357 revolver and dispose away as long as no damage or corrosion is evident on the cases/primers!
 

DoubleR

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
689
Location
Fairfax County, VA, ,
I have some old hand loaded .44 Mag's and 357's, with nothing to shoot 'em in. In Fx. Co. you can call the PD @ 703-246-2253 for disposal instructions. I haven't, yet...
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
I can't believe some of what I'm hearing:eek:

If it isn't corroded, shoot it or give it to someone that can use it.
If it is corroded, pull the bullets and reload them or give them to a handloader that will.

Just dump the powder in the bushes or lawn. It's a high nitrogen fertilizer.

Just soak the old cases in water to neutralize the primers.
 

ocholsteroc

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
1,317
Location
Virginia, Hampton Roads, NC 9 miles away
Have a friend who has numerous rounds of 38 that he says are 20 years old, kept in an ammo can in dry cool place. He isn't sure what to do with it and is looking for suggestions on disposal. Anyone?

Huh....... Does your friend even have a 38? ammo is good 50+ years. I have surplus stuff I have been shooting, dated to 1968. Was this stored bad or something? in a garage ?


I have a friend who has this machine to get rid of 38sp ammo, will take it off your hands, depends on how many rounds you got. Thats a long drive.... ;)
 
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ODA 226

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,603
Location
Etzenricht, Germany
As long as it's not corroded or damaged, it should be safe to shoot. I've shot ammo that was made in the early 1930's with no problems at all.
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
I'd send them downrange. The storage method described suggests they're perfectly fine.

I'll take 'em if you don't want 'em.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
I think they are factory loads. I'll have to ask him but I am pretty sure it's "new in box". He told me when we were out camping about two weeks ago. He has a 357 but as you can imagine, rarely shoots. I suggested he contact a few ranges but haven't gotten him links to them but I am sure he could have looked them up. If your serious about taking it off his hands let me know and I'll help make it happen. Otherwise I think the range route is probably the best option but I figured there would be someone on here who might have another opinion or four :)

If you were to clean out all your PMs you've got stored up, your friends could send you a PM. :p:)
 

ProShooter

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
4,663
Location
www.ProactiveShooters.com, Richmond, Va., , USA
Police Dept. EOD... Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

A few months ago I met a FCPD officer involved in that stuff. They'll accept and properly dispose of unwanted ammunition, smokeless and black powder, fireworks, and even civil war munitions. Though the latter they prefer to come out on location to take care of.

Of course, if it's just old ammo that was properly stored, no reason not to just shoot it up.


+1

When I was in LE, I asked where it went and was told that it gets turned over to the State Police and their bomb squad guys either destroy it or use it for bomb squad training, equipment testing, etc.

if the ammo looks good and you believe that it hasn't been compromised, then its probably safe to shoot. If you have any concerns, don't risk it.
 
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bohdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
1,753
Location
Centreville, Virginia, USA
I had suggested the water route. I don't know the condition of the rounds, I doubt he does either. I don't know if he would be willing to shoot them, which sort of begs the question of why he still has the 357, lol. Having said that I'll have to goto his house to check them out. I won't be able to do that before Wednesday. So before I advise him to give them up I'll ask him if he intends to keep shooting his 357 with any regularity, and maybe help facilitate a sale of gun and ammo as a package if he wants neither. I'd rather get him shooting his own weapon again - for his own safety, than to leave him with a paperweight.

@ citizen - yes friend, it does help if I empty my in and sent boxes. This forum makes it rather painful to delete pm's. Going one by one is not so fun. Saving everything to a text file and emptying the entire contents is not so fun (but much quicker I admit). My boxes are now clear :)
 
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