Disposing of Damaged Ammunition

People that reload an or cast bullets would be happy to take them off your hands. I’m in Western Mass an would be happy to pick them up!
After breaking the rounds down, discard power into the yard, save or remelt bullets, deprime brass slowly. Then SS pin clean brass.
You will be surprised at how much you can recover!
I came across a small amount of ammo which had been damaged a long time ago. One of my worst cats peed on it, about 30-40 rounds of .30-06 I had loose in a box. I was pissed (no pun intended) but not sure what to do with it, It had been sitting for a while before I found it. It has been sitting for a few years and I need to do something. Most of the casings are rusted and/or corroded. Has anyone here had a similar problem and know a good procedure to use?

I am thinking that I should carefully pull the bullets, dump the powder out, and soak the empty casings w/primers in some sort of penetrating oil. As long as I don't cause any sparks or hit the primers, this sounds like the safest and best possible way to go about it. Most of the cases are somewhat corroded so trying to fire them is a no-no. There are a few where the only damage is to the projectile and they just seem to be discolored.

Am I missing anything in this that I should be aware of before I start.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.
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I personally haven't had a lot of luck with this method. In my experience, primers are much harder to kill than you think.

If someone has a proven method (which means you've actually tested to confirm they are dead) I'd love to hear it.
pull bullets dump powder and then with a nice solid backer....anvil or sheet of lead place the case on the backer and hit with a 22oz estwing.....adult snap caps!

Many years ago we disposed of rounds in fire barrels. They dont generally give off any worse of a pop than sap snap? BUT they do toss debris and can absolutely cause some eye damage and burns. Not something I would do in a small setting


most ranges also have dud collection bins. Often bright yellow heavy containers.

Theres is really nothing wrong with turning in JUNK ammo to the PD. Really saves you the time and hassle wondering what to do it with yourself.
 
only 30-40 rounds? People way over think this crap. Why make all that work for yourself. Just tie them up in a couple of old plastic shopping bags and inconspicuously toss them in the trash. Not that big of a deal, and once it's in the trash truck it can't really be tied to you. Some loose cat piss soaked rifle rounds aren't going to be any more dangerous than the 1lb propane cans, mapp cylinders, and aerosols that constantly get thrown away. Just use some common sense, wipes your prints off of em, and don't put them in a trash bag that has mail in it with you address or personal information.
 
Well, the way I plan on doing it does not lower me to the level of the a@@hats you reference in your post.

YMMV.
 
I will add to my above statement, don't do this with a large quantity of ammo.
Well, the way I plan on doing it does not lower me to the level of the a@@hats you reference in your post.

YMMV.

back of a modern trash truck is built heavier than some tanks from the first or second world war. Ammunition not contained in a gun chamber/barrel is a next to harmless noise maker. Soaking the primers in oil doesn't work. That's why I'd just throw them away whole. Pull the bullets if it makes you feel better, but it is truly a waste of time.

Throwing it away seems better than burying it in your backyard. If it goes in the trash, it ends up getting sorted out and recycled as scrap metal, or ends up in a landfill that is designed to deal with the lead and crap that will eventually break down and leach out of it. Burying it in the backyard is not good, especially if you have a well. Lead does eventually break down and end up in the ground water.

If there is a large amount of ammo that needs to be disposed of that's a whole different story, but were talking about one or two boxes worth.
 
Hasn't the method of using oil to deactivate primers been proven to be very hit or miss?

I remember some testing that once the primers had dried out most of them worked again.
I've punched out a ton of live primers over the years, never had one go off. Just got take it nice and easy on the handle.
 
Do you know someone who reloads? if so then just give them the bad rounds to disassemble.

Have a pipe cutter? - cut them at the shoulder, toss the powder on the lawn and the rest in the trash. No, a couple of live primers are not going to cause a problem. If you are really worried, fire the emptied brass to inert the primer. No pressure will develop so there is no danger to your firearm. The only result will be noise, a short flame and a dirty barrel.
 
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