Corroded Shot Gun Shells

The Old Salt

October 17, 2011 19:39

Cleaning up the shop I discovered several boxes of shot gun shells that had gotten wet. About half of the shells had visible corrosion on them. My gut tells me that the corroded shells should be discarded. If that is true, how do you go about it safey? Throwing them in the trash for the trash man to pick up just seems to pose a safety risk to the trash folks. Suggestions anyone?

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  fordsix

  October 17, 2011 20:15

  cit the tops off and empty them out save the lead

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  charliemeyer007

  October 17, 2011 21:11

  I guess it would depend on how badly they are corroded. If you have a real gun store/smith in your area I'd bet they would know someone that would take them off you hands.

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  The Old Salt

  October 17, 2011 21:13

  Thanks for the ideas.

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  Old Man River

  October 18, 2011 00:28

  I called my local police department and they said I could bring some old shells to them and they could get rid of them for me.

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  Mobuck

  October 18, 2011 03:30

  And now the local PD has your house tagged as an "ammo dump". Probably the fire dept also.

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  bsdoyle

  October 18, 2011 03:37

  Unless they are so corroded that they wont fit in the gun shoot um at local trap range or for doves or sumpin. Wipe um down with wd 40 and use um. Unless they are so corroded the brass is split or the like. Wish you were close to me. Id love to have um.

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  nmyers

  October 18, 2011 04:28

  We just researched this in my county & found:
  --the county fire investigators won't take them
  --the county police won't take them
  --the state police bomb squad won't take them
  --the state fire marshal won't take them
  --the county landfill won't take them
  
  BUT, we found 2 local gunshops that WILL take them. I suspect that they will break down the good stuff for components, & throw the rest in the trash.
  
  I really don't see how any ammo could hurt the trash collectors, but the landfill operators never bothered asking anyone who actually knows. Folks put out stuff that's a lot more dangerous: fire extinguishers, radio isotopes, & solvents.
  
  Neal

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  Mobuck

  October 18, 2011 06:26

  If the shells are steel shot and the base is corroded, there is a chance the shot is also corroded. I've seen some steel shotshells that the shot load was rusted into a solid lump. This will damage a shotgun or split the barrel.

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  Riomouse911

  October 18, 2011 09:50

  Don't shoot them if they're crummy, you don;t want to ruin your gun. I'd break them down and use what you can of the shot.

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  The Old Salt

  October 21, 2011 20:26

  I don't load shot gun shells, but I do sometimes load shot shells for other cals. I like the idea of breaking them down. I'll recover the lead, dump the powder and burn it, chamber the empty shells and pop the caps before discarding. Everyone wins and I'm not passisng anything on to the trash men.

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