Disposing of bad loads

[GJwitha45]

Was doing some much needed "house cleaning" and found some shells from my shotgunning days. They are some bad reloads that I had boxed, marked "BAD" and put on a shelf that don't get much attention. They are live loads, but most have a bad crimp, a wrinkle in the hull or brass is bent.

What do you think? What is best, safest, legal and easy way to dispose of them? I am thinking cut them open and dismantle them, but then what about the components?

[Don2]

Hmmm..What would I do?

If you do not load shotshells anymore, and do not know of anyone to give the components to....Just cut them open at the top of the crimp, dump shot into a container, pull wad with needle nose pliers, dump powder in a container.
Trim where you cut top of shell and put the empty hull into a shotgun and shoot the primers.

Then sprinkle all the powder in the flower garden or just out on the grass ( It will help it grow )
Toss the wads and spent hulls, keep the shot to use in some other way or give away.

Thats what I would do if I had NO USE for the bad shells.

Now the FUN way....!!!
Take the powder and make a trail of powder in the dirt away from anything and light it at night..!!!
It won't poof in your face unless it Black Powder. Smokeless powder just fizzles and burns.

Don2

[TxLobo]

we "used" to get bad loads from a neighbor..

he cut the ends off and recycled the shot and the plugs..

My uncle cut a 2x12 and drilled holes in it several inches apart. we pushed the 12 gauge plugs into the holes and used the brass/primers as bullseyes..

went through a few 2x12's if I recall... but it was fun!

you could pour the shot into a sewn bag and use it as a paperweight.. give it to someone that smelts...

[FuziDave]

cleaning the old gun cabinet at my folks house, we came across 20+ year old ammo. took it to Bullet Trap. seems they have a big barrel of oil they put that in. the oil seeps in and kills the primer and powder. (or that's what they told me)

[michael e]

When I get a shotgun round that crimps bad I just shoot it out of my double barrel and throw away the hull instead of save that one.