Old, Unspent Shell Disposal

[Robert*PPS]

Backstory: I took my prized Ithaca 12 gauge out to shoot some dove this weekend, and I has some Winchester dove loads that I dug out of my ammo cache. I had two boxes, both probably 10 years old or so. I had forgot about them until doing some inventory, so I decided to shoot em up. Well, first shot goes bang, but the shell gets stuck in the chamber and the pump action will not eject it. I get the shell out finally, and test fire 3 rounds from my father-in-laws box of shells. The gun cycles perfectly. I load up 1 of my oldies, and sure enough, the shell gets stuck in the chamber again.

So, I have 2 boxes of old shells that my shotgun does not like. What's the proper way to dispose of the shells? I guess I could give them away for someone else to try, but being that they're old, I don't know that anybody would want to try it.

[clarionite]

If I were closer, I'd take them off your hands. But San Antonio to Lubbock is a long way to drive for a couple of boxes of dove load. I'm sure if you put them up on craigslist for free, someone would take them.

[puma guy]

The cases themselves might have swelled a little, but it's more likely that it's the Winchester brass rims that are sticking in the chamber - they're becoming (in)famous for that.

You could cut the shells open, dump the lead pellets into a tray for later melting, dump the powder onto your roses or whatever as fertilizer - and pop the primers before throwing them in the trash.

Andy suggestion is the best way to dispose of them. If you reload you can save the shot or melt for bullet casting. I found a bunch of my dad's paper hull Peters shells made before WWII in the cellar of his parent's house in NYC about 1958 and used them right up to the late 1960's to duck hunt. I guess I was just lucky.

[Robert*PPS]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to go out again this weekend. My father-in-law will run a couple through his semi-auto. Hopefully, they'll work for him and the problem will be solved.

[RoyGBiv]

Find a neighbor that shoots a double barrel and pay them forward.

[gmckinl]

10 year old ammo isn't old, it's still very new. I'm still shooting dove loads I bought in the 70's. Some were bought at Target if that gives you a hint of how old they are.

[Robert*PPS]

10 year old ammo isn't old, it's still very new. I'm still shooting dove loads I bought in the 70's. Some were bought at Target if that gives you a hint of how old they are.

I was thinking that they should be fine. They've been stored properly and all that, but yet they still hung in a shotgun that has given me no troubles over the many years I've had it. The only thing I could think of is that either: A) age of shell has something to do with it; or B) that shotgun just doesn't like Winchester.

I'll be going out tomorrow, and I'll be taking the mossberg, which is what I used when this particular case was purchased. I know it handled them fine years ago so it'll be interesting to see what it does now.

[puma guy]

10 year old ammo isn't old, it's still very new. I'm still shooting dove loads I bought in the 70's. Some were bought at Target if that gives you a hint of how old they are.

I was thinking that they should be fine. They've been stored properly and all that, but yet they still hung in a shotgun that has given me no troubles over the many years I've had it. The only thing I could think of is that either: A) age of shell has something to do with it; or B) that shotgun just doesn't like Winchester.

I'll be going out tomorrow, and I'll be taking the mossberg, which is what I used when this particular case was purchased. I know it handled them fine years ago so it'll be interesting to see what it does now.

I hope this method of shell disposal is successful for you!

[Robert*PPS]

Update: Well, the dove weren't flying where we were at, so we got out the clay pigeons and shot those. It was a blast! We ran those Winchesters through my father-in-law's semi-auto, and it ate em up! I tried one more in the Ithaca, and it stuck in the chamber, just like before. That was after putting through 2 boxes of federal through it without a hitch....so no more Winchester for me!