Dud round disposal

[Rem725]

There are many opinions on dud rounds placed in oil cans. But that is not my point. Those of you who are in clubs or range business, what do you do with the duds from the can, oil or not?

Let's not debate calling the cops for disposal. Just what do you, as a club or range, do with duds for safe disposal?

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[kmk1012]

I toss em in the fire when the kids aren't around. Just joking, I keep a kinetic puller and yank the bullet after an appropriate amount of time (prevent hang fire, etc). Then I'll load it again. Luckily they don't happen too often. If it looks like a soft primer strike, I'll try it one more time-usually lights off.

 

[Tully Mars]

Exactly what I do.

 

[Rem725]

For an individual, sure. Should a range or club do that as well? Is it practical?

 

[bbbass]

Bonfire or funeral pyre.

 

[Joe13]

Toss them in a 5gal bucket of water and put a lid on it when it's full.

That's just me though.

 

[Tully Mars]

For an individual, sure. Should a range or club do that as well? Is it practical?

I honestly don't know what most ranges do. Years ago I worked part time in the evenings as a RO and firearms instructor at a indoor range. All the brass got swept up every evening. Couple of times a month myself and a couple of other brass whores that worked there sorted through everything. As a perk we got to keep any brass that we wanted. If I happened to find a dud in a calibre I was collecting I took it and pulled the bullet later at home. The other whores did too. 98% of the of the duds were.22LR. I believe for the most part they got tossed in with the rest of the .22 brass that was sold to the scrap yard.

 

[teflon6string]

Oil? Why not water? Please elaborate.

Not being a wisearse, I really don't know squat about this and I should. My gun club just keeps an empty tin coffee can hanging on the wall for duds. I suppose some members salvage what's in there.

When shooting, what's the appropriate time to wait before handling centerfire and/or rimfire rounds that didn't go bang? I've had 'em at one time or another in every common caliber from .22 up to 30-06.

 

[Rem725]

Toss them in a 5gal bucket of water and put a lid on it when it's full.

That's just me though.

Then what? Looking for serious answers. I know we are not talking nuke waste here. But what does your club/range business do with a bucket of duds?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

When shooting, what's the appropriate time to wait before handling centerfire and/or rimfire rounds that didn't go bang? I've had 'em at one time or another in every common caliber from .22 up to 30-06.

I usually do a slow count of 30 seconds or so if I have a click and no BANG! with my modern guns...
Andy

 

[Rem725]

As far as a bucket of water goes, I found about 25 rounds of new 38spcl 130 FMJ UMC type ammo in our brass sweepings bucket filled with rain water. Been like that for several days. I salvaged them and dried them for a few days. pulled one bullet and saw inside was dry as a bone. Fired the empty brass in my K38 and primer went off just fine. Later shot all the others at the range just like they were new out of the box. So much for soaking.

 

[teflon6string]

Interesting that, because I'd expect with such exact tolerances that rounds would be more or less watertight. But both times I returned ammo to Winchester (.22 & .45acp) they asked if it had been exposed to moisture. Given that, I now make a point of shooting up whatever .38+P has been in my holstered EDC revolver when I get rained upon hiking or clamming. And they all go pop.

 

[Certaindeaf]

As far as I know it is considered solid waste and can be treated as such. Toss it in the garbage can.

 

[Certaindeaf]

As far as a bucket of water goes, I found about 25 rounds of new 38spcl 130 FMJ UMC type ammo in our brass sweepings bucket filled with rain water. Been like that for several days. I salvaged them and dried them for a few days. pulled one bullet and saw inside was dry as a bone. Fired the empty brass in my K38 and primer went off just fine. Later shot all the others at the range just like they were new out of the box. So much for soaking.

How did you know they were "new"?. in this day and age of everyone using stainless pin brass cleaners
It's a bad practice to fire found rounds.

 

[Rem725]

I could tell. Don't worry

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I would not shoot a "found round."
( as in found on the ground , dud can etc... Not as in a firing pin struck round , that did not fire from my gun)
No real way of telling for 100% sure that it is not a faulty reload ... Or a reload that is not safe for your gun*.

That said its your gun and your body ...
Andy
* Yes you can take a round apart and see whats , what ... but that really only guarantees that one round you examined.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I could tell. Don't worry

Did you Vulcan mind meld it?

 

[Dungannon]

Good question. I manually eject any round that fails to fire and inspect it. 99 times out of a hundred, it fires the next time.

When I take the grandkids shooting, part of the routine is to take an empty bucket when it is time to inspect and replace the targets. The kids and I fill the bucket with trash on the way back to our shooting position. We've found .22lr, 9mm and 12g duds, and all showed evidence of a firing pin strike. For the time being, the duds are bagged and in a bucket by my wood pile, along with the other trash. When I have a pickup load I'll give DNR a call - can't remember the LE/Wildlife guy's name, but I met up with him once before at Hockinson HS to hand off a truck load of trash. He said DNR keeps a record [by weight] of all the trash that's collected by volunteers.

 

[Rem725]

Yes it is foolish to shoot found rounds or unknown reloads of any kind. But 60 years of shooting and reloading told me that the round I pulled was absolutely a virgin round in perfect shape. The point was about the being in water for days.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I have shot rounds that were exposed to water or even under water for a time.
Just how much water is too much or how long under water is too long , I do not know.

Modern ammo has come a long way since the invention of the "modern" self contained cartridge in 1840's and 1850's.
Andy