Disposing of Unneeded Ammo

[Cycler]

I just sold my .243 Win rifle but have some reloaded ammo left over from it. For safety and liability reasons I don't want to give it to anyone else so I have to get rid of it safely.

I can break it down by pulling the bullets and dumping the powder but that leaves me with the primed cases. I have a 7mm-08 and a quick check shows the .243 empty cases will chamber in it so could I use it to just "fire" the primers, leaving the cases inert and in suitable condition to safely give away. Obviously I have to do this where the noise and residue won't be a problem so I'll probably take the shells and the rifle to my gun club.

Any negatives or unexpected side effects? I know I could inert the primers with a drop or two of oil but that would leave the cases too contaminated to reuse.

[fgw_in_fla]

I punch them out GENTLY with a neck sizing die & reuse them. I hate to throw anything away. Especially with components being so hard to find.
Also, it seems I read somewhere oil, water & other liquids will not cause a primer to go inert right away. Can't recall where it was.

[thomae]

Become a paid member and sell your primed brass in the classifieds.
AFAIK, Primed brass can be shipped via regular mail or UPS.

[KRP]

Become a paid member and sell your primed brass in the classifieds.
AFAIK, Primed brass can be shipped via regular mail or UPS.

AFAIK?

Primed brass violates USPS shipping regs, UPS is okay.

[M_Trivette]

Breaking the ammo down and selling the primed brass will work just fine.
I just bought a Hornady collet bullet puller and if used properly bullets can be removed easily and without a scratch.
So you could sell the pulled bullets and the primed brass.


The simple solution is the buy another .243 but that's just me.

[FW Conch]

If you decide that the components have no value to you, you can "get up close to the back stop"and fire them through your 7mm-08, then you will have 7mm-08 brass. A while back I made some 358win out of 308win. There is no accuracy what so ever so you "must" be close to the backstop. Unorthodox, but it works. Jim

[thomae]

AFAIK?As Far As I Know.

[J.Baker]

I would highly recommend AGAINST ever trying to deprime live primers from brass. Know more than a few people who have had primers go off and wound up in the emergency room getting slivers of the primer cup removed from their flesh.

Your first idea of pulling the bullets, dumping the powder and then firing off the primers is the best solution. Can probably even do it in your basement or garage as it's really not much louder than a cap gun. Just keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction in case part of an anvil tries to escape.

[jwrowland77]

I would highly recommend AGAINST ever trying to deprime live primers from brass. Know more than a few people who have had primers go off and wound up in the emergency room getting slivers of the primer cup removed from their flesh.


It is perfectly safe to remove live primers from brass. Just wear eye protection and ear protection.

I know a whole bunch of people that have done it with no ill effects. I have done it myself. As long as you go nice and slow, they slide right out with no issues.

[thermaler]

I once fired a few 308 primers in unloaded cases in my AR--I was amazed at the force them little things pack--definitely wouldn't want one of them going off while I'm handling it. One case actually got moderately stuck in the chamber--so homey don't do that anymore.

[Dennis]

Put a few drops of transmission oil in the primed case, make sure the unspent primer is soaked. Primer is permanently dead.

Any oil will work, trans oil is about the cheapest.

If your planning on selling the brass, just clean the oil out with thinner or something similar.

JMO