How do you dispose of bad primer live rounds?

[RWT]

I am fortunate to have a private range on my property. I have numerous friend come out to shoot everything from 22-300win. Between myself and my friends we have at least 1 failure to fire, primer strike 22 or center fire every trip. How do you dispose of these rounds that I just feel are unsafe to leave laying around.

I have thoughts and will build it this weekend. Just curious if there is a known safe way to dispose of these rounds.

 

[AZ_squid]

Maybe use a bullet puller to take out the projectile. That'll basically render the cartridge inert. I'm no expert by any means.

 

[TaperPin]

Pull the bullet and reload it.

 

[rayporter]

if you are not going to reload it just rip the bullet out with a pair of pliers and throw it in a bucket of water.

i reload them.

 

[Nine Banger]

We have an “amnesty box” at our range.

I’m really not sure why they chose that word. It makes it seem like you did something wrong.

It’s an ammo can bolted to 2x4 on shed with a hole in it.

I’m not sure if it has oil in the bottom if it or just air. Water would putrify.

I don’t think chucking a live round in the household trash is inherently dangerous tho. I cringe thinking about all the broken glass, needles, razor blades etc that landfill workers encounter.

 

[Castle Rock]

2 pairs of pliers

 

[RWT]

the bullet puller or pliers I can understand for center fires. Although we have at least 30 pistol cases using cheap aluminum or steel case ammo. We also have lots of 22LR that are bad printers. There is just something in my head that makes me think I am 8 finger Bob when I grab a 22 shell with pliers in the middle of the case and another set on the bullet.

I am seriously considering burying a piece of 2 7/8 pipe 1’ in the ground, welding a cap on top and drilling a hole just large enough for a 300 win case. I can drop the 22 in there and feel somewhat contained. or did I just make my own explosive device and not really think this through?

 

[gman82001]

the bullet puller or pliers I can understand for center fires. Although we have at least 30 pistol cases using cheap aluminum or steel case ammo. We also have lots of 22LR that are bad printers. There is just something in my head that makes me think I am 8 finger Bob when I grab a 22 shell with pliers in the middle of the case and another set on the bullet.

I am seriously considering burying a piece of 2 7/8 pipe 1’ in the ground, welding a cap on top and drilling a hole just large enough for a 300 win case. I can drop the 22 in there and feel somewhat contained. or did I just make my own explosive device and not really think this through?

Ya I don’t think I’d do that lol
Toss em in the trash they need to be confined in a chamber to actually produce the pressure for a bullet to go flying otherwise they just kinda pop as pressure expels. The other thing I’d do is retry the round at least once and pull the trigger again just to see if it was a light hammer strike otherwise you know the primer was a dud and not much is gonna happen

 

[kapntx]

I don’t think I’ve ever had a 22LR that wouldn’t fire if I retried it after rotating it a little in the chamber. If after multiple tries it still wouldn’t fire I’d just toss it in the trash. You can pull the bullet from a centerfire round and remove the powder but you still have a potentially live primer to punch out (insert danger flag here). Supposedly squirting oil into the primer will “kill” it, but I’ve never tried to see if that actually works. When you try decapping the first oil soaked case wear protective equipment and operate the reloading press from under the table

 

[rayporter]

cases can be deprimed easily. just punch em out. i have even reused them.

 

[kapntx]

cases can be deprimed easily. just punch em out. i have even reused them.

Yes I know they can. I have done a fair amount of reloading. The issue here is that the primer is not spent. Punching it out could cause it to detonate.

 

[rayporter]

go to a large match and ask five random shooters if they have deprimed live primers. i bet every one of them does it.

 

[iamthenick]

Throw em in the trash. Double bag it to be safe.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I’ve run cases with live primers through my sizing/decapping die. No problems so far. Maybe twenty or so? But then I also stand on the top shelf of ladders and change outlets and switches without turning off the breaker.

 

[Blurry1]

We have an “amnesty box” at our range.

I’m really not sure why they chose that word. It makes it seem like you did something wrong.

It’s an ammo can bolted to 2x4 on shed with a hole in it.

I’m not sure if it has oil in the bottom if it or just air. Water would putrify.

I don’t think chucking a live round in the household trash is inherently dangerous tho. I cringe thinking about all the broken glass, needles, razor blades etc that landfill workers encounter.

It’s a military term. The military is exceptionally concerned for some reason about its war fighters going back to the barracks from the range with a spare round in their pocket. Hence amnesty boxes.

 

[Choupique]

did I just make my own explosive device and not really think this through?

Yea, you did. Don't do that. It'll be less dangerous in a non-sealed container.

The only real danger from a round going off in the open is brass shrapnel. A plywood box would contain that easily.

 

[LookinforDirt]

I’ve removed good primers from a few hundred live rounds. Use a decapping die or the decapping pin with the sizing die. Just be deliberate and gentle doing it. Personally I use a dedicated decapping die in an inexpensive Lee single stage press incase it pops. Don’t want my sizing die and expensive press messed up. I’ve never had an issue but still try to be smart about it. I suggest wearing safety glasses and work/mechanics gloves. Even ear plugs. And don’t stand over the top of it

In some instances I’ve reused the ejected primer. I use a Sharpie to put a dot on them so I know. I typically reload them in less important rounds. They’ve all fired and have performed inline with fresh from the box primers. Have probably shot 30-40 primers this way. I’ve done so many because I’ve inherited some guns and along with them some questionable reloaded ammo. I’ve deconstructed maybe 30-40 of my own rounds also after I’ve decided I didn’t want to test a certain load or to sell the gun they are for. It’s a process and I like to avoid it. But, I don’t like tossing components.

I do agree trying to fire them a second time and rotating rimfire and trying is a good idea. If they don’t fire don’t eject them right away. I did once have a 22 round go off while laying on the bench. Scary as hell and literally felt like I dodged a bullet on that one. Never again.

 

[kapntx]

I’ve run cases with live primers through my sizing/decapping die. No problems so far. Maybe twenty or so? But then I also stand on the top shelf of ladders and change outlets and switches without turning off the breaker.

I’ve done the last two but not tried the first. If RWT wants to go there on his own that’s fine with me and I’m not arguing that it can’t be done. I’m just not going to advise someone to do it.

 

[kapntx]

I’ve removed good primers from a few hundred live rounds. Use a decapping die or the decapping pin with the sizing die. Just be deliberate and gentle doing it. Personally I use a dedicated decapping die in an inexpensive Lee single stage press incase it pops. Don’t want my sizing die and expensive press messed up. I’ve never had an issue but still try to be smart about it. I suggest wearing safety glasses and work/mechanics gloves. Even ear plugs. And don’t stand over the top of it

In some instances I’ve reused the ejected primer. I use a Sharpie to put a dot on them so I know. I typically reload them in less important rounds. They’ve all fired and have performed inline with fresh from the box primers. Have probably shot 30-40 primers this way. I’ve done so many because I’ve inherited some guns and along with them some questionable reloaded ammo. I’ve deconstructed maybe 30-40 of my own rounds also after I’ve decided I didn’t want to test a certain load or to sell the gun they are for. It’s a process and I like to avoid it. But, I don’t like tossing components.

I do agree trying to fire them a second time and rotating rimfire and trying is a good idea. If they don’t fire don’t eject them right away. I did once have a 22 round go off while laying on the bench. Scary as hell and literally felt like I dodged a bullet on that one. Never again.

Good to know if I’m ever desperate for primers.