Disposing of old reloads..?

Happy New Years to all,

I am executor to an estate of an older gentleman I knew. I had only know him in his later years. Much of that was spend with his illness and he wasn't the reloader or shooter he once have been. In fact he told me he hadn't reloaded in over 15 years. He didn’t have children but had guns and loved to swap to a different caliber and try something new. Firearms have been liquidated or are on consignment. Started cleaning our the reloading room. I have found at least 40 different calibers with about 5,000-6,000 reloads. Most have have the load sticker (caliber, COAL, powder, grains of powder, and bullet) written on a random scrap of paper - in zip lock bags inside a coffee can or something similar. He was raised in the depression and recycled everything. Everything from a 22 Rem Jet, 22 Hornet, a 217 bee to the 7mm/300/338 Win Mag series as well as some larger bore (444 Marlin, 45-70, and 44-40). Pistol rounds included. I only have a 6 mm and 30 caliber collect pullers. I can't even find shell holders for must of this stuff. He was a professional mechanic. He wasn't a precision shooter and seemed to follow load tables for the few I have compared. He was caught up in the moly crazy of the 80-90s because it is on 80% of the bullets. Also +100 lbs of powder. 100% opened cans. He had to have brought some stuff in 50 lb kegs and then transferred it to small 8-10 lbs containers - like an oatmeal cereal cylinder with a paper label with IMR 4064 marked out and IMR 4895 written above it.

I don’t feel right about selling or even giving it away to be shot. However it is going to take hundreds of hours to find all the collets and shell holders, and manually pull each bullet.

Any ideas on how to properly dispose of this much loaded ammo?

Thanks, Tim

 

https://grip-n-pull.com/products/standard-rifle-grip-n-pull-bullet-puller

The shell holder part should be easy.

 

Frankly? I would call the your local law enforcement and have the bomb squad take it. I had 5000 Eastern Block primers I was never going to use and that was the only option I had. One officer came out, collected them and drove away.

 

1+ on L.E. guys. Our bomb squad likes to have new stuff to play/learn with.

 

You can pull them fast with this unit. Unfortunately, a lot of them may be cold welded/corroded and difficult to pull with anything less than a collet unit. Another option is to sell it to someone who collects and sells brass cases and would then be the person who pulls the bullets.
Edit. Any gunclubs in the area where you could post on their bulletin boards?

 

I ain't politically correct, but I am cheap. I would recycle every thing I could. You may want to bump your bullets back before pulling as they may have cold welded themselves to the cases. Never had any luck pulling cast pistol bullets. You can't eat an elephant in one bite.

 

If some are cold welded Vice grips work really well!

Joe Salt

 

Put the loaded cartridge in a reloading press, in the correct shell holder, with no die in it. Raise the cartridge until it sticks out of the top of the press. Grab it with a pliers and lower the handle. The bullet should come out.

 

For as much as you have there, definitely call the law enforcement folks. Giving away or selling reloaded ammo that was loaded by someone else, who knows how long ago is just asking for trouble. JME. WD

 

Bubba, hold my beer.
Powder, dump in big pile, run a fuse trail, light fuse and run like elll.
Ammo, dump in 55 gallon drum, add gallon of gas, shoot with tracer from a ways away.
EOD guys should not have all the fun.

 

I'm interested in the 218 Bee stuff if there is enough of it to justify shipping cost. PM me if you want to mess with it. jd

 

If you have time and want to do so, pull the bullets, dump and spread the powder out as fertilizer over a large area, and sell the brass on this or other forum sites. Some of that brass you mention, plenty of guys would like to buy it.

If you don't have or want to take the time, check with a local gun shop first, maybe they would do so. and buy the stuff from you for the brass, at least.

I sure would not sell or give it to ANYONE to shoot.

 

This thread should be a lesson to us all.

We should all do enough shooting to keep our "over-stock" reloads to a minimum. Life is all about balance. jd

 

That or make sure at least one of your children, that would inherit your weapons, worked with you or knows for sure that the loaded ammo is safe to shoot in a given weapon, that they will get.

 

I guess I have some shooting to do!
Yes this is a great lesson but not just for ammo & powder. Do your descendants a HUGE favor and while you are able downsize all of your "collectables" cash is way easier do dispose of!

 

Yup! Last night would have been perfect for that!
This is why all my reloads are boxed with a note, giving all the specifics. Powder, primer, bullet, coal and gun it was made for. Don’t forget the date!!

I’d pay for any 45/70 you have. I need the brass and bullets. I’ll pull them apart, dump the powder, replace the primer and reuse the bullet.

 

Any 257 Roberts or 260 Rem. ?
PM me and we can work out payment and shipping

Thanks for looking.

Gary

 

There is probably a reloader around your area that would take the stuff off your hands for the components.

 

Thanks for the tips. Once I get anything sorted I will post list the components for sale. He had his own method of organization - which was I know where I left it.... I haven't located the the can or box or butter tub that has all the shell holders. I reload everything I shoot, but that is limited to a dozen calibers and maybe 7 different shell holders. Sadly I am only half way through sorting this room and will start again today. I will definitely contact the local law enforcement to see if that had any interest in any of it. We don't have a local bomb squad but them still might have some use.

It is making me think about what wildcat rounds I what for the future. Definitely making thing about what I will leave for my kids to deal with in my "toys". The gentleman was married to a very organized woman. In the house, every item had its place. Everything was labeled. Records for everything. Perfect organization. She apparently never made it into his shop.... Not having any children I guess they never worried about what they are passing on. They gave their entire estate to charities and church.

It is a good lesson for me about people that grew up in hard times. He was born in 1931. As I was driving him to and from treatments and the hospital and I learn pieces of his life. I asked him once if he hunted as a kid. He said the only gun his dad could afford was a single shot 22 LR. Hunting anything but rabbits and squirrels was a luxury. He didn't fire his first centerfire until joining the military.

Tim

 

Nope.