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Powder disposal

rr2030

I inherited some old powders that I cant verify its condition, additionally I don't load with these powders so I would like to dispose of them properly. Burning is not an option. I have several containers with 1/4 to 3/4 lbs in them. Can I soak the powder in water for a while and render them inert ?
 
HS7, Savuronta (VV) n340, 310, 320, 700X just a few pounds all together. Being I am in CA, and the temps are high I don't care to dispose of them outside unless they are inert. Most of this stuff is pretty old.
 
The way I see on the news with all them fires going on, I would
be hesitant to be dumping it in my yard......LOL As long as you
have an accurate list, head to your local gun shop and make a
deal, or just give t to them.
 
rr2030 said:
I inherited some old powders that I cant verify its condition, additionally I don't load with these powders so I would like to dispose of them properly. Burning is not an option. I have several containers with 1/4 to 3/4 lbs in them. Can I soak the powder in water for a while and render them inert ?
Click to expand...
Nitrocellulose doesn't dissolve in water. I always spread it in a long line and burned it. I don't think there is any evidence that water makes it inert. It's washed with water to remove acid during manufacture.
 
It really is a great fertilizer. If you don't want to spread it now in the heat of the summer, then wait until spring.
 
Lol, this post makes me chuckle, I will explain why. I live in a town with a fulltime professional fire dept. I am at the very edge of town with miles of woods behind me. About 20 years ago I had a large supply of old reclaimed powder that was covered in red dust, I had bought it years before at just a few cents a pound. I decided to burn it. First mistake. On a cool cloudy dark day with a hours long drizzle I decided now was the time. Second mistake. I went to an area off the side of my home behind my garage and made a pile, big pile that is, about 30 ft from both the house and garage with about a 15ft long trail as a fuse. Third mistake. I lit the fuse. Major fourth mistake. What happened was awesome, I guess. It looked like a Saturn rocket lift off. A towering brilliant 25 ft tall flame. The heat generated made me fear the siding on the buildings would melt. Of course my brilliant idea of doing it on a dark day made it really stand out. It took a lot of seconds for the flame to die and by then I had backed way up from the heat that was generated. I stood there waiting for the sirens that thankfully never came. I guess its good to get along with your neighbors,lol. It was dumb but it was also Awsome with a capital A. I still shake my head and laugh out loud every time it come to mind. So the good advice above is fertilizer.
 
JEFFPPC said:
Lol, this post makes me chuckle, I will explain why. I live in a town with a fulltime professional fire dept. I am at the very edge of town with miles of woods behind me. About 20 years ago I had a large supply of old reclaimed powder that was covered in red dust, I had bought it years before at just a few cents a pound. I decided to burn it. First mistake. On a cool cloudy dark day with a hours long drizzle I decided now was the time. Second mistake. I went to an area off the side of my home behind my garage and made a pile, big pile that is, about 30 ft from both the house and garage with about a 15ft long trail as a fuse. Third mistake. I lit the fuse. Major fourth mistake. What happened was awesome, I guess. It looked like a Saturn rocket lift off. A towering brilliant 25 ft tall flame. The heat generated made me fear the siding on the buildings would melt. Of course my brilliant idea of doing it on a dark day made it really stand out. It took a lot of seconds for the flame to die and by then I had backed way up from the heat that was generated. I stood there waiting for the sirens that thankfully never came. I guess its good to get along with your neighbors,lol. It was dumb but it was also Awsome with a capital A. I still shake my head and laugh out loud every time it come to mind. So the good advice above is fertilizer.
Click to expand...
Burn small amounts at a time.
 
As others have said, water doesn't make it inert, per se, but when you expose it to the elements, it will break down very quickly. The nitrogen will leach out of the nitrocellulose and into the ground which is a good fertilizer.

If you scatter it good enough, you won't have to worry about a fire hazard either.
 
You could probably surrender it to the local fire Dept or PD - if you have a lawn or growing area I’d just spread it around that area, easy peasey.
 
haha funny stories. When i was shooting short barreled rifles one night after league our club president and i were sweeping up the unburned powder and lost brass on the range. He said you ever see this stuff burn? theres a lot of unburned bullseye that comes out of 45 target loads. he threw a match in the pile of floor sweepings and a column of fire went straight up and across the ceiling! after we gathered our wits, and nothing smoldering we got a good laugh about it. For sure all my bad or unusable powder goes on the lawn.
But now using it as fertilizer is damn expensive. at $300 for 8lbs, that grass better turn green!!!
 
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