Old ammo what to do?

[Axis II]

A friend of mines father fell ill and they are going through old stuff and finding a ton of ammo. I stopped by tonight to check some out and I found 16ga shotshells where the brass looks odd almost like it’s bulged all the way around and there is orange packing inside instead of a crimp, Winchester 22lr rounds that say super something on the box. It’s super x but says like super velocity or something, 9mm 90gr police issue super vel, yes it says police issue on the box, Remington and PMC 44mag swc, a lot of 32 auto, some Mauser rounds, and some that appear to be 22mag but centerfire. Head stamps were so small and worn I couldn’t make heads or tails what was what. We found another box of loose 9mm and a quart bag full of 38spl reloads with a nice typed card stock note saying 158gr lead wadcutter with x grains of unique and had a velocity listed. We have no idea what to do with this ammo and I said don’t shoot any of it cause the father is almost 80yo who knows how old the ammo is. One thing I found odd about one box of 44mag was it said 240gr plated HP.

Any idea what to do with it? I reload so I can pull bullets but don’t want to mess with possibly antique ammo if they could possibly sell to a collector. Seeing a bag of rifle ammo that’s not got a caliber and being reloads and the 38spl I’m fearing all the other stuffs reloads so no way I’m shooting it.

 

[JohnKSa]

The Super Vel might be collectible. The rest of it probably isn't, but someone who collects cartridges may have more accurate input.

Any of it that is pretty obviously factory ammo, centerfire, and appears to be in good condition is likely ok to shoot. Anything that looks like reloads or seems degraded is probably garbage (or components). Rimfire doesn't have the same shelf-life as centerfire, but if you're willing to be careful shooting it in case you have a squib or other issues then it's not really dangerous--it might just be more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Scooter22]

Get some pics up. Might be junk or might be collectable.

 

[Axis II]

And now they found a big box of fireworks! I told them call the PD and have it disposed of! Ammo is minimum 20yo and same for fireworks. He’s a retired army major from Vietnam I said please don’t play with anything that looks like a Grenade! Does local police dept take old fireworks and ammo for disposal?

 

[Axis II]

Get some pics up. Might be junk or might be collectable.

I wanted to but no light in house so using flashlight and didn’t want to bang it around. Most was found in cigar boxes. They also found cleaning patches and stuff at .32ct a pack.

 

[JohnKSa]

Does local police dept take old fireworks and ammo for disposal?

They may. Call them and ask. Don't get in too big of a hurry to get rid of the ammo though. Centerfire factory ammo doesn't really go bad from age unless it has been stored in bad conditions.

 

[Enfielder]

I'll take all of it for disposal.

 

[coloradokevin]

Some of it may be collectible. For the stuff that appears outwardly undamaged, it's probably perfectly shootable. I'm still shooting through some 8mm Mauser ammo I have that was loaded in the early 1930's. That old surplus ammo hasn't given me any problems, and I've probably shot through 500+ rounds of the stuff... and I'm quite certain it didn't spend its entire life cycle in a perfect climate-controlled environment.

 

[bobinoregon]

Shoot the factory stuff and part out the reloads. If I was in Ohio I'd take the fireworks in a heartbeat

 

[Enfielder]

I ran in to a guy a few years ago who was cleaning up after his dad passed. He was practically giving things away. For instance, his Dad's Vietnam era Randall knife; he said that I could just take it. I didn't. I told him to keep it for his kids.
The real sad part was the "huge amount" of 257 Roberts ammo he buried in the back yard because he didn't know what to do with it.
I'd hesitate to turn anything to the police. There are lots of guys out there who can use all of it for fun. I'm not afraid of old ammo. Run the 38's in a 357 and they'll be fine.

Or ship it all to me. Seriously

 

[Axis II]

I can somewhat tell the difference between the factory and reloads but the reloads being old and they said the dad never reloaded so not 100% sure who loaded them. Reloads will be broken down and reused if it’s given to me. I’ll get some pics of stuff.

 

[Demi-human]

Have you no birthdays coming up?

The cranky, boring, fuddy-duds I work with hate fireworks. "An arial fire hazard that wastes money. "

I have many and make my own. They love when I bring Tannerite, but for some reason when it has a fuse they get all sorts of curmudgeonly. They find fun in nitroglycerin but not black powder? I don't understand.

When they were illegal in Michigan we would drive to Ohio to get them. Every Independence Day was a competition after nine p.m. The whole lake lit in burning colour! Pontoons around the edge, full of spectators blaring music, lit up with tiki torches and cristmas lights. We kids would have bottle rocket wars till someone burned their suimsuit.
Verily, without fireworks I would have a lesser appreciation for firearms.

So light 'em up! Black powder will keep better than smokeless.
And the safest way to dispose of any dangerous materials is in their proper use. Insecticide to fireworks, reloads to rat poison.

If the ammunition is broken down and wieghs out to be what it is labled as I would probably use them. At the least, like you, I would break them down. Contrary to popular human belief, a hole or a giant bonfire is not the best way to be rid of things.

 

[BSA1]

Keep the cops out of it!

Seriously.

There is no reason to call the police to take the fireworks. If it is that big of worry take it outside and soak it in water. The paper will soak up the water rendering the powder useless. Put it all in a plastic bag and toss it in the trash.

Post pictures of the ammunition. Those of us that are reloaders might be interested in breaking the ammo down for the bullets. The brass is worth money. I have a large bucket in my reloading room for tossing old and damaged brass. Eventually when I fill the bucket up I will take it to a recycling place and sell it.

 

[Bandit67]

I was a Fireman in a suburb of Detroit and our Main Station was connected to the PD. Any old guns or ammo that was turned in to PD for disposal usually went home with one of the Officers on duty. The parking lot was out back and anyone going to the Police Station had to pass by the Fire Station. We did manage to intercept a few items every once in while.

 

[Texas10mm]

I really fear for this country.

In years past finding those fireworks would be a cause for celebration. Same for all the old ammo.

Now some of us are such nervous nellies that we will call the police if we see some fun.

 

[Speedo66]

I have some .22 shorts I bought when I was 12, about 60 years ago. Every once in a while I shoot a couple of rounds, They all work, actually better than Remington Thunderduds. lol

 

[lightman]

Stories like these make me think about the way I load and stock ammo. I would hate to know that the several thousand 9mm, 38, 357, 44 and 45's that I have so painstakingly loaded would be scrapped or buried. I believe my friends and my Sons would probably shoot mine, having known me and my ways. Makes one think though!

 

[Axis II]

I really fear for this country.

In years past finding those fireworks would be a cause for celebration. Same for all the old ammo.

Now some of us are such nervous nellies that we will call the police if we see some fun.

The ammo doesn’t bother me it’s the fact the father was a hoarder and those fireworks are at minimum 20-30yo according to my friend. Stuff goes bad or breaks down. Just trying to keep people from getting hurt is all. It’s also illegal to fire fireworks in Ohio.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I always hated when someone would call for us to pickup old ammo or fireworks. Do you know how much paperwork that is.
Soak the fireworks and then trash them, unless you have someone you can give them to.
Someone here on the forum, like Enfielder, would be more then happy to pay the shipping to have you send them the ammo.
If the ammo is given to a police department it will be destroyed. It’s a part of my job that makes me sad.

 

[FROGO207]

Being as that I am on the local FD and a reloader I take all the old ammo that is turned in to the local PD and dispose of it for them. Recycle what I can not use or is salvageable. The propellant goes on the lawn. Last year I got 15 cases of assorted 12/20 GA shot shells that were water soaked and corroded. Apparently they were stored on the cellar floor for years. All the shot and the wads were still good. That was worth collecting up to break down for sure. FWIW most of what I see is partial boxes of corroded factory ammo.

 

[Old Stumpy]

I watched a video of a guy shooting 100 year old .45 ACP and it all went off and accuracy was good. As a kid I used to shoot steel-cased military WW2 .45 ACP that was thirty years old, and it was just as fresh as new ammo. Usually, factory ammo will last a very long time.
Reloads may not. I had some .303 British loaded with IMR powder that was only a couple of years old where the powder just went dead.
That's about the only instance that I recall though.
I think that whatever is clearly factory ammo, in good apparent condition, and not collectable, is shootable.
Whatever seems to be reloads should probably have the bullets pulled and the powder discarded or burned safely.

 

[Old Stumpy]

I ran in to a guy a few years ago who was cleaning up after his dad passed. He was practically giving things away. For instance, his Dad's Vietnam era Randall knife; he said that I could just take it. I didn't. I told him to keep it for his kids.

I was in a gun shop when the owner showed us a decent 1911A1 .45 auto that had been brought in by the family after their father passed. He had owned a few pistols but had never mentioned it to his adult kids, who had no interest in guns.
Before getting their act together, and realizing that these had cash value, one helpful soul thought that the best thing to do was to destroy them.
He used a power hacksaw to cut the .45 auto into about 5 pieces before cooler heads prevailed (Real Mensa candidate).
The gun shop owner bought all of the other guns that avoided dismemberment.
He told us that he remembered the sick look on their faces when he told them that he would have given them about $400.00 for the 1911A1.

 

[RodII]

If it was mine I would shoot the factory loads and break down the reloads. As for the fireworks it depends on their condition.

 

[mokin]

I shot some .22 LR ammunition that was 20+ years old without a problem. I sort of wrestled with the idea of collectability but in the end decided it would be easier to shoot and just throw the ones that didn't work away. My brother had a ton of fun with some 8mm Lebel ammo loaded in 1916. He said sometimes when the rifle went "click" it was a long couple of seconds before "bang" but he shot it.

 

[John Joseph]

The PMC can't be all that old. Is the Super X .22lr in yellow or white boxes?
I have white box stuff that's still good (better than the new Winchester rim fires!).
Try shooting samples of the factory ammo but keep a squib rod handy in case it's not up to snuff.
Pull what's problematic for the primed brass and projectiles.
4th of July will be here some enough for fireworks.