Found a live round

[Listener]

Nope it wasn’t The Lone Rangers silver bullet, dang it! Along with 6.80 in clad I dug this crusty .38 at the base of a tree at the grocery store.
Now how to dispose of it. Do I soak it in water and put out with the trash?

 

[jim tn]

I'd rebury it someplace, like woods, where it probably wouldn't be found. It's most likely a dud, but rather safe than sorry. HH jim tn

 

[kaolinwasher]

Its been in the ground for some time

 

[Odanscoils]

Nope it wasn’t The Lone Rangers silver bullet, dang it! Along with 6.80 in clad I dug this crusty .38 at the base of a tree at the grocery store.
Now how to dispose of it. Do I soak it in water and put out with the trash?

Drill out the primer and soak it. NOT.
If you're concerned about it.
Give it to somebody who reloads.
They can pull the bullet and dump the powder.
Then you could have a little fun and throw the empty case in a fire. Maybe get a pop out it.

 

[budster]

Take it to the local police station. I have done this several times.

 

[Listener]

All good thoughts. I think I’ll just drive a broom handle in the ground about a foot and drop it in.

 

[Picketwire]

Recycle, pull the bullet and sell the brass and lead. There is nothing to be afraid of unless it is in a firearm pointed your way. I remember an article in American Rifleman or one of the other gun magazines where they put a 308 round on a hot plate and covered it with a cardboard box. When it cooked off and exploded, the primer was the only thing that penetrated the box. I watched a video of a pallet of ammunition set on fire with fireman outfits and cardboard barriers around it and nothing penetrated either. They also shot boxes of stacked ammunition with a rifle: no explosions of note, and even dropped a pallet out of a helicopter and just got scattered ammunition. When I was a youngster, my uncle had a ranch that was used for gunnery practice during WWII. He had belts full of live 50 cal. Browning machine gun ammo in piles near the yard. None of it ever hurt any of my numerous siblings and cousins playing around and looking at them..

Old blackpowder ammo is another story.

 

[NEPA Bud]

Hot Hot

 

[Listener]

Naw, I really wouldn’t put it back in the ground. I think we are all conscious of the service of picking out harmful metals Etc., and disposing of them properly. However it interesting that I talked to a couple of cops in the park last night and he said he would take it if I had it on me. That right now they are going for about 7.95 a round. I didn’t have it on me so he said to just throw it in the trash.
This took place right after I confronted two different detectorist with shovels. I almost lost it on the one guy whom I had seen a few days before in a different part of the park with his shovel. At that time he said he asked the parks people about using a shovel and they said alright as long as you fill in the holes.
Well I noticed he was leaving a big mess and it looked like a mine field so I confronted him on that topic and he went back and smoothed over some rough patches. Man, that chapped my hide. I told him that he’s been watching too much bad tv, that he would be able to just as well with a digger. He was using a Nox 800, no earphones and going to town with his shovel in hand. It took me a while too settle down.

 

[Ted S]

7.95 a round??? Crazy....

 

[jim tn]

7.95 a round??? Crazy...

That's probably about what the govt pays per round. Of course, who pays the govt? HH jim tn

 

[Ed Steinhoff]

I have found many live rounds over the years of all calibers. None are particularly dangerous. Most have been found on school playgrounds!
Little Johnny saw one dads rounds and took to school for show and points with his buddies, lost it at recess.
Simple and safe to disarm with a pair of common pliers. Just pull the bullet out of the round and dump the powder, problem solved!

Ed

 

[Listener]

I have found many live rounds over the years of all calibers. None are particularly dangerous. Most have been found on school playgrounds!
Little Johnny saw one dads rounds and took to school for show and points with his buddies, lost it at recess.
Simple and safe to disarm with a pair of common pliers. Just pull the bullet out of the round and dump the powder, problem solved!

Ed

Yep, I agree after others comments too. It is now sorted and ready to scrap out.

 

[Ronstar]

Other way is to soak in diesel for awhile….. penetrates and makes powder and primer inert.