Deactiviating a centrefire rifle round with a drill?

[Amandil]

Um, I am here to ask a (probably) stupid question:

1. Is it safe for me to deactivate a centrefire rifle round by drilling a hole in the casing and draining out the powder? Will that cause internal sparking, or ignite the powder with friction?

2. Say I manage to safely remove the powder that way, can I then discharge the primer somehow without dislodging the bullet? I probably shouldn't try to fire it in the rifle, I guess! Or is it best just to leave the primer in, unfired?

I could pull the bullet out with pliers, but that would mark up the bullet and I would have no good was of re-seating the bullet (I don't have a reloader or dies). Or can I just jam it in again and it will look as good as new?

The reason I want to do this is give a deactivated cartridge in 8mm Mauser to my father-in-law, who knows nothing about guns but paid for my first K98 anyhow as a graduation present. He'd keep the deactivated cartridge on his desk or something.

 

[RobSmith]

Get a bullet puller, they're only about 30$. Looks like a hammer, you just secure the cartridge in it and whcack it on a hard surface, bullet down, the bullet will eventually fall out. Just push the bullet back in when you're done.

 

[Amandil]

What happens to the primer? (Ouch, 30$ just so I can give pops a dud bullet!)

 

[RobSmith]

Squirt a bit of oil in the case and it should kill the primer. I know 30$ sounds like alot, but a drill will likely cost you a couple of fingers ... It's your call.

 

[DaveGP]

Drill a hole in the side, dump the powder and kill the primer with a squirt of WD40 - no danger there....

 

[Amandil]

That lube trick sounds like the ticket! Now to see about saving my fingers...

Thanks guys!

 

[agilent_one]

Really, why deactivate it? It's safe "as is."

 

[Icefire]

Just post in the Reloading forum is someone could make a dummy and ship it to you, will cost you less than 5$...

 

[cariboo_kid]

Really, why deactivate it? It's safe "as is."

Isn't live ammo subject to safe storage laws?

 

[david doyle]

why are you being stupid about this?
edit:

I meant to say really stupid.

 

[agilent_one]

Isn't live ammo subject to safe storage laws?

No.

 

[cariboo_kid]

Well it can't be long till they come up with new laws then! lol

 

[Amandil]

Well, dad-in-law would get creeped out by live ammo, although I don't think he's going to tape a marble to the back end and whack it on a sidewalk! It's for his own peace of mind, and I'm happy to oblige.

So, uh, I have to let the WD40 sit for three days before the primer dies?

 

[Icefire]

If you already did the hole and put the WD40 in it, it should take a few minute to die, take a day to be sure.

I would still ask for a reloaded round to be sure, safer in my oppinion.

 

[Amandil]

Well, after I sprayed the WD40 in, I dumped it out again before putting re-seating the bullet. Maybe I will head over to the reloading section. But for now, it's bedtime. Me sleepy.

Thanks again, y'all!

 

[hooligan]

If you managed to remove the bullet then why not put it in a spent cartridge. Primer will be dead and no reason to be worried if primer soaked in WD is safe.

 

[Amandil]

Good idea, although I haven't shot any yet (cosmo still all over gun, gun in pieces). At any rate, a friendly CGN member from Fort Mac is gonna send me a dummy in the next couple of weeks, cuz he's going to be reloading 8x57mm (did I get that right?) soon. So I'm all good!

 

[Nats]

I don't think I would be drilling into a live round . Good call on posting in the reloader forum.

why are you being stupid about this?
edit:

I meant to say really stupid.

Why are you just going blah, blah, blah and not being helpful?