Getting rid of old powder...

[medicstimpy]

There was only one thread on this from 2006, so...

Am able to get a good amount of old ammo that is good for components only. The powder is no more good and possibly the primers.

I'm going to try changing out the powder and see if the old primers light it. Mostly it hang-fires the way it is so it's too dangerous to use. Basically I'm getting it for the bullets.... copper FMJ, all lead core (so can use indoors).

So where do I get rid of all that powder? It's mil-surp ammo and the powder is some weird square cut stuff.

I have seen the posts to sprinkle it on the lawn. Some have said to bury it in the garden as the plants like the nitrates. With winter coming, some have said to use it on the steps, like sand, as the snow and ice will deactivate it right away.

Any other suggestions?

 

[daroccot]

It seems obvious to me... it's okay though I work in Fire Management...


How many pounds of powder you talking about?

 

[604shooter]

Halloween is right around the corner....I'm sure you can think of something. The lawn idea works too.

 

[Curt]

Giddy up on the Halloween idea.

 

[superd222]

kindling in the fire-pit - with a 'safe' amount

 

[4string]

Flush it down the toilet.

 

[Ganderite]

A Ph.D in the IMR R&D dep't once told me that it takes powder 20 years to break down, so it is too "slow release" to be used as fertalizer.

 

[Wendell]

Halloween + lawn =

but only for a second.

 

[tonyg]

I'd burn it. But I've always played with fire and chems......ymmv.

 

[joe-nwt]

Flush it down the toilet.

Boooooorrrrring! Back to the fire pit though..........

 

[DirtyOldSix]

Take a 7 inch metal pipe and hammer it shut at the one end...fill it up...ok no I am only joking, throw it on the lawn!

 

[Pathfinder]

We had some fun throwing black powder on a camp fire, never tried it with smokeless......

 

[bogie]

I always prefer to burn it. More fun and I know it is gone. Ooooohhh pretty. Late at night is better for the colours.

 

[tbhupe]

Anytime I have had to get rid of old powder, I would take it out into the backyard and burn it on a piece of plywwod.

Pour it out into a line (something like you would see on Bugs Bunny) and light it up. I have never had to burn more than 1000 gr, so it is not such a big deal. If you have lots of powder, you might want to do a couple of smaller burns. Its fun for the kids too, under supervision of course.

tbhupe

 

[Aries-]

blackpowder is far more fun to burn than smokeless black powder burns a lot faster than it does, smokeless seems to just slowly flare up. blackpowder goes *FOMP* in a big cloud of smelly smoke

 

[misfire]

blackpowder is far more fun to burn than smokeless black powder burns a lot faster than it does, smokeless seems to just slowly flare up. blackpowder goes *FOMP* in a big cloud of smelly smoke

A trail of smokeless powder to a small pile of black powder.....

 

[AP]

Burn it.

Don't use it on the lawn ... a little too much in one spot and you will kill the grass - been there done that! Most people who give that advice have not seen the results - which can - surprisingly - last for several years... as can the scolding you will get from "she who must be obeyed"!!

 

[UCSPanther]

Just put a small amount in a tin can and light it with a match. It will go up very fast, so keep your face away from it when you light it and keep it away from combustables, like gasoline, and again, burn only small amounts at a time.

I use the tin can chamber method as a way of disposing of small amounts of spilled or old powder whenever me and my brother do any ammo reloading.

 

[kokanee king]

BURN IT

Only cause Halloween is just around the corner. Id do the "Wiley E Coyote" trick tho, just dont screwup like he always did

 

[medicstimpy]

It's ok. One of the guys at work knows a couple of fun ways to get rid of it. I'll give it to him as long as I get to have some fun with it, too.