Expired ammo: options?

[redocpot]

My father has ammo sitting around from a long time ago. It's the non-jacketed 'ball' ammo,
and is probably 50-60 years old. While it has been kept well, I'm not sure how stable it
is anymore.
What's the best way to dispose of it? One thought I had was to donate it to the AOC or Engineers guys,
so they can practice their demolition skilz. But I'd prefer a hassle-free option.

I spoke to a gun dealer, and he claimed he'd buy it; but he seemed too nonchalant about it,
so I'm leery of him. Should I just take his word and sell it to him?

[xl_target]

If it has been stored properly, it should be fine.
Ammo that was made during WW2 is still being fired regularly. I saw some 1942 headstamped 30-06 brass at the range recently.
Can't you just fire it? Or do you no longer possess the gun it was meant for?
If you do decide to fire it and it doesn't go off, keep the gun pointed downrange for a minute or so in anticipation of a hangfire.
The very worst that can happen is the you will get a squib. Just make sure the the barrel is unobstructed before each shot.

Don't give it to the dealer as he is likely to just turn round and sell it to someone else.

[redocpot]

Thanks, @xl_target. We do have the weapons that go with the ammo, but I was just being cautious.
Next time I'm back in India I'll give it a shot (pun intended ).

These are the weapons I'm hoping to inherit and export to myself (I live in the US), for which I asked a question in the "Legal Eagle" section.
I'm hoping one day I can have the weapons with me; I'm sentimentally attached to them.

[xl_target]

If you absolutely must dispose of the ammo, buy a kinetic bullet puller from any place that sells reloading supplies like Cabelas.
Then take it back to India and pull the bullet and dump the powder in your garden or on the lawn. It does have some fertilizing properties.

A kinetic bullet puller is a very simple device and perfectly safe to use. They are cheap and go from about $12 to $25.

How to use a kinetic bullet puller.
[youtube][/youtube]

[redocpot]

The kinetic bullet puller looks interesting. I don't know how well it'll work on rimless ammo. But it's something to think about.

[xl_target]

It works fine on rimless ammo.
In fact that is what he is using in the video.

[timmy]

redocpot: I once pulled the bullets from 10 or 12 boxes of 45 ACP (that's 500 or 600 rounds) with one of those bullet pullers XL has pictured. You think the thing will shatter, but it doesn't. You just give it a great big whack on something hard 2 or 3 times and there you are.

I have shot lots of surplus ammo from the 40s. I even have a "new" box of .30-'06 in stripper clips, all bright and shiny, from 1935. I am saving it for some not very good reason, but I'm sure it would go bang if I tried it. Keep the ammo in a cool dry place and it will last for a very long time.

If you shoot it, remember that ammo that old has corrosive primers. After shooting, just use some Windex window cleaner or something else with a bit of ammonia in it to wet a few patches and clean the barrel. Then clean the barrel as you usually would (with Hoppe's #9 or whatever you like to use) and you will be good to go. I have shot plenty of mil surplus ammo with corrosive primers and have never had a problem, because I always clean the gun right away as I've described.