What to do with a 5 gallon bucket of ammo?

[monmouth]

I don't know what to do with it. Every month of sorting brass, I cull out the live ammo which is usually pistol calibers. So, now I have a 5 gallon bucket full of ammo that originates from an indoor range. Most of it looks like light primer strikes or racking the slide (lots of inexperienced shooters at one of the commercial ranges). I don't want to dispose of it because there's a lot of really nice components (brass and bullets), but I can't sell it as ammo.

My gut tells me to sell it per pound (which would be cheap), Any thoughts or ideas?

Makes me laugh to see 50AE or 500sw ammo in the bucket, "Bro, this gun is kicking my butt, I'm done with it, just dump the rest of the ammo on the ground".

The bucket hasn't moved in 2 months, lol.

[Houndog]

I'd either hire somebody to break it down and salvage what I could or scrap it. The problem is finding someone to take loaded ammo!

[William Yanda]

I nominate you to bring back a report on the efficiency of hammer type bullet pullers vs the press mounted collet type.
Bill

[Blammer]

I'd buy guns that shoot it all, and then shoot it all. :)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Makes me laugh to see 50AE or 500sw ammo in the bucket,
Them thar, is some spendy components you could recover.

ANYWAY,
I see the same thing after the local police do quals at our range. I usually get a bucket(that'd be a 1 gallon bucket) 1x brass as well as a dozen or so live rounds (if I'm lucky enough to get there first). BUT, all there is ...are 45s and 9s and 556s for me to pick. I just break 'em down as they are usually wet (dew, rain, snow or ice) ...otherwise I'd just shot 'em for the brass.

[fatelk]

I have the same problem, on a much smaller scale, and I've lost my kinetic bullet puller. The cast bullets I just clamp a needle nose vice grip on in the press, but the jacketed bullets I figured are worth saving. Back in the day if they looked like factory rounds I'd just shoot them; I'm more cautious now since what I find is a good mix from nice shiny factory ammo to old funky reloads.

I expect someone will be interested in them, by the pound for component value at the right price. Back when I was younger, when I had more time and less ammo and components piled up already, I'd have been all over it.

[Smoke4320]

Drop it off at Christy's for a "political donation" :)
1 Rd for each gun owner in nj :)

[Blacksmith]

Pull them, sell the brass and bullets and fertilize the garden/lawn with the powder.

[JB Weld]

I pulled 44 bullets from some 300 win mag rounds the other day with a hammer type bullet puller, and it took FOREVER! I could not imagine trying to save bullets from a full 5 gallon bucket of pick ups. That would be a pile of work.

[Steve77]

I pulled 44 bullets from some 300 win mag rounds the other day with a hammer type bullet puller, and it took FOREVER! I could not imagine trying to save bullets from a full 5 gallon bucket of pick ups. That would be a pile of work.
I was given around 100 .270 handloads a couple years ago. I shot 2 and they both blew the primers out. I used a kinetic puller and took the rest apart. I then promptly ordered a collet puller and collets. I only use the kinetic puller for odball calibers now.

[MOcaster]

1. Get a really cheap RC car with a pull behind wagon
2. Obtain some clear blast shields to hide behind
3. Build a big bonfire in the middle of no where
4. Drive RC car into fire with ammo in the wagon*
5. Enjoy the fireworks :)

*MOcaster assumes no responsibility for your actions. This is purely a joke. Please, don't try this at home. (Unless you really want to. Then you better send me a video :) )

[MaryB]

To bad you aren't closer. I am retired and have the time to break it all down.

[fatelk]

I pulled 44 bullets from some 300 win mag rounds the other day with a hammer type bullet puller, and it took FOREVER! I could not imagine trying to save bullets from a full 5 gallon bucket of pick ups. That would be a pile of work.

Yeah, for rifle calibers a collet puller works pretty fast, but if it's mostly pistol stuff requiring a kinetic puller, it would be a job for someone with plenty of time on their hands. I sure can't imagine it would be cost effective to pay someone to take them apart, probably more cost effective to sell them really cheap to someone else who wants to take on this adventure on their own time.

Heck, he's probably already had several PMs with offers to take them off his hands. I know I wouldn't be interested, but can sure understand how someone with more spare time would get a kick out of a project like this. :)

[country gent]

Get a heavy solid piece of tree trunk 2-3' in dia and 2' tall, set this on a solid surface. Invite a couple buddies over with their pullers and supply "refreshments" have a gab fest and break down ammo at the same time LOL. The heavy hardwood trunk provides a solid area to use the kenitic pullers on safley. They work better with the proper blow once you learn it.

[GSM]

Just don't ask how many rounds or pounds are in the 5 gallon bucket.

[osteodoc08]

Definitely an interesting predicament

[Handloader109]

Sort and sell them frb at a time. Sell with understanding that they were to be broken down into Parts, but not shot. Bunch of folks would jump on them

[TheDoctor]

Too bad you aren't in Texas. I'd slowly work on breaking them down, and we could work out a deal for dividing the components.

[GRUMPA]

Me being the tight ars I am would be finding the time to separate those. Or depending on how you live, barter them off with a local and save the headache of shipping them.

[monmouth]

Thank you for the ideas. I would prefer to sell it all at once or to a few reliable people and try to build a relationship since I will keep getting more.

FRB shipping is a no go, can't ship ammo via post office.

i looked in the bucket and pulled out three 30-06 Winchester rounds to look at the primers, never touched. That shooter probably got tired of the shoulder recoil, lol.

[WILCO]

Set it aside in a 55 gallon drum. Keep adding to it as you go. Seal it behind a wall in the shop.Years later, it'll be discovered as the largest collection of antique cartridges.

Like this guy:

http://www.littletoncoin.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Display%7C10001%7C10001%7C-1%7C%7C%7Cnews111798.html

Largest known U.S. coin hoard reported
by Littleton Coin Company, nearly 1.75 million coins.

November 17, 1998

The largest known hoard of U.S. collector coins, a record 1.746 million items, is reported by Littleton Coin Co., Littleton, New Hampshire. The coins were stored for decades in canvas bags and 55 gallon metal drums, and hidden behind the walls of an anonymous Midwest collector's house, prior to being purchased recently by Littleton.

Described as "The Midwest MegaHoard," the 7.6 ton purchase includes 950,000 circulated Indian Head cents, 308,000 Liberty Head/V nickels and 488,000 Indian Head/Buffalo nickels.

"I'm told the collector spent 25 years accumulating the hoard and the floor boards of his house were sagging under the weight of all those coins," said David M. Sundman, Littleton President.

It took several months to ship the first 1.358 million coins to Littleton's northern New Hampshire headquarters. They were contained in 390 canvas bags and boxes with a combined total weight of 15,290 pounds.

"By far, this is the largest single purchase Littleton has made in its 53 year history. It certainly surpasses the hoard of 300,000 Buffalo nickels we bought earlier this year, and that was an amazing record number at the time," said Sundman.

Acquired for a multi-million dollar price, Sundman estimates it now will take a full year to sort the MegaHoard by denomination, date, mint mark and grade.

"Our numismatic staff also will carefully look for varieties and errors, such as overdates and any three-legged Buffaloes," he explained.

Assorted items from the Midwest MegaHoard will be displayed in an exhibit at Littleton's bourse table during the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) convention in Orlando, January 7 - 10, 1999.

"We're always in the market to buy collections and accumulations, and I personally thought the big Buffalo hoard we bought earlier this year would be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Happily, I was wrong! This exciting opportunity to acquire nearly 1.75 million coins at one time makes me wonder in amazement at what hoards still might be uncovered in the future," Sundman said.


According to the 1997 book, American Coin Treasures and Hoards, by well-known numismatic author and researcher Q. David Bowers, the previously known record-sized private coin hoards were


A million 1950 nickels struck at the Denver Mint accumulated in the 1950s by Houston, Texas dealer A.J. Mitula;
407,000 silver dollars found hidden in the Reno, Nevada home of LaVere Redfield when he died in 1974;
and a collection of over 300,000 assorted rare U.S. and foreign coins assembled by Chicago beer baron Virgil Brand who died in 1926.


Littleton is a family-owned business started in 1945 by Sundman's father, Maynard. The dealership has grown the past half century to become one of the largest coin companies in the world with 250 full-time staff handling more than 100,000 customers' orders each month.

For additional information about the Midwest MegaHoard, contact Littleton Coin Co., One Littleton Coin Place, Littleton, NH 03561. Phone 800-645-3122.

[MtGun44]

I'd shoot it.

[flyingmonkey35]

Wow your in New Jersey. Just don't tell the cops you have it. They will put you in jail for having a dangerous explosive or something