SCORE (Maybe) from the local indoor range

[FISH4BUGS]

At our local gun shop/indoor range they have a bucket for "duds".
Everyone that shoots and if it doesn't go bang for whatever reason puts it into this bucket.
I asked the owner what they were going to do with them and he said he really didn't know because they can't find anyone to take them.
Up to the plate I stepped.
"I'll be happy to take them because I will break them down into components."
A 5 gallon bucket full later, I now have ANOTHER reloading room project.
Hey....winters are long and hard here in NH. What's a hard core caster/reloader supposed to do?
It appears there are a lot of 223 and 9mm, with a smattering of almost everything else.
I'll sort them and see how much there really is.

[jim 44-40]

I envy you, that will make a great project for a cold day.Hanging around in the good old reloading room.

[Parson]

Potential hang fires are not what I would play around with

[FISH4BUGS]

Potential hang fires are not what I would play around with

I plan on just pulling the bullets, dumping the powder, and salvaging the brass case.
Most of these are new unfired brass....they just didn't go bang.
I started to sort them this afternoon but it was 15 degrees in the reloading room (it is a roughed in former horse stall in the barn) and the Hurricane Heater simply isn't hefty enough to heat it when it is ZERO outside! Insulation is definitely on the agenda.
Even if I left it to run for two hours or so, it MIGHT get up to 35....certainly enough to work but NOT when it is ZERO! The reloading room can get into the 60's with the heater when it is 20 degree or better outside and no wind.
It appears we will have a snowstorm on MLK Day and it will be warmer. That will allow for more sorting time.
Project #147 in the reloading room. :)

[RKJ]

I'd say you've got a good winter project there. Well, maybe a few days worth anyway, :) Heck, the brass and bullets would be nice and it sounds like a (sort of) fun way to wile away the winter days.
Your reloading shed sounds like mine. It's a 12 X 24 barn type portable shed that I've put electric in. It's got a window AC unit and a decent space heater but no insulation and bare walls. It's fine except in the dead of winter, then it's mighty cold in there, that space heater is just working enough to keep the icicles off my nose. My nephew told me he'd help me insulate and dry wall it, so that's this spring/summer project. That winter storm is coming your, we got 4-5 inches here in central Missouri. If it's like here it's a real wet snow and then the temps are supposed to drop into the teens tonight. Brrrrrr.

[Froogal]

Save the powder. Sort it by cartridge brand and caliber. If you can identify what type of powder it is, it maybe can be used again. Even if it can't be identified, it HAS to be good for something.

[lightman]

It sounds like you have something to do now!

[skeettx]

The powder is great fertilizer
Really greens up the grass

Mike

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Never heard of a problem pulling down duds, but probably not a bad idea to wear plenty of ppe. The primer cup is dented down in contact with the anvil after all.

[BigAlofPa.]

They have an ammo can for duds at my one club i belong to. It has a lock on it though. I think it's someones plan to get componets.

[poppy42]

[QUOTE=Parson;5336138]Potential hang fires are not what I would play around with[/QUOTE
Why? Loaded rounds, not contained in a chamber, can not build up enough pressure to launch a projectile! Bullet stays put, case goes flying. Kind of like frying bacon. don’t do it naked! But use common sense, ware proper PPE and you won’t have any issues. I can’t tell ya how many thousands of rounds I’ve torn down for the components. Especially if they come from the public indoor range that I’ve been known to frequent. 99.9% of the live rounds I’ve gotten don’t even have so much as a scratch on the primers ! That’s because the keyboard commandos show up and either shoot half a box, leave the rest.Even if they drop a round on the floor they are to lazy to bend over and pick them up! Heck they don’t even sweep up their are brass. The guys that work there love me because the first thing I do as soon as I set foot on the range floor is grab the broom and sweep up all the brass and live rounds. Of course it all goes in my range bag, but that’s a story for another day.
Great score fish4bugs! Congratulations!

[Gtrubicon]

I see it as an opportunity for brass, lawn fertilizer and lead to re melt into something you can use. I myself, would not pass it up.

[Outer Rondacker]

I call it a score. It will also fill that human urge to dig though that bucket looking for buried treasure. Enjoy.

[FISH4BUGS]

[QUOTE=Parson;5336138]Potential hang fires are not what I would play around with[/QUOTE
Why? Loaded rounds, not contained in a chamber, can not build up enough pressure to launch a projectile! Bullet stays put, case goes flying. Kind of like frying bacon. don’t do it naked! But use common sense, ware proper PPE and you won’t have any issues. I can’t tell ya how many thousands of rounds I’ve torn down for the components. Especially if they come from the public indoor range that I’ve been known to frequent. 99.9% of the live rounds I’ve gotten don’t even have so much as a scratch on the primers ! That’s because the keyboard commandos show up and either shoot half a box, leave the rest.Even if they drop a round on the floor they are to lazy to bend over and pick them up! Heck they don’t even sweep up their are brass. The guys that work there love me because the first thing I do as soon as I set foot on the range floor is grab the broom and sweep up all the brass and live rounds. Of course it all goes in my range bag, but that’s a story for another day.
Great score fish4bugs! Congratulations!

Interesting observation. There are more than a few untouched rounds, and the primer is not even dented. These are brand new rounds that wound up in the dud bucket.
If these have been reloaded, I'll break them down. If they are new, I will shoot these.
People must really be lazy to leave leftovers in the one box of ammo they just bought.
I do the same thing you do when I show up to shoot - sweep WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY under the front of the lanes and get the brass.
I am such a scrounger......and I have tens of thousands of 9mm and 223 on hand.....never enough.

[rbuck351]

Great score. I would jump for joy if I got a deal like that.

[fatelk]

Good deal. I've pulled apart thousands of range drops too, for components. Through the drought of primers, I've used the primed brass. I sort out any bad ones, of course.

I used to really wonder when I'd find clean, unfired factory rounds in the bucket, until I read some threads about what people will or won't shoot. It seems that a lot of people are scared to shoot ammo that has a minor dent or ding in it. I've fired so much old surplus ammo over the years, some dented and dinged, that minor stuff that that is completely irrelevant. Apparently it's also a fairly common thing to toss any ammo that's happened to touch the ground.

[Four-Sixty]

Sounds like you'll have a chance to refill some empty primer trays. You could resell cases and bullets hear. Win, win!

[Markopolo]

I used to really wonder when I'd find clean, unfired factory rounds in the bucket, until I read some threads about what people will or won't shoot. It seems that a lot of people are scared to shoot ammo that has a minor dent or ding in it. I've fired so much old surplus ammo over the years, some dented and dinged, that minor stuff that that is completely irrelevant. Apparently it's also a fairly common thing to toss any ammo that's happened to touch the ground.

Apparently None of these folks live in Alaska. i scrounge everything...

[remy3424]

Sounds like a worthy project for someone just trying to get started in reloading....or a retired guy with nothing to do but feed a hording issue. Years ago I scrounged enough handgun brass at the local range to get my current lifetime supply...I don't need to do that any longer, there will be someone else that needs it. At this stage of my life, I need start thinking about selling, not collecting more stuff. When I retire in 10 years I will have much more time to use my supply (if I live that long, have my health and desire). Sounds like you have a couple days of entertainment in front of you now.

[beechbum444]

not to sound like a party pooper, but depriming duds....????? I guess wear PPE and wrap a towel around the brass on the up stroke of the ram????

[Baltimoreed]

A bud gave me a bunch of old flood damaged ammo some years ago. I sat out on the deck with my inertia tool and pulled a bunch of 147 gr .308 bullets. They were pretty tight. Good bullets, the cases were pretty corroded up though. Good call on the dud bucket.

[FISH4BUGS]

Sounds like you'll have a chance to refill some empty primer trays. You could resell cases and bullets hear. Win, win!

No empty primer trays here - i learned my lesson last time around and have plenty of components.
I think there may be some "hoarder" genes in me.
My late mother was a world class hoarder, and it may well be genetic.
As far as brass goes, I can't leave any usable brass on the ground.....even if i don't have a gun for it.
I have a lot of 30-06, 303 British and other calibers that I'll use for trading.
Boy we ARE a frugal group, aren't we?

[Rickf1985]

I have 40-50 lbs. of 168 gr 30cal AP bullets that my dad pulled out of military 30-06 ammo to reload it with hunting and match bullets . He never tossed them because they are super accurate at long distance target shooting.

[FISH4BUGS]

I have 40-50 lbs. of 168 gr 30cal AP bullets that my dad pulled out of military 30-06 ammo to reload it with hunting and match bullets . He never tossed them because they are super accurate at long distance target shooting.

If those are black tip AP bullets, they are worth something....more than just FMJ bullets for sure.

[farmbif]

ive never ever had a primer go off punching out of a shell on a press with decapping die. slow steady pressure on it and they just pop right out.

[Bmi48219]

I also pull down any duds I find / receive. My priorities in order are:
Primers
Projectiles
Brass
Hard to get excited about powder unless I’m pulling down a slew of one cartridge that some else loaded and has identified the powder used.
Already have a good stash of primers but I still save salvaged primers for range loads.
Salvaging projectiles for reuse does get tedious. Right now I’m looking at well over 500 rounds of reloaded 40 s&w. That’s a lot of pounding with a FA kinetic puller. I found that lightly tapping the bullet a mil or two back into the case loosens the crimp some but they still take 4 to 7 whacks with the kinetic to pop the bullet out. I plan to salvage these components and reload them for the SIL. A dozen boxes of ammo will make a good Father’s Day gift. I’ve processed 100 already and found two didn’t have a powder charge. No way of knowing if any were double charged.
Some ranges lock their dud boxes for liability reasons, or to keep scroungers from dumping them all over.

[calm seas]

Good deal. I've pulled apart thousands of range drops too, for components. Through the drought of primers, I've used the primed brass. I sort out any bad ones, of course.

I used to really wonder when I'd find clean, unfired factory rounds in the bucket, until I read some threads about what people will or won't shoot. It seems that a lot of people are scared to shoot ammo that has a minor dent or ding in it. I've fired so much old surplus ammo over the years, some dented and dinged, that minor stuff that that is completely irrelevant. Apparently it's also a fairly common thing to toss any ammo that's happened to touch the ground.

Those folks obviously never heard of fire-forming brass. Great score!

[lightman]

I'm seeing some doubt from a few posters about dealing with duds but I don't see a dud thats laid around for days, weeks or months as being dangerous. Most of the ones that I have seen were cartridges fired in a dirty AR that had a light primer strike. AR's like/need to be clean!

[GONRA]

GONRA suggests - if you hava SMG, run 'em thru THAT before pullin' 'em down.
Knowing "range brass / scrap duds" pretty gud, MIGHT veerk!

[Eddie Southgate]

Save the powder. Sort it by cartridge brand and caliber. If you can identify what type of powder it is, it maybe can be used again. Even if it can't be identified, it HAS to be good for something.

Big NO on the powder, no way to know what it is other than fertilizer. Not worth the risk. You can be too froogal .