Live Ammo!!! what to do

[Strukartel]

Found this old live 303 shell in Robe SA area active around 1850's not sure to clean or not as not sure how stable it is?

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

"Stable" is a deceptive term. Your .303 has a crack in the case by the looks of it. With cordite or nitro powders (or black powder) any moisture will degrade the propellant to nitric acid. It will eventually corrode the case. The old fulminate of mercury based primers may get a bit unstable, but the propellant is likely degraded.

There is little danger of explosion. Even if you threw it in a fire the bullet and case move away from each other with a "POP". It's not like the cartridge in a rifle with the bullet building pressure from the barrel constriction.

 

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[Tony in SC]

AH!! Slingshot!! My weapon of choice!

Not if they're coming from a slingshot!

 

[ScubaDetector]

Gun powder is not like dynamite, it's not going to become unstable and explode. If you shake it and hear loose powder inside, it's likely still good, if not the powder has been wet and is dead.

NO NO NO NO NO


That is a MYTH. Gunpowder can get wet and dry out and work just fine. I showed people that last year. Here is a 30 cal round from a Lewis Machine gun I found in a lake (I have found HUNDREDS). It has a date of 1918 on it. ALL the ones I find are from 1907 - 1921. They were dropped out of Curtis Jenny airplanes between 1916 and 1921. The casings mostly are cracked.

First photo is bottom of shell. Second is gunpowder on plate. Third is after it was lit.








The bullet you found is modern. (Modern as after 1900's) If you don't want it just throw it away. If you want to keep the brass. With two pair of pliers hold the shell with one and twist the head out with the other dump out the gunpowder and throw it away. Keep the shell.

NEWER Gunpowder is STABLE. It is called smokeless powder and that is what is in your shell. The old gunpowder which was used in the civil war and up to the early 1900's wasn't. Friction could set it off. I have shells with that in it also.

 

[Anduril]

Why? If they're not in a gun they're basicly harmless. Tony

This is not true.
And if you doubt this, go ahead and set off a round by hand, in your hand.
(I have a friend who's fingers are permanently messed up from having done this as a kid - don't try it!)

Also, although the bullet will definitely have much lower energy (having not been contained within a chamber/barrel), it is not zero energy.
The cartridge case can travel a considerable distance with a still respectable amount of force. (The bullet, having more mass, will usually stay put).
Neither one would likely have enough energy to break your skin at close range (a few feet, maybe), but you can still poke an eye out.

If you plan to disassemble the round, use tools that do not spark.

 

[NHBandit]

OMG !! Call the bomb squad.. And the media. I have read stories on the mainstream media of guns jumping up off tables and shooting people all by themselves, evil ammo that's possessed by the devil and other things I can't even mention here....

 

[ScubaDetector]

This is not true.
And if you doubt this, go ahead and set off a round by hand, in your hand.
(I have a friend who's fingers are permanently messed up from having done this as a kid - don't try it!)

Also, although the bullet will definitely have much lower energy (having not been contained within a chamber/barrel), it is not zero energy.
The cartridge case can travel a considerable distance with a still respectable amount of force. (The bullet, having more mass, will usually stay put).
Neither one would likely have enough energy to break your skin at close range (a few feet, maybe), but you can still poke an eye out.

If you plan to disassemble the round, use tools that do not spark.

AS spark will not set off smokeless powder. ALSO you are right, the case nor the bullet will travel very far and will not break skin. You are also right about poking your eye out!