Homeloaded Shotgun Cartridges

[ColBaldr]

So I have been given a bag of random 12 bore shotgun cartridges as a freebie when buying a second hand gun cabinet. The owner had stopped shooting and handed in all his firearms. He told me some of the cartridges are homeloaded and have random size bearings etc in them?! Does anyone know how I can tell the homeloads from the factory apart and where to dispose of the homeloads?

 

[tackb]

not sure how many you are talking about but i wouldn't personally use unknown reloads

 

[8x57]

Cut them open below the wad, throw away the top part and fire off the primer.

 

[bullet chucker]

Did he load STEEL SHOT,or lead or both, What size shot, solid, these are the questions to ask? If they are shot gun loads just shoot them off as normal.

BC.

 

[enfieldspares]

Better safe than sorry but the shot, the wad (possibly), the primer can be salvaged and used again. Cut off the ring of the crimp, tip the shot out into one tin. Maybe have a few tins if shot is different sizes. If plastic the primer will slip out with a finger inside it. If fibre use a worm type corkscrew to pull and discard. Dump the powder on the garden. But not next to the bench where Grandad smokes! Then pass the primer cases to a reloader who using their press can salvage the live primers. But no. If a random mish mash don't shoot them.

 

[cjm1066]

The powder makes a good fertiliser.

I took a late friend's reload and some factory ammo to an RFD for storage, it will be broken up as to risky to sell.

 

[Longstrider]

I wouldn't fire them off. No telling what's in them in terms of powder or load. There are folk out there who really think a shotgun fires ball bearings .... There are also others who think that the case is 'X' big so it must take 'X' volume of powder to load it ...

Etc etc.

Pull them apart and bin the (unknown) powder. Save the shot if you want to.

 

[Apthorpe]

I'd chuck the whole lot into a bonfire and retire a few yards. Shotgun cartridges aren't expensive enough to maim yourself over.

 

[Bowland blades]

Perhaps it was for the best the guy packed in ? Make safe - dont shoot 'em

 

[ColBaldr]

Just updating everyone, I'm likely to hand these into an RFD or police soon. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[webley701]

Just updating everyone, I'm likely to hand these into an RFD or police soon. Thanks for all the advice.

I’d suggest the RFD would be the better option. If given to the police they may end up boosting some surrendered/seized firearms & ammunition tally which will inevitably be used in a manner detrimental to us.

 

[Greenmist]

The use of the word "bearings" would have me a little concerned although not as much as nuts and bolts and I'd just dismantle them

 

[potshotpat]

I’d suggest the RFD would be the better option. If given to the police they may end up boosting some surrendered/seized firearms & ammunition tally which will inevitably be used in a manner detrimental to us.

This

 

[Bowland blades]

I’d suggest the RFD would be the better option. If given to the police they may end up boosting some surrendered/seized firearms & ammunition tally which will inevitably be used in a manner detrimental to us.

This would come with an invoice or the RFD would loose money. Its not hard to break down shotgun cartridges.

 

[webley701]

This would come with an invoice or the RFD would loose money. Its not hard to break down shotgun cartridges.

Why an invoice?

 

[Bowland blades]

Why an invoice?

Because there is a cost to these tasks ! also the disposal of them RFDs need paying for thier time and costs . Its easy to cut shotshell cases at the rear and remove the wad and shot the powder can be simply burned , the only issue is the primer but those could be popped in the gun .

 

[Trickyd66]

Hi, from your previous posts it appears that you are just starting your journey into rifle ownership and potentially deer stalking. I assume you already hold an SGC and were buying the 2nd cabinet for additional storage? Just seems a bit odd that someone would sell you a cabinet having given up their firearms, and chuck in a bag of random 12g cartridges.

 

[25 Sharps]

I'd chuck the whole lot into a bonfire and retire a few yards. Shotgun cartridges aren't expensive enough to maim yourself over.

I wouldn’t.

We have a club clay shoot a couple of times a year, someone left a live cartridge in the empties bin. The empties always go on the bonfire at the end of the day, club chairman nearly lost his eye as the live primer forcefully ejected and embedded itself into his face. About 16 mm deep into the outside of his eye socket and missing his eye by less than 10 mm.

 

[ColBaldr]

Hi, from your previous posts it appears that you are just starting your journey into rifle ownership and potentially deer stalking. I assume you already hold an SGC and were buying the 2nd cabinet for additional storage? Just seems a bit odd that someone would sell you a cabinet having given up their firearms, and chuck in a bag of random 12g cartridges.

Hi yeah exactly right. Second cabinet is anticipation of my FAC. The man who sold me the cabinet just said "I have a freebie for you" and gave me a 12 bore cleaning rod, 2 sealed boxes of express pigeon shot and a bag full of random cartridges which he said were his father's home loads mixed with a spilled box of factory.

 

[Heym SR20]

Basic rule. Only use ammo that is from a box with seal still intact.

Using somebody else’s homeloads, is a big NO.

There are of course exceptions to the rule. If you know somebody well, he knows how to homeload etc then perhaps,

But that plastic bag of random cartridges of uncertain origin or vintage - don’t use them.