How to inert live rounds?

[agate hunter]

Hi everyone, i have some WW2 mi garand ammo that i would like to put in displays, but i do not want to use live rounds, and ive been told to get rid of them because they have been exposed to the elements for a while and probably not safe to shoot or have lying around, if there is a safe way to inert them please do let me know.

 

thanks

[37thguy]

I'd pull the bullet, pour out the powder, and pop the primer, then re seat the bullet. That's how I would do it. That way you still have all original rounds, just spent!

 

:thumbsup:

[Linedoggie]

Bullet Puller, dump the powder and then you have the problem of the primer. you could chamber and fire the primer, but its likely corrosive ammo so you would have to clean the bore with Hot soapy water, then RBC

[Jack's Son]

I'd pull the bullet, pour out the powder, and pop the primer, then re seat the bullet. That's how I would do it. That way you still have all original rounds, just spent!

 

:thumbsup:

37th,

That would have been my advice, except he wants the cartridges for display.

I don't know how to pull the bullet without gouging it.

 

Do you have a solution ?

 

JS

[37thguy]

perhaps a cloth and vice grips? Or don't they make a bullet puller in the re loading process?

[svt40]

Bullet puller. Works really well. Insert the cartridge with the correct collet, smack on some concrete a few times and voila the bullet is removed with no damage.

 

[Garandomatic]

They also make a primer punch that knocks out the crimped in military primers, but I am not sure if it'd just set the danged thing off in your hand or not. Might deliver a burn, really don't know.

[Jack's Son]

Now, if we can sell agate a press and die, he can go into business !

[Brig]

it's simple, I do it all the time at the range when we have misfires and such. Use some pliars, I use a Gerber but I'm not preserving them. I sugguest putting some rubber between the pliars and the round to prevent the teeth from leaving marks. Twist/pull the round out, dump the powder. Then pop the primer, if you have a weapon that fires the rounds that works...just insert the shell and squeeze the trigger, weapon pointed in a safe direction (as a Range Safety Officer, I feel obligated to cover safety).

 

I find old live rounds all the time on the range. Several Korea era, even some WWII to include a .30...and a couple of 1918. I've used this method on them

[MWalsh]

I have never tried this personally, but as far as the primers go, if one wants to leave them looking intact, I have been told that once you pull the bullet and empty the powder, to put a drop of motor oil or household oil inside the casing, put the drop on the primer. I was told that it destroys the primer.

 

Can't vouch for it, but thought I'd mention it.

 

MW

[oldfireguy]

What is the worry about just leaving them alone? Old rifle rounds don't suddenly become unstable and blow up.

[Psychman]

WD-40 sprayed into the primer will destroy the primer. I would invest in a $25 bullet puller as was mentioned above. They work well. Or you could do what Oldfireguy suggests. Leave them intact and don't let anybody play with them. The will be fine.

[sgtbrown]

I'm an old reloader but my gear got packed up three moves ago and hasn't been unpacked. When I needed some dummy rounds, I just went to the local gun shop and asked around for a reloader to help me. He pulled the bullets, fired the primers and re-seated the bullets, leaving the rounds looking like they were right out of the factory.

 

Tom

[grog18b]

I've done this with larger munitions. Drill a 3/16 hole through one side of the casing sidewall, with the casing laying on its side. Pour out the powder. No, you will not set off the powder by drilling the hole. As was posted, spray WD40 into the hole and stand the casing up. The primer will be inerted, and you will have no pull marks on your balls (stop laughing) or a ruined crimp. GROG

[ksp45]

if it was me i'd just leave them as they are,they are harmless as is,but if you must render them inert i would do what sgt brown suggested,find a good gunshop and ask the salespeople to help you find a reloader to do it for you,us "gun nuts" are really a nice bunch of guys and are willing to help,

[hawkdriver]

Don't use the plier method, you will oval out the case mouth and it is a pain to get them straight again without having to size the die. I am a reloader as well and have been making dummy rounds for some time for various people.

As shown above, get a kinetic puller, they do the least damage to the brass casing and bullet, there are no marks when done. Also as mentioned, use WD-40 to inert the primer. If you want them to have the "powder" sound to them, you can get some small plastic beads to put back in them, some times, I have used coarse sand. Then you will need to find someone with a press to put the bullets back in and if they are just going to set on a shelf, then that is it. If you are going to belt them or run them through a rifle, you will need to do a crimp or else, over time, they will work loose. That is it.

[militaria360]

They’re ok to shoot.

You just need to make sure that the bullet actually leaves the barrel, and doesn’t get stuck half way.

To be safe you could stick a cleaning rod down the barrel after each shot.

 

 

I’d say for displaying, just leave them be, unless you want to send them through the mail or something.

[45ACP]

As a kid in sixties I when with my father when his unit went to the range. The ranger officer made me stay in the armorers van. On duds he pulled the bullets then put the case in a vise and used a punch and hammer to pop the primer. A primer isn't that loud. Then the only problem is putting the bullet back in the case.

[tsellati]

Bullet puller. Works really well. Insert the cartridge with the correct collet, smack on some concrete a few times and voila the bullet is removed with no damage.

 

 

+1. This is what I use when I am reloading and need to 'pull' a bullet to change powder or charge specs.

 

Tim

[tsellati]

What is the worry about just leaving them alone? Old rifle rounds don't suddenly become unstable and blow up.

 

+1. There is nothing unsafe about using live rounds has photography props. I do it all the time and I cannot think of anything you could possibly do to a round to strike that primer hard enough to set it off.

 

If you do go the route of trying to make a round inert by pulling the bullet and dumping the powder I would not try to remove the live primer - they are quite powerful even when not 'backing up' a powder charge :pinch:. Instead I would follow Psychman's suggestion to use WD-40 to inactivate the primer.

 

Tim

[militaria360]

As a kid in sixties I when with my father when his unit went to the range. The ranger officer made me stay in the armorers van. On duds he pulled the bullets then put the case in a vise and used a punch and hammer to pop the primer. A primer isn't that loud. Then the only problem is putting the bullet back in the case.

 

Just don’t do that with 50 bmg primers. they're too strong, and it's not safe.

[Lucky 7th Armored]

Yeah i display my live rounds too, I have 96 rounds of 45' dated AP .30 on display and 50 43' dated .45 on display and nothing ever happened! :packin heat: (knocks on wood)

Haydn

[Garandomatic]

Having your mag pouches and cartridge belts loaded just makes it more convenient for when you want to go shooting!