• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

dvdt

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 13, 2009
646
5
Dallas,TX
I have some 'old' powder and a few hundred primers that I do not want/need anymore. How can I safely and properly dispose of them ?

I sold off the rifles and don't have anything that can make use of the powder. I also don't want to monkey with changing my loads and using these primers (LR Magnum) either. I just want the heck rid of this stuff!

So how can I safely dispose of them ?
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Use the powder as fertilizer. Give the primers a new home. If you want to kill them, I suggest soaking in 3 in 1 oil. They are resilient, however.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Sell it off, give away? Powder can dumped under bushes. It breaks down into the soil, nitrates and such. Primers could be a little harder.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Put up a flyer at your local gun range to sell them/ give them to a local reloader. Personally I just gave one of the old guys at the range ~250 WLR primers. Shame to see usable bullet components go to waste.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

The powder presents no problem, as above, sprinkle it around the base of your roses; now is an excellent time.....you can even light it, maybe start your BBQ? Not sure about that, use a little at a time? The primers, you can spray with WD40 or any oily substance. I would think a can of water would also do the job? BB
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Sell, trade, give away. The fertilizer thing is good, don't think I'd use it right next to the house. DO NOT light off the powder, it will arouse the neighbors, ok, in very small amounts it won't hurt a thing, but it burns big, bright, and hot, in any appreciable quantity, great way to ruin something.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Thanks guys. I think I'll dump the powder in the grass somewhere.

I've put up a flyer at my gun range and in huge red letters said they were FREE. I didn't get a single email or phone call. Amazed me! They're Fed 215Ms which are as rare as hen's teeth. I'd love to give 'em a new home.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Why the big rush to make 'em go away?

I've got stuff from decades ago that's still good. I'll give it away, or use it, eventually.

Primers will keep, just stick 'em back where they are safe and give 'em to somebody some day.

Can't you mark 'em ORM-D and ship them to somebody here on the 'hide?
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Most ranges have a can for duds. Last resort, put the primers in there?
Water will most likely not kill the primers.
Burning powder in the open is no big deal. Try burning gasoline as a comparison...
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

+1 on Tripwire's comment ^. I have powder and primers years old, always in an environmentally controlled area, and performs like the day I bought it. If you were in DFW, I'd take it off your hands.

Put a post up in FS section here on the Hide and say "Free powder & primers - local only". I'm sure you will get takers.

Kevin
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

To clarify:

Water does NOT hurt a primer. While a wet primer *might* not work, it sure as shit will once it dries. The googe compound in there is not water soluble.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

If the powder is bad (rusty, dusty when you pour it out) use it for fertilizer. Otherwise put an ad on craigslist or something and give it away if you just want it gone.

PS - my magnum loads use primers that are 20-30 years old. They go bang just fine.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

There I go, talking through my ass again!

Well, I am going to try it anyway, I think I will use a Fed 210M primed 243 case, (tight neck) fill it with 40 grains of water, seat a 75 grain Sierra HP close my eyes, pull the trigger and see if I can ram it half way up the bore? It's just a Ruger, what could go wrong? BRB

Sudden thought: Could the hydraulic pressure push the damned primer out while seating the bullet? Let's find out, shall we? BB
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

just PM me for my address and you can then mail it all to me.

just as many have already said use the powder for your plants.sale or give away the primers.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

find someone starting out in reloading.
It'll save them a couple buck's and encourage them to open their mind's to different caliber's.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

I'm curious myself. Don't mean to hijack this thread, but how about primers that are damaged from seating? I boogered up 2 or 3 primers by not paying attention and they were seated on its side. They're bent up pretty good and I don't think I can reuse them. What do I do with these?
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Yeah, there is some sort of ritual involving maidens and dental floss, observed on the first day of May. Or, is it buried by the light of a full moon, with a dead cat? Until then, stack them very carefully in the garage, floor to ceiling to save space, of course.

My crazy uncle wraps them in multiple layers of tissue and bubble wrap and takes them to the disposal site just outside of town, which is perfectly legal, so long as you activate your hazard blinkers.

Or, just throw them in the trash and hope for the best.
(vote for one) BB

 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

A friend of mine, whose name will go unmentioned, was learning to seat primers with my lee handheld. One was seated sideways. I soaked it in 3 in 1 oil, wrapped it up and disposed of it and the #2 shell holder and the case that were inextricably stuck together.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

I just toss boogered up live primers in the trash.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

I also just toss buggered up primers in the trash. If your worried about what "Might Happen", hold a primer with a pair of pliers and hold a lighter to it. It ain't that big of pop. If for some reason a primer went off in your trash, it wouldn't even tear the bag.

 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Trash the primers and wrap the powder by the cup in notebook paper and toss on your next bonfire---woohooo

Or fill an empty plastic coffee can with the powder then replace the fuse in a bottle rocket with a loooonnnnggg fuse and make launch the bottle rocket out of the can of powder?!!!! OR BETTER YET launch an electrically ignited model rocket out of a base of all of the powder poured in a pile!!!!!

bottem line though in all seriousness...as long as you don't compress or confine the powder when it burns, it's no different than smoky gasoline in it's explosiveness...so handle accordingly and have fun
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

A guy in California killed himself by burning powder in a bbq. One burn powder before with no problems so be careful if you go that route
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

California, eh? They all run with scissors, out there. Anything's possible?

By the way, as if it hasn't been cautioned enough, be really REALLY CAREFUL with zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
...........what were we talkin'bout? Oh yeah, this stuff, old powder/primers. 'nuff said <yawn> BB
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Well, I'll tell you what you shouldn't do. Don't put the stuff in a coffee can(s), be sure to pack it tight, then run some safety fuse (about 10 ft). Then don't light in and run. Hehe. Yeah, don't do that.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

Dump the powder and primers in a barrel along with sensitive documents you burn or shred and light it up.
smile.gif
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MontanaKid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, I'll tell you what you shouldn't do. Don't put the stuff in a coffee can(s), be sure to pack it tight, then run some safety fuse (about 10 ft). Then don't light in and run. Hehe. Yeah, don't do that. </div></div>

First I said make sure its NOT packed. So second, why not Mountain Kid? Have you experience? Have you done that? How much did you use? Like I said, if you don't confine it and treat it like gasoline you'll be good.

Ahhh anyway.... don't listen to me, I also like to douse my bonfire with about a gallon of gas and then shoot a bottle rocket into it to light it
smile.gif
!!! Now that's fun too.
 
Re: How to safely dispose of old powder/primers?

You know, it's threads like this that have us paying ridiculous hazard fees. Smokeless powder is safe, treat it with respect, POUR IT ON YOUR SHRUBS! Primers? The best advice is don't store them in glass jars. Otherwise, no more drama, please. BB