Discard Bullets Notice For Free

Local gun ranges will sometimes collect dud rounds or unused ammunition and dispose of them properly. For tips on disposal/recycling of flares, visit here or the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (CDTSC) at (800) 728-6942.

Bring It To The Range. Don't worry, we aren't advocating you go shoot your bad ammunition. Most ranges have a container for dud rounds and arrange collections with local law enforcement or recycling companies. If you ask politely, they may let you leave your bad ammo for the next pick-up.

When it comes to ammunition that has been used, you're really just left with the brass casing. The brass casing is recyclable, so after a round has been fired at the range, this portion can be recycled.

In terms of shelf life, ammunition generally doesn't expire or go bad. Many manufacturers will list an expiration date of ten years past the manufacturer date, but that's more for legal reasons than it is for safety reasons. If it's stored correctly, then there's no real known limit to how long you can keep ammunition.

Generally, yes. If factory centerfire cartridges are stored in a dry, cool place with low humidity, preferably in an airtight container, they can have an amazingly long shelf life. Many ballistics experts who have shot tens of thousands of rounds over the years report shooting 20- to 50-year-old ammo with no problems.

"Collectors' cartridges" are probably 50 years or older, and have some feature that appeals to collectors. Values will generally be in the dollar or less range, but quite a few will bring higher prices with values in the $10.00-20.00 range not unusual, and some bringing much more.

Almost every bullet fired from a gun, can be traced back to that gun using a microscope. ?When a bullet is fired from a firearm, when it travels through the barrel, the barrel leaves microscopic markings on the bullet that are unique to that specific firearm,? Jessica Wade, forensics firearms examiner, said.

Local gun ranges will accept unwanted ammunition, and even sometimes accepts dud rounds so as to dispose of them safely and effectively. Police stations will also sometimes accept small amounts of ammunition. Make sure to call the local number for the police station to ask if they're accepting ammunition.

At the time of purchase, the code or serial number would be recorded along with the purchaser's information by a licensed dealer. Later, when a bullet or cartridge case is found at a crime scene, the bullet or spent cartridge could be quickly traced back to the purchaser.

Almost every bullet fired from a gun, can be traced back to that gun using a microscope. ?When a bullet is fired from a firearm, when it travels through the barrel, the barrel leaves microscopic markings on the bullet that are unique to that specific firearm,? Jessica Wade, forensics firearms examiner, said.