.45 Colt inert Ammunition?

[Reichrev]

Hello
Need advice again, have just picked up 8 Rounds of .45 Colt ammunition at Bootsale, no information on these at all-- they are headstamped FC 45 Colt and W-W 45 Colt they all have RNL bullets and the primers are unfired, I am sure these are inerts, but as I do not have a .45 colt revolver I have no way of knowing-----Is there any safe method I can use to check one of these rounds to find out for sure---grateful for any advice on this
Reichrev

 

[Vulcan Bob]

The only way I can think of is to pull the bullets and see if there is any powder in there. If you want to have inert rounds then deprime them and assemble with no primer or powder.

 

[OKFC05]

the primers are unfired, I am sure these are inerts,

By definition primed cases are NOT inert.
Agree with Bob, the only way to know what you have is to take them apart.

 

[jag22]

My question is why do you think they are inert? Just like any gun, assume they are loaded/ live. Sometimes you can shake a round and hear the powder but I would not rely on that to be sure there is no powder. As vulcan bob said the only sure way is to remove the bullet but I wouldn't assume just because one is empty they all are. Just treat them as live.

 

[carpriver]

I agree with what has already been posted, but remember there is no safe way to deprime brass except to fire the primer in a firearm

 

[mikld]

I agree with what has already been posted, but remember there is no safe way to deprime brass except to fire the primer in a firearm

I wouldn't want to start a huge "discussion", but I disagree. I have deprimed many, many primed cases safely (no "pops" at all). Mainly I just ran the primed case through my sizing/decapping dies, easily. Just two days ago I had to deprime a few 30-30 cases (poor bullet seating damaged case mouths) and I ran them through the size die slowly and saved my 4 large rifle primers...

 

[rwsmith]

Pull the bullets and...

Fire the primers in the gun. Warning - primers are LOUD.

I would rather assume that they were ert rather than inert.

 

[Jellybean]

Hi Reichrev,
There is no sure way to tell the condition of a primer by looking at the outside of it.

As others have mentioned, shake the case next to your ear in a quiet room. If you hear the powder inside it's a good bet it's live. If you don't hear any powder the only way to make sure it's not live is to pull the bullet. The case may be loaded with black powder, might have a filler to keep the powder in place or just isn't making enough noise for you to hear it.

 

[rwsmith]

I have too...

I wouldn't want to start a huge "discussion", but I disagree. I have deprimed many, many primed cases safely (no "pops" at all).

Wear hearing protection and safety glasses and keep your face away from it. I do this with primers that don't seat right or some other strange reasons I can't remember. The only pop I ever had was with seating a Winchester primer tapping on it with a Lee Handloader tool. Do this when wife is not around.

 

[Rule3]

Why would you buy 8 rounds of ammo that you have no gun for?

Especially if you think they are inert?

Guess I am missing something here?

Pull the bullet, if you do not have a 45 Colt then you can not fire the primer and you probably do not have 45 Colt dies so you can not de prime them so more questions than answers??

 

[MarkDozier]

I agree with what has already been posted, but remember there is no safe way to deprime brass except to fire the primer in a firearm

A totally wrong statement. While popping the cap is the best way it is not the only safe way.

 

[Reichrev]

Hello Vulcan Bob
Thank you for reply and advice---I have knocked out bullet, no powder just an anvil and a small round compressed disc? and a very slight amount of a black powder
Thank you
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello OKFC05
Thank you for reply, I can see the logic
Many thanks
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello jag22
Thank you for reply, I assumed ammunition to be inert because, I imagined, Live rounds are extremely rare to be picked up at boot sale--and in this case I was right, upon taking your advice I found upon removing bullet no powder but an anvil and a small compressed disc with very slight amount of a blackpowder in the primer case, which I had removed with a long thin nail, with flattened end

 

[Reichrev]

Hello carpriver
Thank you so much for reply and advice
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello mikld
Thankyou for reply and advice
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello rwsmith
Thank you for reply and advice, much appreciated
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello Mark Dozier
Thank you for reply and your information
Regards
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello Rule3
Thank you for reply---You are right I do not have a .45 revolver but I could possibly use the large pistol primer elsewhere. were they live---but when I knocked out the bullet, as advised by many members I found no powder, just an anvil and a small compressed disc/pad of something and a very slight amount of a black powder, did hit primer very hard, but nothing
Regards
Reichrev

 

[Reichrev]

Hello Jellybean
Thank you for reply and advice, I tried listening method but heard nothing so knocked out bullet, as advised, no powder, knocked out primer from case with a long thin nail, blunted, and only found an anvil and a small compressed disc/pad of something and and very slight amount of a black powder---I now know they are inert,
Thank you again
Reichrev