Disposal of drenched shotgun shells?

[lrrifleman]

Being disabled, I sometimes have difficulty keeping on top of things in a timely fashion,

That being said, I have a shed that has been leaking like crazy for a while, and I haven't been able to get to fixing the roof. Last week, I was in it trying to salvage stuff, and discovered that there must have been a shoebox of shotgun shells from my parents' home. Needless to say, the box disintegrated from the water, and I have about 2 dozen modern, plastic factory shotgun shells that have been exposed to water.

My questions:
1. Could I expect these shells to be stable enough to handle?
2. If they are deemed stable, might they still be shootable, in order to discharge them?
3. If you feel that they are either unstable to handle or not shootable, how would you recommend disposing of these shells?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Tom S.]

At worst, the water could make the powder weak or useless and pretty much the same for the primers. However, ammo can be pretty resistant to water. I'd try firing them. Of course if one misfires, do not attempt to shoot a second one without checking the barrel for obstruction. If you don't want to risk it or can no longer shoot, I'd give the someone who either reloads or is willing to try them out.

 

[lrrifleman]

Tom, getting back behind the trigger is what drove me to overcome my injuries. I still shoot, and I adapt my equipment and my skills. As a point of interest, I was finally able to shoot my first prone sling match yesterday for the first time in 9 years. My damaged arm started to fatigue in the third stage, but I ended up shooting 60 shots for record, plus sighters, which was a major personal accomplishment!

 

[DWalt]

Highly probable there is nothing at all wrong with the shells if they are plastic. You might fire a few to be sure. Duck hunters get their shells wet all the time and it doesn't bother them.

 

[2152hq]

If they're lead shot,,I;d shoot them , but that's just me. Factory plastic is pretty much water proof.
Steel shoot,,I wouldn't just in case the shot has rusted and formed a slug. I don't like steel shot loads anyway for the older guns I have

Otherwise, I'd salvage the (lead) shot by slitting open the sides.
I just can't seem to throw anything away...

'Disposing' of them would be dismanteling them somehow first anyway. I wouldn't just toss loaded rounds into the trash.

 

[Rule3]

Cut one or two open and see if the powder is wet. If not shoot them. If wet trash them. Much more hazardous stuff goes in the landfill or incinerators than a few shot shells.

If you want to be "green" then take them to a haz material pickup site if there is one around you.

 

[soFlaNative]

Was helping a friend move years ago and encountered the exact same scenario, at least a case and a half loose packed in a rotted cardboard box. He did not want them so I bagged them and brought them home.
Began to go through them and found plastic in good shape if not a bit discolored. The brass, on the other hand, if it wasn't black it was green and the primers were caked with who knows what.
I kept a few to dissect and took the rest to a local PD in hopes they could find a way to dispose. The desk Sgt. was flummoxed, I volunteered nothing but the facts and he had no clue what I was asking until the Lt. explained it to him.

I left them with the Lt. and was done.

 

[e3mrk]

I would call the local Police Dept.They may take Them off Your hands.

 

[hammer 1]

Im a bit of a duck fanatic, ive shot shells that were submerged. Wet shells and shotguns, is part of the game

 

[Nevada Ed]

Since they did not fall into a pond.........
and were just dripped on..........
being factory ammo they have a good chance of still being ok.
Most duck ammo is sealed at the factory for a moisture barrier.

Spread them out and check for rust and take one or two apart to see how they look. Steel pellets can rust and is not what you want going
down your barrel.

Good luck.

 

[BuckeyeS&W]

About ten years ago my basement flooded with about a foot of water and it got to some shotgun shells,about 300, that a friend reloaded for sporting clays. The shells were submerged for at least 12 hours,I shot all 300 with no ill effects at all. I was surprised that any fired at all. I would try them what do you have to lose?

 

[M1A]

Years back I had a number of boxes of 300 Wby. I was thrilled until I found them to be reloads from the sixties. I did not want to take the chance of shooting 300 mags, reloaded by who knows. I took them to my LGS. He had a source he used often to dispose of them properly.
That would be a last resort. Factory plastic, that looks good, is probably just fine as suggested. Just as a precaution I would watch for a hang fire.