Found Some Old Bullets in a Cupboard While Renovating

Magicmagic on 13/11/2016 - 11:30
Last edited 14/11/2016 - 00:20 by 1 other user

Hi

Hope to get a bit of advice. I found what seems to be bullets in an old house I'm helping to renovate. They look to be about 3.5cm long and 13 identical ones. Definitely not screws or drill heads.

• Are they safe to handle?
• How would I dispose of them?

I've taken some pictures but not sure how to upload them here.

Edit - uploaded a picture to an image site
https://postimg.org/image/88yx7iswd/

Thanks

Mod: Please contact the Australian Federal Police to organise the proper disposal as per comments below. Comments closed.

• 

  bezza on 13/11/2016 - 11:41

  -5

  Don't take it to the police. They'll just profit from it.

  I'd pick those bullets up with some gloves. They might be rusted and smelly.

  Perhaps you could ask an expert or take it to a gun shop.

  • 

    picklewizard on 13/11/2016 - 11:45

    +8

    "Don't take it to the police. They'll just profit from it."

    Dafuq are you talking about?

  • 

    mangoss on 13/11/2016 - 12:00

    +3

    Seriously? If you're going to give advice, please check the legality and accuracy of it!

    OP, don't handle the items. Call your local area command and ask for Licensing. Advise the Licensing Officer that you've located some old ammunition in a premises you're renovating, and they will arrange to come around and collect the items safely for destruction.

    Do NOT take them to an expert or gun shop - these are possibly prohibited items, leave them in situ until your local police can remove them for you.

    • 

      mskeggs on 13/11/2016 - 13:28

      -3

      "Seriously? If you're going to give advice, please check the legality and accuracy of it!"

      Quoted back at you.

    • 

      bezza on 13/11/2016 - 23:13

      Whatever man.

      I own a few rifles from my old farm. Have bullets lying around from a time when Australians weren't so afraid of weapons.

      I scratch my backside with my bullets.

• 

  Diji1 on 13/11/2016 - 11:53

  -4

  Are they safe to handle?

  Yes.

  How would I dispose of them?

  TBH I've never thought of that before but don't throw them in a fire :p

  You'll probably regret doing it but you could call the police non-emergency line (131 444 from memory but that might just be SA Police) and ask them. I've learnt not to call the police with non-emergency matters as they tend to do things like take statements and issue reciepts for property you hand in to them when all you're wanting to do is "the right thing".

  Or you could call the council and ask if they collect it as normal rubbish and if not what to do.

• 

  Master Bates on 13/11/2016 - 12:00

  Take them into the bush and hit them with a hammer.

  Or maybe not.

• 

  fad on 13/11/2016 - 12:05

  +3

  They dont look like they have bullets in them. They look like blanks.

  http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=34334

  Disposal of Ammunition

  Any unwanted ammunition may be disposed of through a local police station (which will issue a property receipt), a licensed firearms dealer, or through an individual who is appropriately licensed under the Firearms Act 1996.

  It is highly recommended that prior to attending a local police station or the premises of a licensed firearms dealer that you telephone and arrange suitable options for the surrender of your ammunition.

  If you are required to transport the ammunition for disposal purposes, you must ensure that it is transported in a safe and secure manner that is not dangerous, and that you take reasonable precautions to ensure that the ammunition is not lost or stolen.

• 

  steff on 13/11/2016 - 12:07

  -1

  polish them up and keep them on a shelf or something! they're not going to explode just like that lol

• 

  altomic on 13/11/2016 - 12:09

  +2

  looking at the photo - those are blanks. relatively harmless. put them in a bag and take them to the police station.

  if you want to be additionally super cautious then touch some grounded metal before touching them to release any static or pick them up with some non-conductive grips (but this is being over cautious.

  • 

    Magicmagic on 13/11/2016 - 12:36

    Thanks I used some gloves to pick them up. Do blanks mean they are harmless/not live?

    • 

      mskeggs on 13/11/2016 - 13:24

      Blanks mean they have the "bang" but not the bit that makes a hole in you.
      There isn't anything toxic or sharp, but if you managed to detonate one by hitting the little circle on the end with a hammer and nail, or disposed of them in a fire, they would make a gun shot style explosion.
      Put them in a cardboard box and hand them into the cops unless you especially want to keep them.

    • 

      blitz on 13/11/2016 - 13:32

      +2

      Blanks are not harmless. The charge can still detonate, and the discharge can still propel shrapnel at lethal speeds. Follow Mangos' advice above and call your local area command. Do not handle them by yourself, and do not play with them.

      • 

        altomic on 13/11/2016 - 15:07

        "relatively harmless" I said.

        it's extremely unlikely that they would detonate if you were just picking them up.

        and if (and I'd buy a lotto ticket first) they did detonate then see how the end is crimped in? (in the photo)- that would fly open if they detonated as that is the weakest point of the cartridge. within the crimping is either a thick wad of paper or plastic that seals the gunpowder in. the crimping certainly isn't sealed tight (tight enough to clamp the paper/plastic wad in place to create a barrier so moisture does not get in ruin the gunpowder).

• 

  Savas on 13/11/2016 - 12:12

  Probably someone had a fascination with them so decided to keep them, perhaps from a farm or hunting. Throw them in the garbage or polish them up.

• 

  Magicmagic on 13/11/2016 - 12:23

  Thanks for the suggestion and tips! I rolles one around and searched up the back of the bullet. They are blank bullets 2nd from the top (http://www.8472.co.uk/ordnancebullet_303.htm)

  Wikipedia has them made in Adelaide in 1942 for the .303 (whatever that may be) "Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.4 (MJ) – Hendon; Adelaide, South Australia (1940–1945)[2][3] Manufactured .303 rifle ammunition."

  I might take them to the police station unless they are safe/harmless collectables.

  • 

    Savas on 13/11/2016 - 12:44

    Nice. Also here is how to upload images to OzBargain. If you are going to use an external site use Imgur next time

  • 

    mskeggs on 13/11/2016 - 13:22

    So, yes, they are "blanks" and won't be too dangerous, but do have a normal explosive charge in them, so don't hit them with a hammer or something.
    Put them in a box and take them to the cop shop.

• 

  chumlee on 13/11/2016 - 12:31

  You should make some jewellery with them.

• 

  outlander on 13/11/2016 - 12:38

  If you shoot them at each other, that'll get rid of them. That deals with the even numbers at least.

• 

  Zachary on 13/11/2016 - 13:01

  Someone said this: "Just pull the bullet out and poor out the powder, then throw it away." Would that work?

  • 

    mskeggs on 13/11/2016 - 13:26

    There is no bullet, instead you can see the end of the cartridge is crimped over. You could disarm them by opening that and emptying the cartridge, but that sounds needlessly dangerous compared to just handing them in.

• 

  shanakatak on 13/11/2016 - 13:30

  +2

  So a blank is basically a live round without a projectile in it. It still contains a primer and gunpowder, and is dangerous if improperly handled. It may be argued that these are considered cartridge ammunition.

  S. 3(1) def. of cartridge ammunition inserted by No. 22/1998 s. 4(g).
  "cartridge ammunition" means ammunition having a bullet or other projectile and a priming device fixed to or enclosed in a cartridge case which is composed wholly or partly of material other than paper;

  Best bet is to dispose of them to the police.

  Don't stress countless people find firearms and ammunition not turned in by grandpa back in'96 its common for firearms dealers and police to take these sort of things.

• 

  Findo on 13/11/2016 - 14:14

  Wow, .303 blanks. The ADF has had two new service rifles since. How old is your house?

• 

  try2bhelpful on 13/11/2016 - 15:52

  +4

  Ring the cops and get them to tell you what to do with them. Not sure why you think coming here is a good idea. Half of us are going to tell you to take them to the cops and the other half are clinically insane. Even blanks can be lethal if the shot is at point blank range.