Who can make ammo safe for display?

[who412 0]

I have three rounds from an Army SAW that were gifted to me.  I would like to display them but can't find anyone who can/will make them safe.  Any ideas?

[deleteme 0]

Aren't they just 5.56?

 

 

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[Purple Patrick 638]

You can do it yourself. Buy a $10 bullet puller pull it out dump powder lightly tap out primer reassemble. I'm not liable if you blow your self up.

 

 

Also isn't this just 556?

 

 

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[NJReloader 0]

Where are you located?

[plode 0]

Aren't they just 5.56?

 

 

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A SAW is an M249 which fires 5.56.  

[mcbethr 42]

I have three rounds from an Army SAW that were gifted to me.  I would like to display them but can't find anyone who can/will make them safe.  Any ideas?

 

Well, here's the problem, you're asking the question with the assumption that the cartridges are "unsafe" to begin with.

 

The cartridges are perfectly safe as they are.  Just don't hit the ends with a hammer and nail.  Rendering the cartridges "safe" by removing the primer and tapping out the gun powder is more dangerous than keeping them as they are.  

 

If the idea of having live ammunition in your home is really that frightening to you, post another message on the board asking for someone who reloads to make 3 dummy rounds (no powder and primer) for you in trade for the 3 live rounds.  The 3 live rounds will pull out of their links with a little force and you can slide the dummy cartridges in.

 

But honestly, they are fine the way they are.  You are at a greater risk getting in your car and driving to trade the dummy cartridges than you ever will be from live cartridges that sit on your office shelf as a curiosity.

[who412 0]

Thanks for the input, but I can't have my family learn that they are live or they'll freak.  I need to either make safe or dispose.  5.56 sounds about right.   I am near Clifton, NJ and the local gunshops can't/won't help.

[bhunted 887]

....or if you want to keep the primer. As stated above, remove bullet, dump powder someplace safe, take shell with primer and soak in water for 10 mins, then put in boiling water for 20 mins. The powder will boil out and you have a safe primer. Make sure primer has no more powder caked in. Put bullet back in, good to go.

 

All disclaimers apply. I'm not responsible for any mishaps and you do this on our own.

 

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Typos courtesy Apple...

[deleteme 0]

Why not just take some once fired brass and tap a bullet into it?

 

I don't understand all of this worry and work over 3 5.56 cartridges

 

 

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[A-Tech 8]

This really is a small problem looking for a huge solution. 5.56 brass is not hard to find at the range. Go shoot the 3rds, then press a bullet back in.

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

Assuming this gift has sentimental value of some sort to you and you want *THOSE* rounds to be made inert then you need to find someone with a bullet puller/reloading press who can pull the bullet, dump the powder, pop out the primer and then press the bullet back in.

 

If you just want to have some linked SAW-looking rounds to display:

 

http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/556mm-Ammo-Belt-Dummy-60-Rounds-LC-Army-556-belt-x-60.htm

 

I agree with the others - live centerfire 5.56 rounds, outside of a barrel/chamber, are relatively safe to have sitting around.  Perhaps watching this video would allay some of your/your family's fears:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

[djg0770 481]

If you want to take a trip to Wayne, I can do this for you.  It'll take about 10 mins.

 

Send me a private message.

[blksheep 466]

Maybe it has some sentimental value. Live rounds just sittinf around are pretty safe. Tell your family they are dummies anyway.

[mcbethr 42]

Thanks for the input, but I can't have my family learn that they are live or they'll freak.  I need to either make safe or dispose.  5.56 sounds about right.   I am near Clifton, NJ and the local gunshops can't/won't help.

 

Listen, the average car holds 12 gallons of gasoline.  Is your family upset that they are essentially sitting inside a rolling bomb? 

 

No.  

 

You don't worry about that because the gasoline is safely stored in a container.  It only explodes when it's squeezed into the cylinders and lit on fire under a very safe and controlled condition.  The same is true of these rifle rounds.  The only way they will be remotely dangerous is if you have a rifle in that particular caliber, you load them, and you shoot them.  The shell is a container for the explosive.  The only way that explosive detonates is if you hit it with something hard and sharp.  Cartridges don't go off when you drop them, but if you got a vice, a nail and a hammer, yes, you could "fire" the bullet.  Even then it wouldn't be that dangerous because bullets speed up from pressure.  Without a gun barrel, the bullet is pretty much useless.

 

Maybe it has some sentimental value. Live rounds just sittinf around are pretty safe. Tell your family they are dummies anyway.

 

+1 I agree with who412.  Of all of the possible lies to tell your family, this is one of the whitest.  On the flip side, are you sure they are live?  I've handled Dummy SAW ammo.  It looks pretty much like the real thing except the sides are sort of crimped.

[illy 1]

Good lord...

[DeerSlayer 241]

Or when you tape the round to the end of a bb gun. My friends and I tried that when we were around 14, I think he still has a piece of brass casing in his forehead and shoulder the doctor couldn't remove. Kids get stupid ideas and do stupid s**t sometimes. Back then we didn't have the internet for ideas. Just the Anarchist Cook Book and our imagination's. I don't have kids but if I did especially boys that ammo would be locked up twice. Even a great responsible kid can be influenced by his pals and a dumb idea. Think I still have some of my dad's boot leather in my ass from that incident over 20 years ago.

 

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[RubberBullets 65]

"Yeah mom, its not a live round"

 

Oddly enough trade "mom" for "wife" and "its not a <insert anything here>" works in a variety of combinations.

[checko 180]

Pull the bullet and dump the powder. I don't know why they'd freak. It can't fire itself. Even in a house fire it would only cause superficial damage if you were standing damn near on top of it. I assume youd be haulin ass to get out of there anyway.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Who412, how old are you?

[djg0770 481]

Situation is now resolved, no point in continuing a discussion that will not achieve what OP intended any longer.

 

Seriously guys, he wanted to make these into dummy rounds, he has one post.  This is a perfect opportunity to teach someone, show them, walk them through each part, and nearly 50% of the responses do not address the question , and go down a derogatory path??

 

Way to show a sense of community.