My dad shoots a lot of sporting clays, trap, and skeet and, always looking for a way to save money, got into reloading his own shells. This started seven years ago, and now we have three or four 5 gallon jugs filled with spent primers, as well as some other containers. When he started, he figured that there’s probably something better to do with them than throw them away, so they built up gradually. Anyways, what can or should i do with these? We need some garage space, and they have to go. Can they be melted down or recycled? Should i just made a massive copper mountain? Thanks for your help.
Well i’d suggest find a recycling place near you and collect the cash.
IIRC, the primers have very small amounts of mercury residue from the primer powder. You may want to see if a local gunstore or shooting range will dispose of them for you. Otherwise, you may have to just throw them in the trash. They have as much value as a burnt-out match.
Get a grant from the NEA and make a sculpture called ‘the restlessness of being’?
Toss 'em.
Recyclers won’t take 'em because of both the contamination (burnt and fractionally unburnt primer compounds) and the possibility of a “live” one being mixed in. (Which would detonate upon smelting- albeit like a medium-sized firecracker is all.)
Other than that, maybe make a form, cast 'em into a large cube of lucite, and call up a large metropolitan art gallery… label it something snobby, like “Fate of a Turtledove” or something.
Anthracite
This site http://www3.sympatico.ca/shooters/FvsPvsN.htm mentions:
Modern primers do not contain any mercury compounds, but I certainly agree with you as to their value!