Question, Ideas Please

[John McCabe]

Hi Guys,
I?m hoping some of you have some ideas for me.
Picture 20+ 5 gallon bucks full of live ammo. All mixed calibers, rifle and handgun, mixed brands, different condition levels, probably some are reloads but mostly factory.
I?m trying to find out how to monetize this supply, recycling the components is one idea but pulling the bullets with a collet hammer or the wall mounted type is way to labor intensive and wouldn?t be cost effective. I don?t believe any recycling plant will accept live ammunition.
Another idea is find away to separate into each caliber and then sell it by the pound, strictly as components for reloading and then have the buyer separate them.
Any ideas out there? Internet searches haven?t produced anything that would work for me.
Thank you for your time.

[kcstott]

You can't sell live ammo as components for the buyer to take apart.

You want to monetize it? You need to put in the work, take it apart and scrap it.

[John McCabe]

Ok, thank you. Maybe my question should be rephrased.
What’s the most efficient way to separate 20 buckets of ammunition?
I’m not afraid of putting in the work, one round at a time just doesn’t make it cost effective.
Thank you

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

That might be a sitting around with your pals who need stuff, have a couple of beers and just break down what you need as you need it.

[baih777]

Start in the morning.
A couple of towels or a blanket on the table.
Dump half a bucket on the table first.
Seperate rifle and pistol first.
Sip on your coffee.
Then sort out by caliber. Same way i sort out a mixed bucket of brass.

[TimRB]

That might be a sitting around with your pals who need stuff, have a couple of beers and just break down what you need as you need it.

This might be the ticket. It's too big a job to just salvage everything at once, but maybe doing a little at a time (especially if your friends help) could make it work.

Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to come into 20 buckets of mixed live ammo?

Tim

[John McCabe]

Thank you guys , I appreciate your suggestions. If you know me sitting around with a bourbon and some good friends is a great way to get some projects done.
I’m working on an endless incoming supply and really trying to find away to separate projectiles from brass so that it can be recycled. I spend money to transport it and deliver it back home so looking for a solution that’s more than a hobby. We’re looking at designing a machine that separates into different calibers and then another machine that removes the bullet from case.
Thank you again

[newbie1234]

This may help your process faster:

https://www.brownells.com/reloading/measuring-tools/case-length-gauges/ammo-checkers-multiple-calibers/

[SonofWWIIDI]

This too may help get started with the sorting.

https://gear-report.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GR-Shell-Sorter.jpg

There will still be some mixed in rifle rounds, but the pistol will be sorted.



Good luck.

[kcstott]

The problem with a machine doing the work is it needs to be made in such a way that if and when a round goes off it doesn't set off the powder you've been collecting.

You're going to run into massive hurdles with dealing with the waste. Don't be surprised if the Fire dept forces you to get an FFL before they sign off on permits.

Separation of cartridges by size is easy. It's just not cheap. A vibe sorter feeder with the correct rejection mechanisms would work but you're have to sort that into basic sizes first. and that can be done with a trommel.

[ar15barrels]

Ok, thank you. Maybe my question should be rephrased.
What?s the most efficient way to separate 20 buckets of ammunition?
I?m not afraid of putting in the work, one round at a time just doesn?t make it cost effective.
Thank you

First sort it all by cartridge.
Once you end up with a bucket of each cartridge, use a forester superfast puller.
They are MUCH faster than a kinetic puller.

[SanDiego619]

If you can say, I am very curious, where is all this ammo coming from? It sounds like a great problem to have!

[kcstott]

If you can say, I am very curious, where is all this ammo coming from? It sounds like a great problem to have!

there's a reason it's being scrapped,

[RNE228]

Caliber or Cartridge? Or both?

For a one time project, do one bucket at a time. What's that saying "How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time...
- Do a fast primary sort by rifle or pistol cartridges
- Next do a sort by cartridge

You could do a secondary sort by caliber, and the cartridge's within that caliber. but it would be an added step.

When you start, have plenty of bins to split things out in to; get organized before you start.

I've never used PPE while reloading, but handling 20 buckets of cartridges, I would consider at least wearing nitrile gloves.

For a project like this, you're either going to spend time, or spend money to save time (any sorter is going to be $$$)

Hi Guys,
I?m hoping some of you have some ideas for me.
Picture 20+ 5 gallon bucks full of live ammo. All mixed calibers, rifle and handgun, mixed brands, different condition levels, probably some are reloads but mostly factory.
I?m trying to find out how to monetize this supply, recycling the components is one idea but pulling the bullets with a collet hammer or the wall mounted type is way to labor intensive and wouldn?t be cost effective. I don?t believe any recycling plant will accept live ammunition.
Another idea is find away to separate into each caliber and then sell it by the pound, strictly as components for reloading and then have the buyer separate them.
Any ideas out there? Internet searches haven?t produced anything that would work for me.
Thank you for your time.