Removing Heavily-Clumped Powder from "Live" Cases

[Airgead]

I have been going through a clean-up exercise at the bench over the winter, getting rid of mistakes, old junk, etc. I have an interesting situation regarding some .35rem rounds that I'd like some advice on.

My father had some .35rem handloads from sometime long in past that were done by my grandfather. By "long" in the past, I would guess at least mid-80s but probably even earlier. They were coated in grime and tarnish. We shot off most of them just to dispose of them (and "accurate" is a word that definitely didn't apply) but there were three that we were unwilling to try to fire. They had splits down the neck onto the shoulder and there was a significant amount of copper corrosion on them. They have live primers, obviously.

I pulled the bullets but the powder inside has turned into a solid block of... whatever it is powder turns into when it's been squirreled away in marginal environmental conditions with a huge split down the case. I've tried various ways to tap on the sides of the case to dislodge it, but it's wedged in there fast. I ran out of time the one night I was working on this and, unwilling to leave an open round on the bench, I tossed them into a tub of water nearby. I'm sure that only compounded the problem, but I was annoyed.

Any thoughts on how I can safely remove the powder and dispose of these rounds?

 

[nastynatesfish]

Through them in a tumbler for a while. It should loosen it up some

 

[nastynatesfish]

If they are spit just soak it in water and trash can them

 

[Airgead]

Soaking them in water will eventually ruin the powder, I'm fairly sure. But what about the primer? That's my main concern at getting the powder clump out.

 

[higgite]

How about taking a tubing cutter or hacksaw and cut the case in two a short distance from the head? Then you have the primer and minimal if any powder in a short piece of the case. Only powder in the longer section that you might push out through the bottom opening with a dowel rod.

I've heard various methods of killing primers, but I don't know what works and what doesn't. Maybe somebody else can help you out there.

 

[rcmodel]

If you have pulled the bullets, just shoot them in the rifle.

There can be no real pressure without the bullet.

rc

 

[GLOOB]

Water doesn't kill powder. After it dries out, the powder is live again.

You can dissolve powder with acetone. Fill the case with acetone. Wait for about 5-10 minutes. Then take a sturdy Q tip or wooden stick and wipe out the viscous black sludge.

Or you can just kill the powder with oil. Oil won't necessarily kill the primer, though. Primers have been sealed for the last few decades. I bet acetone dissolves the sealant.