Can you recycle shotgun shells?

[Flieguy]

empty hulls, recycling or garbage?

[elkhunter11]

Shotgun hulls can be reloaded, but most people don't bother with 12 or 20 gauge, because you can't save a lot with the cost of reloading components.

[Flieguy]

Shotgun hulls can be reloaded, but most people don't bother with 12 or 20 gauge, because you can't save a lot with the cost of reloading components.

i also use the cheap target loads, i didn't think they re-crimp well

[elkhunter11]

i also use the cheap target loads, i didn't think they re-crimp well

You can usually get one or two loads with them.

[wwbirds]

They wouldnt take them as metal or plastic for recycling here so went in garbage. We get 2-3 5 gallon pails each season.

[Grizzly Adams]

Used to be able to buy used hulls from trap and skeet ranges at gun stores. Not any more?

Grizz

[Flieguy]

well I just tossed them in the recycling, didn't have too many this time. If I posted a couple hundred or so on the buy/sell forum for free at the end of the season would anyone want them? Usually use federal target shells.

[gitrdun]

I don't reload them, but always pick them up otherwise they'll pass through the lawn tractor. I've been told that the Winchester AA's are more desirable than most others.

[saskbooknut]

No one here will take them to recycle.

Our club just dumped a 45 gallon drum load from last years shooting season in the local RM dump.

I seem to be the only guy who picked out once fired AA hulls and now I have way too many - Stash accumulated beyond life expectancy.
16 gauge and .410 seem to vanish, but there aren't many of them.

[taz1977]

I going to try and make a string lights out of mine

[aulrich]

It hurts to throw the metal away, since IMHO metal and glass are the only truly recyclable material, the other stuff we throw into the blue bin is more a religious activity than a practical activity.

[qwert]

It hurts to throw the metal away, since IMHO metal and glass are the only truly recyclable material, the other stuff we throw into the blue bin is more a religious activity than a practical activity.

IIRC, Toronto has/had a full Blue Box program including special trucks with separate compartments, and garbage Police who fine homeowners for putting items in the wrong box. The trucks carefully pick up the segregated and Policed items then take them to the landfill where they are/were dumped in the same pit, as there is/was no market for any/most of it.

While the cheaper shells are obviously steel, it is surprising how many brass colored hulls are magnetic. Many very fancy and pricy hulls are plated steel.

Shotshell reloading recipes are very specific as to hulls and most cheap hulls have very few recipes available. The hulls with the most available recipes (and proper wads) are Win AA, Rem STS & Nitro27 and Federal Gold Medal, all of which have non magnetic brass colored metal bases. The Rem Gun Club hulls have plated steel bases but most recipes for Rem STS & Nitro hulls also specify for use with Rem Gun Club hulls using the same wads and data.

While it would be possible to separate the brass from the steel hulls using a magnet, IMHO it is faster to spread the hulls on a tarp and just pick out the good ones visually. After a bit of practice the good ones are pretty obvious. Our club has barrels full after a sporting clays meet, but most go to the landfill unsorted as so few people reload shotshells. Most people who want to, have more hulls than they will ever use. They are occasionally sold for $.05-.10 ea. which is similar to 9mm & .40S&W pistol brass. Buckets and barrels full are often available free. Used shotshell loading presses are often very cheap. IMHO the economics are hard to justify for normal target shells, but do work for specialty shells like custom 'spreaders' and Forster slugs or buck. This is most economical if you also cast the slugs & buck, but even then is pretty marginal unless you shoot a lot of it.

IMHE, casting and loading pistol is more cost effective (particularly for 45acp or LC) but is time consuming. The big benefit is that you will shoot more.

Good Luck, YMMV

[gitrdun]

IIRC, Toronto has/had a full Blue Box program including special trucks with separate compartments, and garbage Police who fine homeowners for putting items in the wrong box. The trucks carefully pick up the segregated and Policed items then take them to the landfill where they are/were dumped in the same pit, as there is/was no market for any/most of it.

While the cheaper shells are obviously steel, it is surprising how many brass colored hulls are magnetic. Many very fancy and pricy hulls are plated steel.

Shotshell reloading recipes are very specific as to hulls and most cheap hulls have very few recipes available. The hulls with the most available recipes (and proper wads) are Win AA, Rem STS & Nitro27 and Federal Gold Medal, all of which have non magnetic brass colored metal bases. The Rem Gun Club hulls have plated steel bases but most recipes for Rem STS & Nitro hulls also specify for use with Rem Gun Club hulls using the same wads and data.

While it would be possible to separate the brass from the steel hulls using a magnet, IMHO it is faster to spread the hulls on a tarp and just pick out the good ones visually. After a bit of practice the good ones are pretty obvious. Our club has barrels full after a sporting clays meet, but most go to the landfill unsorted as so few people reload shotshells. Most people who want to, have more hulls than they will ever use. They are occasionally sold for $.05-.10 ea. which is similar to 9mm & .40S&W pistol brass. Buckets and barrels full are often available free. Used shotshell loading presses are often very cheap. IMHO the economics are hard to justify for normal target shells, but do work for specialty shells like custom 'spreaders' and Forster slugs or buck. This is most economical if you also cast the slugs & buck, but even then is pretty marginal unless you shoot a lot of it.

IMHE, casting and loading pistol is more cost effective (particularly for 45acp or LC) but is time consuming. The big benefit is that you will shoot more.

Good Luck, YMMV
Uhhh, the post was about recycling hulls. Now I feel as though my intake of ellicit drugs is somewhat lacking and I must catch up.