# I need to defuse ammo. How to do it?



## amourandcris

Hey guys!

I'm wondering what would be a good way to defuse ammunition? Handgun rounds, to be more specific.

But first, let me tell you why I'm asking this..

I have a Colt Police Positive Special revolver that I'd like to load with defused ammo and hang on a wall (I really really really really really really -can't stress this enough- don't like keeping guns with live ammo in my house). I have absolutely no interest in using my weapons for self-defense or hunting or anything like that. I live in a building with pretty good security; cameras everywhere, watchmen, doormen and alarms. So I -really- don't need to keep my guns loaded with live rounds. 

However, I respect the people who choose to do this. I, myself, used to, before I got married. So please, don't be offended by the way I decide to handle my guns.. :smt069


With that said, I was thinking about opening a hole on the side of the casing to extract all the powder and then, well, actually, I'm stuck here.. How to defuse the cap? Maybe I could put them in water for a few days so the cap would get wet (remember there'd be a hole on one side of the casing so the water would deffinitely get in) and then put them in the gun's chamber and fire them to completely defuse the cap?

I don't know. I won't attempt anything until I have a good plan.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!!


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## Gearheart

There's a tool called a bullet puller. It looks kind of like a transparent hammer.


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## gmaske

What you need is to locate someone who reloads. They can make up some dummy loads for you. If I'm not mistaken the pistol uses 38 Special ammo right? If so I could help you out for the slight cost of postage ect. Send me a PM. I could load you up some dummies with spent primers so there would be no mistake about it being able to fire. The primer it self has enough energy to start the bullet down the barrel.


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## amourandcris

Problem is I don't have any gun shops anywhere near my area and it'd be really hard for me to get my hands on one of those. The other issue is the cap... I want it defused aswell.

So I need to come up with a method that requires no more than regular house tools. Because it's all I have! Haha!


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## amourandcris

gmaske said:


> What you need is to locate someone who reloads. They can make up some dummy loads for you. If I'm not mistaken the pistol uses 38 Special ammo right? If so I could help you out for the slight cost of postage ect. Send me a PM. I could load you up some dummies with spent primers so there would be no mistake about it being able to fire. The primer it self has enough energy to start the bullet down the barrel.


I really appreciate your offer, man. Problem is I'm not in America right now and probably won't be for another year or so and it'd be nearly impossible (if not completely impossible) for you to send them over here.

But if you think you'll still be able to help me out then, maybe I can email you?

Really really appreciate your offer, though! :smt023


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## rfair

Seek out a police officer. They might be able to steer you in the right direction!


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## TOF

The best solution is to leave it empty.

Barring that possibility shoot one cylinder load to get a set of cases with dead primers then buy some bullets and stuff them in the cases.

The bullets will fit loose so use pliers to squeese enough to hold them in place.


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## gmaske

After sleeping on this one I think the whole idea is *BAD!* About the only reliable way to render your *"WALL ART"* safe is to have the firing pin removed from the hammer. Then use your disabled ammo in it. Any other way would just be to dangerous *"PERIOD"!* You are playing with a firearm that is capable of firing live ammo with just a simple switch of ammo.....*NOT GOOD!!* If you want wall art then render the pistol nonfunctional. 
*"GUNS ARE NOT TOYS!!!"*:smt021


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## amourandcris

Ok.


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## DevilsJohnson

Yeah. If it was me and I wanted to put one under glass or on a wall or something I'd take the firing pin out. an always out it back in later if I wanted to play wit hit later. I guess that's why I don't have many display guns. I just can't stand to see them sit there. I have to go shoot them. :smt082


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## amourandcris

How do you take out the firing pin on a Colt revolver?

Here's the gun


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## jimmy

+1 gmaske..


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## gmaske

There should be a pin in the hammer that can be pressed out. It looks like it is right under your thumb in tha picture.


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## amourandcris

I don't see one anywhere. :smt022


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## TOF

I am having a hard time understanding why the firing pin would have to be removed just because the gun will be displayed. If I understand amourandcris, he intends that it not have live ammunition in it and I expect he will not have a box full of cartridges setting on the table below the display for someone to load it up and go on a shooting rampage with.

I have had a number of firearms readily accessable for a number of years both loaded and unloaded. None of them have killed or wounded anybody even though they all have firing pins installed.

Washington DC logic say's you need to totaly dissassemble your firearms to make them SAFE. I for one do not subscribe to that logic. 


:watching:


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## amourandcris

TOF said:


> I am having a hard time understanding why the firing pin would have to be removed just because the gun will be displayed. If I understand amourandcris, he intends that it not have live ammunition in it and I expect he will not have a box full of cartridges setting on the table below the display for someone to load it up and go on a shooting rampage with.
> 
> I have had a number of firearms readily accessable for a number of years both loaded and unloaded. None of them have killed or wounded anybody even though they all have firing pins installed.
> 
> Washington DC logic say's you need to totaly dissassemble your firearms to make them SAFE. I for one do not subscribe to that logic.
> 
> :watching:


My feelings exactly.

I've always feared gun forums 'cause everybody on them seems to think you're retarded and always one second away from blowing your head off or accidentally killing half the world's population by not sticking to the 'rules' on how to handle a handgun.

Seriously, it's a freaking .32 caliber revolver and I only own one load for it (6 rounds, that is). The second those rounds are defused, the gun is as dangerous as any other piece of non-sharpened metal of its size and weight (do I get to keep my combination wrenches? Or should I remove the metal on them so they won't hurt my toes if I drop them?).

I'm not gonna render my gun unusable or even modify it one tiny little bit just so I can put it behind a frame and display it in my own personal home studio.

But yeah, TOF, after they started saying I should defuse the gun, I pretty much lost any hope in getting any real help from these people, so I'm just playing along. And I'm sure that, in the end, noone will even be able to tell me how to remove the firing pin, which is what they propose as the only solution to my little 'predicament' (funny, aye?). So whatever..

I'm still trying to come up with a good way to defuse the rounds. Thinking about ordering a bullet puller online and then removing the primers or something. But I want them to look like live rounds 'cause I have a nice holster for it that'd look retarded if the rounds were all hacked.

Anyway, guys, I appreciate your concern but I came here looking for help on how to defuse rounds, not what precautions should I have in case I want to display my gun. No offense.


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## gmaske

"Seriously, it's a freaking .32 caliber revolver "

I love this line.....as if it isn't dangerous or something.....
I believe that a substantial number of people have been snuffed by 22's
The point is that it is possible that some how somebody could slip a live round in your perfectly function piece of "art" as a prank or some such nonsense and stuff "could" happen. It would be the safe thing to do to render it unfireable,*BUT.....*it's your gun and you can do what you want with it.
:watching:


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## grb

gmaske said:


> "Seriously, it's a freaking .32 caliber revolver "


That will put a freaking hole the size of my index finger right through you...

Buy a replica, use empty shell casings, something. I just wouldn't want a fully operable gun with "diffused" cartridges (including bullets) loaded in it hanging on the wall...

Call me paranoid.


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## TOF

amourandcris,

My air powered framing nailer is just as dangerous as your 32 and I'm not required to dissasemble it between uses.

Purchase a plastic hammer type bullet puller and dissassemble the cartridge. Fertilize a plant with the powder. Place the cases with primer in the revolver and pop all caps. Reinstall the bullets using a rubber hammer and light blows. Hopefully the bullets are hardball. If soft or hollowpoint you may need to cluge a pusher.

Good luck.


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## amourandcris

TOF said:


> amourandcris,
> 
> My air powered framing nailer is just as dangerous as your 32 and I'm not required to dissasemble it between uses.
> 
> Purchase a plastic hammer type bullet puller and dissassemble the cartridge. Fertilize a plant with the powder. Place the cases with primer in the revolver and pop all caps. Reinstall the bullets using a rubber hammer and light blows. Hopefully the bullets are hardball. If soft or hollowpoint you may need to cluge a pusher.
> 
> Good luck.


Will do.

The rubber hammer was the missing part.

Thanks, TOF!


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## amourandcris

grb said:


> That will put a freaking hole the size of my index finger right through you...
> 
> Buy a replica, use empty shell casings, something. I just wouldn't want a fully operable gun with "diffused" cartridges (including bullets) loaded in it hanging on the wall...
> 
> Call me paranoid.


Yeah man! I'm actually surrendering the gun to the next police officer I see 'cause last night, while defusing the primers, I accidentally shot a Boeing 737-700 down with just the primers!! I don't even want to imagine what it could do with defused rounds. Oh my god, I don't think I can handle having access to so much power. Next thing I'll know I'll be pulling a Cho-Seung Hui, with defused ammo.

Thanks for your advise, good sir. You have probably saved millions of lives with your post.

Now why would anyone call you paranoid? A hero is what you are! :smt1099


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## biotech

My first question is why is it necessary to have anything in the chamber cylinders for display? Most displays have the rounds outside the firearm so as to not corrode in the cylinders and cause damage.

If you have to have something in the cylinders why not just plain snap caps (used to protect firing pin if dry fired).

If you have to use correct looking rounds for it there are several ways of making them inert. 

One is to pull the bullets from the case with pliers ( draw back here is the teeth marks left on bullets and case), Dump powder from case and fill with peretrating oil let sit for 24-48 hours. ( this will contaminate priming material)
or you can just fire off the primers in the empty cases. Hard part will then be getting the bullet reseated in the now dead cases. 

Second way is by drilling a hole in the thru the front of the bullet. empty the powder out through opening. Fill case with the previous mentioned oil and waiting. 

You don't want to drill in the side of the case because depending on the powder type and sensitivity you could set it off and cause injury.


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## TOF

Please everybody, refrain from drilling into any live cartridges from any direction.

I read an article a year or two back where primers were subjected to various "Deactivating" solutions such as overnight in water, gunoil, solvent etc.

None of the deactivators worked as hoped.


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## rccola712

i know this is way late, but if youre still considering rendering the gun dysfunctional, you should be able to take it to the local police dept and have them do it for you. a couple years back my dad had to use his colt .357 as a prop in our church drama, and wanted to be extra careful, they disabled the gun for him, and then i believe fixed it for him as well


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