spent aluminum cases: truly trash-worthy?

[yerasimos]

I have shot a fair amount of aluminum-cased ammunition, and most of the time I have simply thrown the spent cases into the trash or left them to be collected by range maintenance for disposal. However, I was wondering if there was a better method of disposing of this material, that was less wasteful than throwing it into the trash to end up in a landfill. I reckon the aluminum and other metals would have some scrap or recycling value in bulk quantity, though surely less than reloadable brass cases. I am not looking to scavenge everywhere for aluminum cases as some do with brass cases, I am just looking to be more responsible with the resources I use---even, dare I say it, "green" <gasp!>.

Is the possibility of a live round intermixed with spent cases too much of a deterrent for a scrap metal broker to accept a box of the stuff, even without expecting any payment in return?

[WildBill]

Is the possibility of a live round intermixed with spent cases too much of a deterrent for a scrap metal broker to accept a box of the stuff, even without expecting any payment in return?

In general, I do not know. The one time I sold some spent casings, he inspected each and every casing. He was even reluctant to take cases which still had primers. Even after I showed him the difference between a fired and unfired primer he was still reluctant to accept them. He was not a rocket scientist or a shooter.

[seamusTX]

You might want to ask a scrap metal dealer in your area.

As far as I can tell, they don't want aluminum mixed with other metals. You would have to pull the primers.

The dealers around here want either aluminum beverage cans or solid aluminum like cylinder heads -- no miscellaneous stuff like pie tins.

- Jim

[lancermit]

I cast aluminum parts/sculpture, etc. from aluminum, which I melt down in my home-made metal-smelting furnace.

I've often wondered it these aluminum casings could be used to melt down for castings. I'm sure I would have to remove the primers, as I don't think they are aluminum (steel?). However, I also wonder about the rim. Is the rim made from aluminum, as is the casing wall? All one piece or 'crimped' together? If it's all aluminum, I could just just chunk handfuls of these babies in my furnace and melt them down.

Is it hard to remove primers without reloading equipment?

Here's my homebuilt furnace:



Red hot molten aluminum - 1400 degrees F !!

[KD5NRH]

I've often wondered it these aluminum casings could be used to melt down for castings. I'm sure I would have to remove the primers, as I don't think they are aluminum (steel?).

I suspect some low-power primers may use an aluminum cup. Some appear to be brass, others may be soft steel. Either way, put them in before you light the burner, (if you miss a live one, you don't want it going off in molten metal) and if they're not aluminum, you can skim them off after the aluminum melts.

I've run a few brass hulls in a smaller furnace, (1gal paint can lined with refractory cement, basically just enough room for the bottom half of a propane canister as a crucible) and never had any problems from the primers. Never was able to get a clean pour with brass, but I've got several cornbread ingots of soda can aluminum laying around in case I ever get that furnace put back together.

[Crossfire]

The aluminum cases that you leave at the range don't end up in a landfill. We recycle brass for a couple of ranges in the area. It all gets sorted. Good brass goes to reloaders, steel and aluminum are also sorted out and each go to the metal recycler. You don't have to remove the primers to send it to the metal recycler, but you do need to inspect for live rounds. They don't care for those.