Help with reloaded ammo needed

[Bar7mag]

My dad is a horse trader. He traded up a gallon ziploc bag of .223 ammo. I am not sure if it is reloads or what. Is there a way to determine if it is safe to shoot or not. I thought about just storing it back for shtf type scenarios but a person needs to have stuff he can trust if the shtf really happens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ShaneHallum]

I would pull several of them apart and check the powder. Try to get an average of the powder charge. At least then you will know somewhat of what you have.

I don't like to shoot or buy somebody's reloaded stuff that I wasn't part of loading. You just never know what kind of experiments the reloader tried with them.

 

[Bambi Buster]

Determining if it is safe or not is nearly impossible to do. Even if you determine how much powder was used, that does not tell you what type of powder it is. First thing I'd check though, would be the headstamps to see if they are all the same. There is a small possibility that it is new commercial or military ammo that someone "repackaged" for some unknown reason. Also, if it is new military ammo, the primers will be crimped in the primer pockets. Bottom line though, there is no simple way to know for sure. I don't think I'd risk it.

 

[Bar7mag]

Does it have any value to sell to a reloader?

 

[KPH]

The only value it would have to me would be the bullets and the cases I would throw the powder away.