what did I buy? cannon bullets?

[MarkD]

1) Place them CAREFULLY in a remote corner of your property (or that of a well-landed friend if your property is too small).

2) Contact local police, tell them you found a couple old shells rusting on your property and are concerned that they may be dangerous.

3) Let them determine whether they're dangerous. You may end up losing them, but better than dropping one someday and finding out it's packed with explosives. Maybe if they turn out to be inert they'll let you keep them.

I've heard too many stories of people getting f-ed up my duds. Somewhere I have an old newspaper clipping from my grandmother about my Dad when he was a kid finding an old shell, dismantling it, and sticking a screwdriver thru something that was better left undisturbed. It turned out to be a small enough bang that he just got burned and had to change his drawers (but enough to make the local newspaper), otherwise I wouldn't be here today.

In short, I wouldn't mess with them.

[Gunnuts]

One only need refer to Warner Brothers for a quick easy solution....

(about 1:54)

[Netpackrat]

I am torn between advising you to find a large, deep lake, and suggesting you stop moving them entirely, and call for the local po-po and/or fire department.

[Termite]

He could do the remote campfire test. Build a big pile of fire wood around the round with a way to start fire from distance, and get WAY back. If it's still got explosive or tracer material in it, at some point it would burn/explode. And a wood fire isn't hot enough to melt the brass bands. After it cooled down overnight or so, clean/polish it up.

[blackeagle603]

Now THERE is an answer worthy of The Gun Counter!

[MarkD]

Now THERE is an answer worthy of The Gun Counter!

Take video of the test, and the actions of the responding officers should they go "bang".

[Yogimus]

Best case scenario would be one exploding, the other not, and the fierce standoff

[Weetabix]

He could do the remote campfire test. Build a big pile of fire wood around the round with a way to start fire from distance, and get WAY back. If it's still got explosive or tracer material in it, at some point it would burn/explode. And a wood fire isn't hot enough to melt the brass bands. After it cooled down overnight or so, clean/polish it up.

Elegant.

[Vonz90]

You need to get the correct artillery pieces first. Fire them and see what they do on impact.

[gandalf23]

I'm in Texas, I don't think we have any deep lakes.

And I don't know of any good remote camp sites nearby. My sister would be piiiiiised if I burned/exploded them out at the farm, and the one new neighbor keeps calling the cops every time we shoot out there. So for our annual thanksgiving shoot this year we will be shooting a machine gun Which we have legally, but I'm not sure how I'd 'splain the earth shattering ka-boom. And if there was no earth shattering ka-boom what then?