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Description

Thousand of used empty shotgun cartridges are disposed of each year. This is a way to recycle them into something useful for scouts on survival camps or to be sold at craft fairs. Just need to know a friendly Gamekeeper.

Resources

2 matching empty used shotgun cartridges per scout plus some spares.
Fine sandpaper
Matches
Hot melt glue gun or superglue
Heat source (to heat end of cartridge)
Heat resistant gloves
Pliers

Candles - for wax if you want to waterproof the matches

Instructions

Warm up the heat source - if you have a kitchen with an electric cooker/hob this is good, if not care can be taken with gas burners. Alternatively it can be done on camp at a campfire.

Place one of the cartridges per scout metal end down on the heat source. Leave until the glue has softened - you will need to check this regularly.

Once the glue has softened sufficiently you will be able to separate the end from the plastic case - grip the metal end with gloved fingers and pull the plastic bit with the pliers (there is 1 design I'm aware of where this isn't possible - very shiny metal end with black case). Keep the metal end (find another way to reuse or recycle the removed case)

The cap should be allowed to cool. When it has cooled use it as an end cap for the other cartridge - this now forms a case inside which matches will fit.

For the striker, cut a small rectangle of the sandpaper to fit the length of the cartridge plastic and glue in place.

You should be able to fit the non striking end of a match in the inside middle of the end cap - this makes it easy to get a match when the case is opened. The container can be filled with matches.

To make the matches a bit more waterproof you can dip the striking end in melted wax.

Explain the dangers associated with matches to the scouts.

Tags

• creative
• recycle
• Survival

Badge Links

• Creative - Activity
• Creative - Develop
• Outdoors - Camp Gadget
• Survival Skills - Survival kit