Disposing of old ammunition

[Hippy'schick 11]

Hello,

 

here's a question for you. I've been sorting through some of my husband's belongings in our basement (which hasn't really been touched in fifteen or so years) and came across some old ammunition, as well as his casings and bullets for reloading his own ammunition.

 

The Rod & Gun club at Oftersheim is now closed, and he surrendered his firearms to them as he couldn't find the original paperwork from when he brought them in. Neither of us realised there was all this ammo in the basement!

 

I am loath to walk in to the local police station with it, although it seems like the most sensible thing to do.

 

Does anyone have any ideas, please? My husband's long since retired, so can't take it on base to dispose of so far as we can figure out.

 

Thank you!

[Mapleleafdude 4,292]

You can phone them and they will surely pick it up. As you have no license your not allowed to handle ammunition anyways and they will be more than happy to take it off you and know it hasn't disappeared into some dark channels.

[2B_orNot2B 8,451]

TTer poohsan, who was also in Heidelberg at the time, had a related question a few years ago: How to dispose of explosive blasting caps.

 

I don't know which option he finally adopted (you could drop him a PM and ask, I suppose), but here's the advice I got from a phonecall to the Polizei at Mainz-Lerchenberg.

 

 

My local Polizei duty officer advises exactly what I would have thought. You have 3 ways to deal with this to the Polizei's satisfaction...

 

1) Call your local Polizei revier, or 110, ask for an English speaking officer, ID yourself and explain.

SOP for explosives wil mean the Polizei will contact the Bomb Disposal Squad (Kampfmittelräumungsdienst) then visit you secure, and possibly evacuate your neighbourhood and await the removal of explosives.

 

2) If you judge the risk negligible, take the caps to any Polizei revier and hand them in. Again you'll have to ID yourself and be prepared for the joys of dealing with german beaurocracy.

 

3) If you might be anxious about accounting for being in possession of the items, anonomous turn-in will be considered acceptable. Following is Polizei Meister Bauers suggestion (you can contact me PM for location reference). Wrap in a coloured plastic bag. Take to an accessible (5 - 10 paces in) part of your local woods which you can describe. Place the bag OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN and call the Polizei from a payphone. Ask for an English speaker and explain location and contents. Hang up, go home, sleep well... Oh, and welcome to Germany.

 

Retroactive interest in illegal importing of hazardous materiel will be zero UNLESS you do NOT do 1 of the above, in which case you risk being considered by the Polizei as another one of the several million weak-headed nutters that keep them in work.

 

If you need telephonic translation or further info send me a PM.

 

There are other comments and alternative suggestions on that thread too, btw.

 

HTH

 

2B

[Hippy'schick 11]

I did consider taking them to the Polizei office here in the Rathaus, but wasn't sure that they might not freak out. They just got overlooked when the requirement for a Waffenschein was brought in and he moved his weapons to the Rod & Gun Club. They've since been surrendered and I think I have photocopies of the signed documents for five of the six showing that they were. The original paperwork has long since been lost, from when they were brought in, hence surrendering them. That, and some of them are no longer legal in the US so can't be taken back anyway.

 

If it should be reasonably safe to do that - take them to the police station, I mean - I think I might just do that. So long as it doesn't create an almighty kerfuffle, because I would be most upset of it stopped me being allowed to immigrate into the US!

 

Oh, and thank you very much for the reply, by the way. I didn't think of searching for explosives or anything similar such as that.

[poohsan 2,486]

I had posted a reply suggesting the amnesty box on Miseau, but then removed it when I more closely read that they no longer have base access.

[Illic 506]

Careful about taking it to the police station yourself. If you run into a police check on the way and they find it on you, you'll be charged with unlawful possession of ammo. Even if they believe you about taking it to a police station.

 

If it's illegal, you're not allowed to handle it. At all.

[Guest]

I would rather say visit or call the police ask them to fetch them. that's probably safer on all accounts.

am sure it's all on file about the dude surrendering his weapons, that you found excess ammo is legit enough.

[the.frollein 6,715]

Seconding/thirding whatever the suggestion of getting in touch with the police and getting them to pick it up. Transporting it yourself is NOT recommended, and yes, it will cause a kerfuffle if you show up at the station with a bag full of ammo.

[rhody 3,170]

There are two things you can do:

 

1) Contact the Rhein-Neckar Kreis Kreisjagdamt / Waffenbehörde (I am assuming that you don't live in Heidelberg proper but in one of the surrounding areas?) My understanding is that they are pretty cool about this sort of thing and will take the ammo and dispose of it properly. It's in everybody's best interest that this happens and that the stuff isn't lying around. The police really don't deal with this unless the ammunition is involved in some kind of crime.

 

2) Send me a PM and I can forward you an email address of the guy who used to run the Heidelberg Rod and Gun Club but is now in Wiesbaden. Maybe he can help or know more info.

[Mapleleafdude 4,292]

So, as this seems to be turning into a never ending story I have taken the liberty and phoned my local police station. The officer told me you should phone your police station and they will either tell you to bring it over or (and this was the option he would do) is come around and pick it up because by law your not really allowed to transport ammunition or firearms.

 

BTW, some of the crap on this thread and the one linked about this topic concerning getting into a kerfuffle at the station or having to answer a bunch of questions is bull. They are more than happy to take it off you (which police officer of sane mind would not).

 

end of story

[rhody 3,170]

I just called a buddy of mine who is a cop and in this area and he told me that the Waffenbehörde is responsible. Nice try calling a totally different state though.

[kato 3,559]

Just to bring more confusion into this thread.

 

The technically responsible office is the Kreispolizeibehörde. This office doesn't have anything to do with the (state) police, but is a local administrative office - note that this office only exists as such in Baden-Württemberg, They're responsible for all general aspects of public safety. The Kreispolizeibehörde defers the administrative processes regarding weapons to the Waffenbehörde though.

 

The Kreispolizeibehörde, like the Waffenbehörde is part of the Ordnungsamt subdepartment of the Landratsamt. Doesn't matter which of the two you contact though, both use the same front desk - that of the Ordnungsamt (in rhody's link above - note that the Waffenbehörde also has separate direct contact data, but if that of the Ordnungsamt is what they provide on their website...). Just contact them, they'll sort it out for you.

[kato 3,559]

On a side note, this thread got me to read some local Polizeiverordnungen.

 

No throwing spears in public parks, guys!

[Guest]

unless it's Britney.

[poohsan 2,486]

any rulings on spear guns in public parks? or blow guns?

[kato 3,559]

No using "shooting, throwing (e.g. spear, hammer, discus) or slingshot devices". No fishing either, so the spear gun is out anyway.

[Guest]

Hi,

 

i moved to Berlin from USA a few years ago and some ammunition was mistakenly put in a box and shipped here. I would like to safely and legally get rid of this. I read the thread and it sounds like I should call the Berlin Waffenbehoerde and ask them for the next steps. I'm very nervous about this though. Germany is the land of rules and I have violated a rule, even though it wasn't intentional but that often doesn't matter. I have a good job, family, etc., and am really concerned about any consequences from turning this in to the police. Can anyone give any more comments/advice? Is there any amnesty box in Berlin I could use instead?

 

Thanks in advance.

[sosarx 1,661]

First: I No need to worry about rules etc.

 

This town is full of ammo , and it happens frequently that people find some in the basement or the attic or under grandpa's bed etc.

 

If your German is good enough call, better go by, the next police station and simply tell them as it is. Mistakenly shipped from the US, you only dicovered it these days, what shall I do/where can I get rid of it? Don't carry it with you, however. That's to avoid.

[sr5dnptylno 1,648]

Fire all of your guns at once and....

explode into space.

 

Like a true nature child!

 

Relax

[yourkeau 7,719]

http://www.bsr.de/10246.php?synid=c0c3cd30-7dc3-46c4-affa-b40b3acb2a4e

 

Call BSR-Service Center (7592-4900). They will tell how to proceed.