Aibu, or rather is my dp being unreasonable to think it's not ok for empty shotgun cartridges to be used for messy play?

[Lirogiro]

Our 4 yr old ds brought home a model today that includes a used shotgun cartridge.
My dp thinks it is not ok for him to be crafting with what is a basically a weapon and is also concerned that it might have unsafe chemical residue on it.
I am not so sure. I can understand his points but also think if our son doesn't know what it is, then basically it's just a good small cylinder that creates interesting craft model possibilities. What are your thoughts?

Wtf is that doing in a school?! I agree with your dh, and I would probably be going in to have a quiet word with the teacher.

Where is your 4 yo getting used shot gun cartridges from?

I'm with your DP, I'd be uncomfortable normalising something which could be so dangerous.

Hilarious! No nursery in their right mind would accept such for crafting purposes. So pray tell where DC made this?

I wouldn't bat an eyelid at a used clean shotgun cartridge and have been known to use them for all sorts of child related craft projects.

But then most of my children are very gun aware so guns and what not are very normal to us.

It was actually at nursery.... We are city folk living in the country so maybe it is a different attitude?
Dp is pleased with the current response btw

it wouldn't concern me for the reasons you have listed. A cartridge on its own is not a weapon, it would doubt very much if it has any chemicals in it. Unsafe chemical residue - like the stuff diesel cars pump out?

I wouldn't be concerned, unless they were left over from the toddler's first clay shooting lesson..?

Wouldn't bother me. It's not a weapon. It's not unsafe. It's a good bit of tat for model making.

peggy. It's not a weapon on its own but what if the child picks up an unused cartridge one day at someone's home or finds a dropped one?

No way would I want my child to play with an empty gun cartridge

Might be OTT but i would worry what would happen if they ever found a full one

Not something I would lose any sleep over...…

A little background context:

We live beside a WW1 British Army training camp site. There are casings everywhere on the old shooting ranges. The kids spend their time collecting them while running through the old trenches. Meh it's lots of fun.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, it's an empty shotgun cartridge not a loaded weapon! It's highly unlikely to have any chemical residue on it and it would make a good small cylinder for lots of modelling ideas - small enough for toddler hands to play with too. Can't see the issue personally.

We walk out dog next to an army training range. The DC collect 100s of spent casings and I'm always finding them lying around the house. I usually just bin them.

I wouldn't be too worried about it.

It should probably be washed out, but I don't go for the "pretend guns don't exist" attitude for children. Shot gun cartridge sounds ideal size and shape wise for junk modeling. Cigarette cartons I'd be annoyed at though, and page 3 newspapers. So I have some sympathy for your DH's position if he's strongly opposed to guns. But since you've moved there I think you need to suck it up, at least at first.

I wouldn't want my DC to think they are OK to pick up in case they ever get the opportunity to pick up a live one.

Anna
So what if they find an unused cartridge? What do you think would happen?
It isn't a bomb. It's a bit of plastic, crimped shut at one end and with some brass on the other. You can't pull a pin and throw it, and nothing happens if you drop, hit, or play with it

If you're worried about the used/unused just tell them the difference! Kids aren't totally stupid.

I would have no issue at all, these were all over the fields round is growing up.

Even a full cartridge is reasonably inert unless thrown in the fire (tip - when emptying used cartridge cases into a bonfire - do check for unused ones :) ) An empty case is pretty harmless...

More seriously, he is a little young, start him about aged 10 with a 28 bore,, move onto a 20 bore mid-teens and a 12 bore when adult sized... Get some good lessons so that he leans to mount the gun and tracks the target properly!!! :)

I was thinking the same about the unused cartridges, now giving a shotgun to use it with well that would be a problem.

at people being afraid of a shotgun cartridge. It won't explode you know.

Anna I live not far from an army training ground and round lots of farm ground and used to find live cartridges all the time when we played out, nothing ever happened with them though even though they were live, we just threw them away once we were bored with them.

its just a bit of rubbish that is being recycled. Not dangerous in the slightest. More risk in a used bog roll middle.

Hand your DP a grip