A few years ago we worked with the local military ammunition and bomb squad
to inspect live ammunition that had accumulated in our collections over about
80 years of collecting.  Those items they identified as being potentially
explosive were taken to their facility.  All but one item they were able to
open, remove the black powder or whatever, and then close up again.  These
were all returned to us in safe condition.  The one piece they could not open
was disposed of by them.

Deborah Cooper
Museum Collection Coordinator
Oakland Museum of California