You'll need to pieces of basic wire. attach each one to the tip of the detonator (very front) making sure the metal is in contact. Now get at least 50 feet away behind solid cover, i.e., a mound or burm. Once behind cover, take a 9-volt battery, attach one wire to the negative, then the second to the positive. If it blows, than you had a live one!!!
If not, wait at least 15 minutes after you have disconected the 9-volt and approach the device. At this point, you can a little more assured that it isn't live, but not 100%. I could have a bad detonator but still have the powder in it.
Anyway...that's the proper way of disposing of it, in the army anyway.
