The present invention provides a system for separating empty or used ammunition cartridges, in particular spent plastic shotgun shells, in order to allow the plastic and metal component parts of the cartridge to be recycled, the system comprising a restraint which defines a guideway within which the metal head of the cartridge may be slidingly engaged, and a clamp in the form of a pair of chains arranged to define a clamping path between opposed portions of the chains and along which clamping path the case may be drawn, the guideway diverging from the clamping path so as to draw the case out of register with the head as the cart ridge is displace along the clamping path.