We're talking about 75 rounds of old practice ammo here so let's not overthink this one.

Just to show another example......

https://www.thetruthaboutguns....most-70-years-later/

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:

Throw it in a brass tumbler for a few minutes

Will that make it 'splode all over the wall?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:

Throw it in a brass tumbler for a few minutes

Will that make it 'splode all over the wall?

I think that one comes under the heading of "Urban Myth".

I've known a lot of people who do this as a matter of course, usually to clean sizing lube off the cases and I've never heard of a documented case of it causing a problem.

Hmm unknown ammo history.

Would wonder if it were someones crapy reloads.

I would properly dispose of the rds and be done with it.

Unknown ammo in a baggie? I have to agree with Mustang. I would not shoot it. Risk too high that you will get a Ka-Boom and become intenet famous as a guy with a broke gun and an ER visit.

But if you know it is your ammo ( I have a bag with rounds that I intended to shoot but ran out of time at the range) and you have 110% confidence they are not bubba reloads, try wiping with a dry cotton rag/patch. We did this every week in Iraq with our magazines. The ammo was covered in dirt, sand, and whatever CheckMate thought was a good coating . The patch and elbow grease made the rounds look like new again. Do not use any liquid cleaner. Any residue on the cartridge could cause unacceptable pressures between the chamber and round when fired.

All this discussion. Tellin' you guys, Nevr-Dull "Magic Wadding Polish" will have the stuff looking like it never got touched in no time with zero risk to the ammo. I've used it plenty, and it takes corrosion right off brass like you wouldn't believe. Some minor polishing, not scrubbing, and it looks brand-fucking-new. I've used it on far uglier than this lighter and it still came out looking just as shiny. Honestly, it probably doesn't even need it, and if it's a bag of mystery ammo, I probably wouldn't shoot it because as mentioned, it could be Bubba's overpressure reloads. But if he wants to make it look new, this will absolutely do it.

quote:

Originally posted by Mustang-PaPa:
Hmm unknown ammo history.

Would wonder if it were someones crapy reloads.

I would properly dispose of the rds and be done with it.

“ I know it's factory ammo, I don't purchase reloaded.”

Bendable stated that it’s factory ammo in his original post.

I’ve cleaned grody ammunition with a piece of paper towel that was moistened with mineral spirits. I’m sure a towel sprayed with WD-40 will be fine as well. A silicone cloth will work too. Probably a handkerchief with some spit on it would also do the job.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:

quote:

Originally posted by Mustang-PaPa:
Hmm unknown ammo history.

Would wonder if it were someones crapy reloads.

I would properly dispose of the rds and be done with it.

“ I know it's factory ammo, I don't purchase reloaded.”

Bendable stated that it’s factory ammo in his original post.

I’ve cleaned grody ammunition with a piece of paper towel that was moistened with mineral spirits. I’m sure a towel sprayed with WD-40 will be fine as well. A silicone cloth will work too. Probably a handkerchief with some spit on it would also do the job.

Besides, it's very easy to tell if the rounds are reloaded by simply looking them over.

I kinda gotta wonder if any body oils that might get on the ammo may exacerbate some kind of cruddy, filmy dust.

Thanks for your helpful responses,
Will let you know

Yes, the acids and oils from your hands corrode brass.

Just a thought: How do you think a little vinegar and baking soda solution would do? Just put it on a cloth and wipe it off?

I don't know about this penetrating thing .

I found some factory 38spcl in a brass bucket that had been in the rain. The ammo was underwater for several days. I pulled a few bullets for disposal. Inside each of them was totally dry. I shot the rest later with no problems. The ammo was an almost full box of new UMC

quote:

Originally posted by beltfed21:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
Throw it in a brass tumbler for a few minutes

No, never do this! The tumbling effect can fracture the coating on the powder, causing the powder to go off like black powder, all at once. The coatings on powder granulas control the rate of burn.

Not true, there’s a study somewhere that shows testing of this and short tumbling had no effect.

After further research, I stand corrected. See link for below statement. For me, I use Flitz on a rag.

https://www.americanhunter.org...aded-ammo-dangerous/


The Statement
Tumbling loaded ammo will cause the powder to physically degrade and result in dangerous pressure increases.

The Theory
This is one of those “truths” that’s been repeated over time to the point that it’s considered gospel and at first glance sounds reasonable—classic BullShooters territory. The theory is that the vibration of the case tumbler will break down the construction of the “kernels” of powder, causing different burn rates. The deterrent coating on the powder will also “rub off,” causing the powder to burn more quickly which will raise pressures. A quick Internet search will produce plenty of examples of this “truth."

The Flawed Reasoning
Loaded ammo travels around the country on trucks, powder spends weeks bouncing and rocking across oceans in barrels coming from places like Australia, and belts of linked ammo spend hours shaking violently across the sky in military helicopters, all of which would create similar vibratory forces as a case tumbler.

The Expert Deferral
Logic alone isn’t enough when it comes to harnessing propellant gases mere inches from a shooter’s face, so we asked experts at two of the World’s leading powder and ammunition makers. I spoke to the Chief Ballistic Scientist at Hornady Manufacturing and the Head Ballistician at Hodgdon Powder and asked for their professional opinions. Both agreed that this is a myth devoid of empirical data.

"Powder is hard, it doesn’t change shape from any reasonable amount of vibration,” said Hornady’s Dave Emary. “This notion that you can wear deterrent off of the surface of the powder is a myth, it is impregnated into the powder grains. You can’t knock this stuff off."

Both scientists felt that tumbling was a safe practice within the bounds of reason.

The Ruling
We are calling BullShooters on this one. While extended tumbling could, at some point theoretically cause a problem, a reasonable amount of tumbling to clean up loaded ammo is not dangerous.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
If you clean and wax the bullet it will go faster.

Just like a car or Jeep!

“ I know it's factory ammo, I don't purchase reloaded.”

Me too, I reload my own. Had more failures with factory ammo, but nary a one on my own reloads.

quote:

Originally posted by beltfed21:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
Throw it in a brass tumbler for a few minutes

No, never do this! The tumbling effect can fracture the coating on the powder, causing the powder to go off like black powder, all at once. The coatings on powder granulas control the rate of burn.

I keep ammo in a couple factory boxes and loaded in a few magazines in the console safe of a vehicle, do you think thousands of miles of driving will cause the same effect as tumbling? Maybe I should just rotate the ammo out every so often.

quote:

Originally posted by Nismo:


I keep ammo in a couple factory boxes and loaded in a few magazines in the console safe of a vehicle, do you think thousands of miles of driving will cause the same effect as tumbling? Maybe I should just rotate the ammo out every so often.

Excerpted from couple posts above yours:

“The Expert Deferral
Logic alone isn’t enough when it comes to harnessing propellant gases mere inches from a shooter’s face, so we asked experts at two of the World’s leading powder and ammunition makers. I spoke to the Chief Ballistic Scientist at Hornady Manufacturing and the Head Ballistician at Hodgdon Powder and asked for their professional opinions. Both agreed that this is a myth devoid of empirical data.

"Powder is hard, it doesn’t change shape from any reasonable amount of vibration,” said Hornady’s Dave Emary. “This notion that you can wear deterrent off of the surface of the powder is a myth, it is impregnated into the powder grains. You can’t knock this stuff off."

I had some old ammo that spent decades in an unheated garage, damp at times also. This was mostly 7.62 military rounds. The condition varied from fine, to corroded to bad ro recover.

Most was cleaned up with a lightly oiled clothe. Some that were worse off I used fine steel wool to smooth them out. I had about 500 rounds total. I bet I was able to reclaim at least 90% of the rounds.

I don’t think I remember any duds. These were relegated to range & plinking use.

Folks reading all the post and thunk what the hell.
I might as well fess up.
Old timers been giving me the 3006 shit built in WW-1 when they were cleaning out shelves in the barn.
Got to admit the cardboaed boxes were cool.
I am not one to waste perfectly good mil ammo that was a might cruddy and with some green on them.
Bought home and put sixty rounds in the rototumbler over night.
I am still here forty years later,house did not explode and some I shot for the hell of it worked just fine.Still have some of that old stock in my stash