Brass cleaning questions

[markm]

I don't know. I'd have to see it to give an opinion on how I'd clean it up.

[DesertWarrior13]

You might use super fine steel wool (#0000) if its mild tarnish or slight corrosion. But I haven't seen it either. It sounds like its not too bad. Brass can develop dark tarnish spots that are only sightly and not harmful.

[ar-junkie]

How do you clean the brass on loaded ammunition? I was given some 20 year old Norma and Remington soft point .270 ammunition that was stored under a house (in a kind of storage crawl area). The conditions were dry, but being under a house I cannot say how much moisture has reached them over the years. There appears to be some spotty corrosion or something on some of the rounds.

1. Can I clean old loaded ammunition?
2. How can I know if it's good to shoot?
3. What will happen if the ammo is bad?

Really there isn't 100% sure-fire way to tell if that ammo is any good, without shooting it. Yea there are ways to clean live ammo, tumbling would be the way I would go about it. As far as the ammo you are worried about I would inspect each case for a lot of corrosion. If they don't have a lot it I would just shoot it to see if it is any good. Worse case is the powder or primer got wet and the round won't fire. If there is too much corrosin and the case is weak it could go boom too. Just make sure the gun acts like it is soppose to, like make sure a bullet comes out of the barrel before you shoot it again, underpowered sound etc.

The general rule I hear goes as follows:
"If you have to ask.....don't shoot it"

That makes sense to me because it is never worth your gun or fingers or eyes. Really, if you are questioning it you shouldn't take the chance...ever. By the way it sounds they were exposed to something that made them dirty. The question is how dirty and how wet. Post a pic might be helpful.

[zippygaloo]

Here are a few photos of the ammunition. What can you tell me?

*Note the corrosion (or whatever it is) in Photo #1. The soft core tips and brass in Photo #2. I think the brass looks OK in Photo #3, but look at the box in Photo #4, doesn't it look like it's seen water or moisture?

Photo #1


Photo #2


Photo #3


Photo #4

[reloadem]

the tumbler will clean that up easy using walnut hulls, I don't know about corn cobs, I don't use them.

[zippygaloo]

I don't have a tumbler. What about the condition of the box? Water? Moister?

[reloadem]

I would shine one up, then chamber it and pull the trigger. Then I would know for sure.

[markm]

I don't have a tumbler. What about the condition of the box? Water? Moister?

Don't shoot the box. Just shoot the ammo.

[docholliday]

Lather , rinse, repeat

[nightw50]

Use Never-Dull cotton wading. It'll make 'em look like new.