How would I clean old surplus ammo?

[chinaserf1]

I did a cursory search and only found stuff pertaining to reloading and tumblers. I do not have access to any tumblers, and anyway this is for loaded rounds.

Is there a recommended way to clean up old de-linked/tarnished surplus .30-60?

Before I pack my rounds away into CMP clips, using nitrile gloves for my rusty fingers, I'd like to make sure they are at least somewhat clean.

Current plan is to scrub with swatches of denim, but I am not sure what if any chemicals I should use.

[j-shot]

[dc2allday]

Just so you are aware you can tumble live rounds, and harbor freight has one at a reasonable price. Now if you don't want to do that go to the local hardware store and find a brass polishing compound, there used to be this stuff called brasso that worked pretty good.

[TRAP55]

Jeeze, here we go again.
Never tumble live rounds.
If you are totally clueless as to why you shouldn't, I'll type the whole thing out again. Short version is, it breaks most powders down, and you're "guessing" which powders those are. Guess wrong, and you're in for a rude surprise when you touch one off.
0000 steel wool to clean your rounds, nothing else. Any chemical that will clean corrosion off a round, will cause more corrosion when left to sit. If it takes anymore than the steel wool, it's probably not worth the gamble to shoot it anyway.
Keep in mind, any spots of heavy corrosion, can have two unseen added problems. The corrosion can cause the brass in that spot to lose it's annealing, becoming brittle, and rupture there. Sometimes corrosion comes from the inside out, same result when fired.

[-hanko]

Jeeze, here we go again.
Never tumble live rounds.
If you are totally clueless as to why you shouldn't, I'll type the whole thing out again. Short version is, it breaks most powders down, and you're "guessing" which powders those are. Guess wrong, and you're in for a rude surprise when you touch one off.

Jeeze, here we go again.

You're not kidding...more internet ignorance once again.

Here's somebody who actually did some testing, and actually took pics of powders before and after tumbling...

May I Tumble Loaded Ammo??

Comments??

[HappyCamper781]

simple green and an ultrasonic cleaner

[TRAP55]

Jeeze, here we go again.

You're not kidding...more internet ignorance once again.

Here's somebody who actually did some testing, and actually took pics of powders before and after tumbling...

May I Tumble Loaded Ammo??

Comments??

The ignorance is yours. Do you see any stick powders that were tumbled? Like I said "most powders", and you have to guess which ones.
Show me where one ammo manufacturer says it's safe to do. Don't waste your time, because you won't find one that does. And yes, I know some ammo manufactures, tumble some of their loaded rounds. They know which of their powders break down, and which ones don't. Do you?
Ignorance is not knowing. Stupid is knowing, and doing it anyhow.
Here's a quote from Federal ammo:

Can I put unfired ammo in a case tumbler?
No. Placing ammunition in a tumbler can be very dangerous. The risks are detonation inside the tumbler or changed powder characteristics that can result in serious injury during firing.

[-hanko]

simple green and an ultrasonic cleaner

Or acetic acid (white vinegar), citric acid (LemiShine), or any mild acid. Tarnish in and of itself doesn't hurt. If you're just wiping on / wiping off, probably OK. I wouldn't immerse the ammo as I can't guarantee bullet and primer sealer performance on old ammo.

Best stuff for actual dirt probably Simple Green.

Easiest by far, walnut shell tumbling media (pet store), and a cheap vibratory tumbler.

[pitfighter]

Jeeze, here we go again.

You're not kidding...more internet ignorance once again.

Here's somebody who actually did some testing, and actually took pics of powders before and after tumbling...

May I Tumble Loaded Ammo??

Comments??

Great link - fascinating results.
Like the Saami study on burning and crushing bullets, not what I would have expected.

[jpscoot_21]

I would probably lay an old towel dampened with vinegar or simple green, lay a bunch of rounds on half and fold it over and roll them. Old toothbrush for the case head.

[hermosabeach]

205 hours in a tumbler.... that is a long tumble

OP

Any pics that you can post? How grody is the ammo?

[-hanko]

The ignorance is yours. Do you see any stick powders that were tumbled? Like I said "most powders", and you have to guess which ones.
Show me where one ammo manufacturer says it's safe to do. Don't waste your time, because you won't find one that does. And yes, I know some ammo manufactures, tumble some of their loaded rounds. They know which of their powders break down, and which ones don't. Do you?
Ignorance is not knowing. Stupid is knowing, and doing it anyhow.
Here's a quote from Federal ammo:

...And you know of an instance detonation or any other weirdness actually happening as a result of tumbling?

[Father Ted]

For the dirty loose hxp I get from cmp I wipe them down with denatured alcohol and a terry cloth. Usually just clean up what I'm going to use that day. There loose ammo has seemed gritty and I don't want none o dat.
Cheers

[TRAP55]

Yes I do, first hand, still got the plasma etched Bushnell shooting glasses. Pulled the tumbled and un-tumbled rounds down to compare powders. Tumbled rounds powder were without a doubt broken down, IMR 4895 stick powder.
But do carry on, some people have to learn by doing.

[BrokerB]

i have tumbled 5k worth of 70s era suprlus (Indian 7.62x51) about 2 hours in walnut--- no issues of about 2,500 rounds fired so far.

Amazing that powder could break down.. Being on trucks/planes/ships/grunts hands and still be safe through all those vibrations ect..but a tumbler would damage it.


Any pictures of that powder Trapp55?