How to Clean Corroded Ammo(?)

[JimWest]

Short term moisture exposure got to some boxes resulting in corrosion you see here on the round on the left. One on the right was same but cleaned by soaking in solution of salt and vinegar for about two minutes. (Googled it). Then rinsed off in water and dried thoroughly by hand then forced air. Now the internet scare: never immerse ammo! Well, I fired a few rounds, no problems, no odd residues. So, what do you think, chuck 'em or any other ideas to clean and save?

[skipjack28]

Dry tumble corn cob and nufinish

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[pacrat]

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/ph-and-water?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

https://www.healthline.com/health/ph-of-vinegar#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

https://www.google.com/search?q=ph+of+salt&oq=PH+of+salt&aqs=chrome.0.0i433j0l9.4650j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Short term moisture exposure got to some boxes resulting in corrosion you see here on the round on the left. One on the right was same but cleaned by soaking in solution of salt and vinegar for about two minutes. (Googled it). Then rinsed off in water and dried thoroughly by hand then forced air. Now the internet scare: never immerse ammo! Well, I fired a few rounds, no problems, no odd residues. So, what do you think, chuck 'em or any other ideas to clean and save?

Well Jim, according to the above relative PH links. You wasted some salt.

How do the cartridge bases look?

[bruce381]

do it just not for defense ammo use for target plinking

[JimWest]

Dry tumble corn cob and nufinish

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That was another warning from internet "experts"-not tumbling loaded ammo. I don't have a tumbler either. (I need to start reloading).

You've tumbled loaded, no problems?

[JimWest]

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/w...center_objects

https://www.healthline.com/health/ph-of-vinegar#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

https://www.google.com/search?q=ph+of+salt&oq=PH+of+salt&aqs=chrome.0.0i433j0l9.4650j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Well Jim, according to the above relative PH links. You wasted some salt.

How do the cartridge bases look?

They look ok. Seemed a little dark around the primer, but I took a fine needle and went around them and no gunk. Regarding the salt, yes, that didn't make sense to me either, but we have to follow every stupid detail we see on the 'net. Right?

bullet.jpg

[IrishJoe3]

Now the internet scare: never immerse ammo! Well, I fired a few rounds, no problems, no odd residues. So, what do you think, chuck 'em or any other ideas to clean and save?

]

For kicks and giggles I threw live rounds into my wet stainless media wet tumbler then after 3 hours of tumbling in water I pulled the bullet. Perfectly dry inside with no dampness noted and the primer fired fine. And these were reloads that were not sealed.

I also regularly vibrate live rounds in corncob, usually to get the case lube off.

[DaveInOroValley]

Wouldn't a cloth with vinegar work as well? Also maybe one of the white eraser sponges. I use those for pretty much anything.

[JimWest]

Wouldn't a cloth with vinegar work as well? Also maybe one of the white eraser sponges. I use those for pretty much anything.

Maybe, but would be tedious wiping them off one at a time. Same with white eraser.

For kicks and giggles I threw live rounds into my wet stainless media wet tumbler then after 3 hours of tumbling in water I pulled the bullet. Perfectly dry inside with no dampness noted and the primer fired fine. And these were reloads that were not sealed.

I also regularly vibrate live rounds in corncob, usually to get the case lube off.

3 hours? Great! So much for the concerns about water immersion. Keep in mind that the effects of soaking in acid vary with the time and strength of the acid. Same for water, salt vs fresh etc. And then, ammo construction: reload vs factory for bullet seal integrity. Just my perspective. I've used Muriatic acid, 31% (straight swimming pool type) to clean badly rusted cast iron. That really works. Don't try it with ammo of course.

Also, tumblers-what do you recommmend? Where to buy?

[Donny1]

Yeah, I don't think "soaking" any live ammo is a good idea, ever.

[sofbak]

For all the wer tumblers here,you can dry tumble as well if you're using pins or other media. Just don't add water ....

[pacrat]

They look ok. Seemed a little dark around the primer, but I took a fine needle and went around them and no gunk. Regarding the salt, yes, that didn't make sense to me either, but we have to follow every stupid detail we see on the 'net. Right?

I wasn't clear with my query. I meant prior to soaking, and your concerns re emersion.

My thoughts, aka JM2c. If you use a toothpick to apply a small amount of nail polish to the circumference of the primer. Let cure for an hr or 2. Then stand the cartridges on their bases in shallow vinegar. That doesn't reach the case mouth. There should be no seepage into case interior.

Military arsenals the world over use Lacquer, aka "nail polish". To seal primers.

[IrishJoe3]

Maybe, but would be tedious wiping them off one at a time. Same with white eraser.



3 hours? Great! So much for the concerns about water immersion. Keep in mind that the effects of soaking in acid vary with the time and strength of the acid. Same for water, salt vs fresh etc. And then, ammo construction: reload vs factory for bullet seal integrity. Just my perspective. I've used Muriatic acid, 31% (straight swimming pool type) to clean badly rusted cast iron. That really works. Don't try it with ammo of course.

Also, tumblers-what do you recommmend? Where to buy?

I have a lyman 1200 media vibrator. No issues works well. I also use a Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler which works amazing and makes the brass look good as new.

[bohoki]

just rub them till they are smooth with steel wool

[bigbossman]

You've tumbled loaded, no problems?

For literally decades. No problems at all.