How to clean surplus Ammo?

[Dovii4ever]

I have a bunch of 8x56r ammo that was stamped by the Nazi's, I do not intend to fire the ammo just to collect it, some of the rounds have rust and other bits of stuff collected from over the years I guess. I would like to clean each round. Does anyone have any tips on how to clean this old suplus ammo? Safely obviously.

[jamesob]

steel wool.

[AlexBreya]

if its a collector's piece, then cleaning it would ruin the historical significance. so if you clean it, you might as well shoot it.

[wash]

I have heard of people getting a nasty surprise after tumbling dirty ammo to clean it up.

The agitation can alter the powder making the burn rate get faster. Then KABOOM!

Either leave it alone or pull the projectile, dump the powder, soak the case and primer to neutralize that, then clean and reassemble as you please.

[AaronHorrocks]

if its a collector's piece, then cleaning it would ruin the historical significance. so if you clean it, you might as well shoot it.

+1

Cleaning it will ruin it. If it's dusty or has gunk on it because something else got it messy in storage than you should only at the most be "cleaning" with water and a very soft rag ...even that is not really advisable.

[Beelzy]

Yep, its like cleaning the tarnish of a Morgan Dollar. Ruinus Maximus

[Blue]

I have heard of people getting a nasty surprise after tumbling dirty ammo to clean it up.

The agitation can alter the powder making the burn rate get faster. Then KABOOM!

Either leave it alone or pull the projectile, dump the powder, soak the case and primer to neutralize that, then clean and reassemble as you please.

Nah, that's an old wives tale. Lots of people tumble their reloads too.

[Corbin Dallas]

I have heard of people getting a nasty surprise after tumbling dirty ammo to clean it up.

The agitation can alter the powder making the burn rate get faster. Then KABOOM!

Either leave it alone or pull the projectile, dump the powder, soak the case and primer to neutralize that, then clean and reassemble as you please.

I gotta call BS on this one...

Tumbling powder will change its molecular structure? This I gotta see.

As far as soaking the primers the only way to make sure a primers is neutralized is to fire it. No other way that I know of.

[AaronHorrocks]

I gotta call BS on this one...

Tumbling powder will change its molecular structure? This I gotta see.

No, the idea is that tumbling powder will cause the grains to rub against each other, causing smaller powdery bits to come off. If done extensively enough, your slow burning powder then becomes fast-burning explosive.

BOOOOMMM!

But that's just the rumor...

[Corbin Dallas]

No, the idea is that tumbling powder will cause the grains the rub against each other, causing smaller powedery bits to come off. If done extensively enough, your slow burning powder then becomes fast-burning explosive.

BOOOOMMM!

But that's just the rumor...

Wow, that's quite a fish there...

So... would the same be true for rolling around in your ammo can, pocket or magazine? Maybe I should label all my bullets - "This end up" or "Do not shake"...


<music>... this is how rumours get started, started by jealous people... </music>

[AaronHorrocks]

I think it can only happen if the live cartridges are tumbled for an extensive period of time, such as in DAYS, not minutes.

[tankerman]

steel wool.

That will scratch the sh-t out of it. Steel on brass, think about it.




Good info here;

http://cartridgecollectors.org/

[AaronHorrocks]

http://cartridgecollectors.org LOL

They wouldn't help me with my 106!

[tankerman]

http://cartridgecollectors.org LOL

They wouldn't help me with my 106!

Really? Seems to me there are plenty of threads in the forum about large stuff.

[jamesob]

That will scratch the sh-t out of it. Steel on brass, think about it.




Good info here;
http://cartridgecollectors.org/

since when does brass rust? think about it. and they do make very fine steel wool and it will not scratch brass.