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orchidman
Senior MemberA true 'Southerner'. NZPosts: 8,403 Senior Member
Question on how to clean up corroded ammo............

Was up at the range yesterday with Bloodhound doing some load workup for the 204's.
A mutual friend arrived later to sight in his Tikka T3 Lite (223) and before he left, he gave me 3 1/2 packets of Remington brand factory 270cal ammo.
Some of the cartridges have corrosion on them...............

What is the best way to clean them up?
By hand..............
Throw them in the case tumbler............
Use a grinder.................
CLR..............( Thanks for the tip cpj)
A mutual friend arrived later to sight in his Tikka T3 Lite (223) and before he left, he gave me 3 1/2 packets of Remington brand factory 270cal ammo.
Some of the cartridges have corrosion on them...............

What is the best way to clean them up?
By hand..............
Throw them in the case tumbler............
Use a grinder.................
CLR..............( Thanks for the tip cpj)
Still enjoying the trip of a lifetime and making the best of what I have.....
Replies
Dad 5-31-13
ETA: Ok, seriously... are all the rounds corroded? It looks like the front box and a half are. Can't tell on the back two boxes. If not, just toss the corroded ones and keep the rest.
NRA Life Member
I was thinking along the same lines..................throw away the really corroded ones and clean the rest up by hand. 2 packets are as they came out of the factory..........the others vary from mild to bad.
I would emphatically NOT do this!
In so doing, you may be breaking down the powder granules into something that will KABOOM rather than propel.
71 rounds, not all of them gross? Steel wool them while watching the tube.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
I am no expert. I am rather well known in my family for always coming up with A way to get the job done. Not always a GOOD way.
Dad 5-31-13
p.s. the brass I did wasn't as bad as some of yours but might be worth a try.
now for the smart arse answer: who cares it's only .270 rounds! :jester:
Personally, whatever corroded it could have been an acid. The acid will make the brass brittle. Unless the corrosion is very light, I would pull the bullets to salvage them and chuck the rest.
agree with Jerm but I would say if it looks like it weakened the brass then pull bullets and chunk it. The .270 jokes aside, remember that it's a 65,000 psi (SAAMI) Cartridge and if it's a hot loaded round that is near this limit, it could blow a case if it's severely corroded.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Considering that these will be fired in the pre 64 custom stocked 270 ( when I get around to scoping it) I wont be taking any chances. Will clean up the least corroded ones by hand and if there is any doubt I will pull the bullets and discard them.
Thanks again.
Don't know the history of them...............however 2 of the packets are perfect with no discolouration on the inside or outside of the boxes.. I am picking that the ones that are corroded are those that were stuffed into a pack/leather belt etc and then put back in the packet later.
― Douglas Adams
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
I would just start with pulling the bullets, .270 brass is not rare!!
Jerry
Life member of the American Legion, the VFW, the NRA and the Masonic Lodge, retired LEO
Here is how the first test round looked before being bead blasted...............
After bead blasting....
After bead blasting I gave it a quick scrub using one of those synthetic scrub pads .........sorta like steel wool but a bit more aggressive IMV........then gave it a polish with some rubbing compound
here is the result....
As you can see, the corrosion has pitted the case.......................so I wont bother with the rest of them.......Pull the bullets, recycle what I can and take the primed case on the next fishing charter...
Wise thinking Alec, you don't want to chance ruining a Pre 64, even if it is just a .270, :jester:
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
I did remember the test you carried out Paul....................went searching in the now restored archives but couldn't find it!
(Ooops, wasn't supposed to let that out of the 'bag' until tomorrow damnit............never mind, hopefully it will pass under the radar cos you guys will be too busy reading my ads on the classified section that I spent all last night posting up)
Pop the primers and remove them. Take a good stainless steel hook on a piece of wire leader about 2 feet long and pass the wire from case mouth through the primer flash hole. Then make an eye on that end of the wire. Fish are like wimmins; they like shiny stuff. Good lure in FL for spanish mackerel. The flat face of the case head makes it wiggle when you retrieve it. If you want to get fancy, tie some feathers or deer hair on the hook.
― Douglas Adams
Mike is correct. I have made pan fish lures out of fired .22LR cases, the nickeled ones........Robin
Life member of the American Legion, the VFW, the NRA and the Masonic Lodge, retired LEO