How to clean up tarnished live ammo?

erik1972 · Mar 13, 2020

I bought a gun/ammo collection and I have over 1000 rounds of 357 and 38 special in the original packaging. The part of the brass that is sticking out of the styrofoam is tarnished from sitting so long. The bullet and part of the brass in the styrofoam in fine. How can I clean these up so I can can shoot them and not worry about them sticking in the chamber/cylinder? This is probably a really dumb question but going to ask anyways. Could I put live ammo in a brass vibrabator/agitator? I don't think I would have to work about anything hitting the primer but I worry about the powder inside breaking down. Thoughts?

Thanks, Erik

Bluehair · Mar 13, 2020

I wouldn't do that. I would shoot them them tumble the empties. They would have to be pretty grungy for me not to shoot, especially in a revolver. I spent my childhood picking up green .22's and trying them to see if they would shoot.

HOWEVER, i am in no way recommending shooting damaged or questionable ammo. At the end of the day its not worth taking a chance.

stinky · Mar 13, 2020

Shoot it.

I have shot 1,000s of corroded .38.

It will either go bang, or not, and it will extract just fine.

The bullet heads are un-harmed.

Is the any possibilty that the powder is damaged in such a way that it will burn faster (and thereby raise the pressure), nope, dont think so.

Bluehair · Mar 13, 2020

The problem is really squib loads right? Don't want to leave a slug hung in the barrel.

middlefork · Mar 13, 2020

Back in the day we used a little Brasso. Probably take a little more time than you seem to want to spend but makes them good as new.

Sambo · Mar 14, 2020

Not sure if it's still around but a product called Never Dull used to work amazing

erik1972 · Mar 14, 2020

Thanks guys!!! Now I need to find a nice lever action .357 to shoot all this ammo up!!!

feddoc · Mar 14, 2020

Brasso and never dull may contain chemicals which are corrosive to brass.

Why not polish in a wet or dry tumbler?

Years ago I bought 60 rounds of .220 Swift from a shop in Reno.

The first one was a squib. So, I tumbled half and wet polished half then pulled. I found 2 more squibs. The powder? It looked to be normal H380, not broken down at all.

Zeke · Mar 14, 2020

Tarnished? As in just discolored? .... or blue growing corrosion?
Tarnished is fine. The latter might not fit and possible not worth worrying about shooting.

Don’t tumble them, out of abundant caution.

Zeke