Cleaning ammo đŸ˜«

HChammer

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So while building my house I had ammo in a lock box stored in a inclosed trailer, it wasn’t supposed to be there as long as it was but what’s done is done I guess..

I’m sickened to find many boxes of obscure and expensive ammo that has oxidized and turned dark and some green.

What do I do now? Can I effectively clean it?

Thanks.
 
Chuck the case up gently in a cordless drill, and grab some 0000 steel wool. It will clean up in no time. Just chuck it up hard enough to grab it, not to effect the brass case.
I have vibratory tumbled live round before. I have even bought nosler varmageddon loaded round, that have definitely been tumbled in corn cob media, from factory. Some of the very large hollow points had corncob media stuck in them.
 
I wonder why my Walnut cleaning/polishing media in a vibratory cleaner eventually turns to a fine powder or gets much smaller and no longer cleans well after a certain period of use?

Could it be that the vibration is causing this?

Would this also happen to the smokeless powder and it's burn rate deterrent coatings or acid stabilizing coatings inside the ammo in constant agitation against each other and the case/base of the bullet I wonder? Probably not, that would be alarmist!

I wonder what companies who make the actual machines say about it?



RCBS Warning.jpg


https://rcbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RCBS_87060_VCP_1LIM_Web.pdf


 
Oil is a no(wd40) It can penatrate better than water and spoil the powder.

Tumbling vs vibrating is also about the time ran. Don't tumble more then absolutely nessary and I wouldn't look for perfect results
 
I wonder why my Walnut cleaning/polishing media in a vibratory cleaner eventually turns to a fine powder or gets much smaller and no longer cleans well after a certain period of use?

Could it be that the vibration is causing this?

Would this also happen to the smokeless powder and it's burn rate deterrent coatings or acid stabilizing coatings inside the ammo in constant agitation against each other and the case/base of the bullet I wonder? Probably not, that would be alarmist!

I wonder what companies who make the actual machines say about it?



View attachment 1048144


https://rcbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RCBS_87060_VCP_1LIM_Web.pdf


https://www.americanhunter.org/content/is-tumbling-loaded-ammo-dangerous/

The Statement
Tumbling loaded ammo will cause the powder to physically degrade and result in dangerous pressure increases.
The Theory
This is one of those “truths” that’s been repeated over time to the point that it’s considered gospel and at first glance sounds reasonable—classic BullShooters territory. The theory is that the vibration of the case tumbler will break down the construction of the “kernels” of powder, causing different burn rates. The deterrent coating on the powder will also “rub off,” causing the powder to burn more quickly which will raise pressures. A quick Internet search will produce plenty of examples of this “truth."
The Flawed Reasoning
Loaded ammo travels around the country on trucks, powder spends weeks bouncing and rocking across oceans in barrels coming from places like Australia, and belts of linked ammo spend hours shaking violently across the sky in military helicopters, all of which would create similar vibratory forces as a case tumbler.
The Expert Deferral
Logic alone isn’t enough when it comes to harnessing propellant gases mere inches from a shooter’s face, so we asked experts at two of the World’s leading powder and ammunition makers. I spoke to the Chief Ballistic Scientist at Hornady Manufacturing and the Head Ballistician at Hodgdon Powder and asked for their professional opinions. Both agreed that this is a myth devoid of empirical data.
"Powder is hard, it doesn’t change shape from any reasonable amount of vibration,” said Hornady’s Dave Emary. “This notion that you can wear deterrent off of the surface of the powder is a myth, it is impregnated into the powder grains. You can’t knock this stuff off."
Both scientists felt that tumbling was a safe practice within the bounds of reason.
The Ruling
We are calling BullShooters on this one. While extended tumbling could, at some point theoretically cause a problem, a reasonable amount of tumbling to clean up loaded ammo is not dangerous.
 
So a opinion is what we are basing ones beliefs in rather than what the manufacturer of said products issues a safety warning over?

Did they conduct any science based testing or they just think it should be fine?

I hear opinions on how dishwashers work well for cleaning your firearms too!

Plus I'm sure RCBS must have a well founded reason for issuing such a warning with their product.

Do you follow manufacturer product warnings or rather base your way of operating machines off internet opinion?

Like I said a little bit should be fine but what is a reasonable amount?

What you, I and Frank may consider reasonable, Bob, Harry and Larry thinks is not enough to remove their decades of verdigris and corrosion.

Anyhow, you do you and best of luck and I hope all works out well for you in the future.

I'm just trying to help those here less interested in opinions and more interested on doing what is based on best or better practices.
 
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