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Cleaning dirty LIVE rounds

jbmoose
A buddy of mine just got hold of 308 rounds for a great price at a gun show. (Don't remember country of mfg. but not USA.) About 30% of the case rounds had some kind of calcified build-up on them. I told him to clean them by hand with steel wool (I guess) but he bought 2,000 rounds and wanted a quicker way to do it. He is thinking about cleaning them in his tumbler! (Again, I am talking about loaded ammunition!) I told him it wasn't safe, he disagreed. We agreed to let the forum decide. Can these rounds be safely cleaned faster than one-at-time? How? Is my buddy right or should I buy a life insurance policy on him?

As a seperate question, what causes that kind of build-up? Are they still safe to shoot?

Thanks.
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Comments

15 comments

Date Votes
  • cpermd
    They are safeto clean in a vibratory cleaner for sure.

    CP
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  • Radar
    I wouldnt , i think it would change the powder in the case,sort of grind it finer.
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  • mbsams
    Do not tumble or vibrate - powder gets pounded to finer grain - burning faster - blowing up gun and shooter. Clean with a rag and Brasso.
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  • jonk
    I've heard the no-no about tumbling live rounds. And yes, if you tumbled them forever and a day I agree it could be an issue.

    However I've tried it and chronographed the results. No issue. Same as before tumbling.

    Probably depends on the powder as well though, that's my caveat.
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  • Tailgunner1954
    mbsams and radar
    The FACTORY gives live rounds a tumble before packaging. Rounds get vibrated when riding in the semi on there way from the factory to the store and in your truck/atv too, think about it.

    Where is this deposit located, what color, spots or large areas?
    One quick way is to give them a minute or 2 dunking in 25% vinegar/75% water followed by a rinse in clear water and drying. Follow that with a 30-60 minute tumble
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  • grumpygy
    quote:Originally posted by mbsams
    Do not tumble or vibrate - powder gets pounded to finer grain - burning faster - blowing up gun and shooter. Clean with a rag and Brasso.


    If I remember right Brasso is not good for brass. Causes it to crack.
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  • HandLoad
    Zip Trim and a 3M pad, or scrubby sponge, not wet.
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  • mbsams
    Tailgunner - please provide mail address for your widow so your Darwin award can be delivered. And Jonk too.
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  • Nwcid
    quote:Originally posted by mbsams
    Tailgunner - please provide mail address for your widow so your Darwin award can be delivered. And Jonk too.


    Please provided PROOF of your statement and not just hearsay. Please show me 1 CONFIRMED case of what you state.

    Please confirm that the factories do not tumble the ammo or that it does not get vibrated will being transported on the highways or even half way around the globe when coming from other countries.
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  • perry shooter
    Many many Bulls-Eye pistol shooters tumble their loaded ammo Believe me if one ever went off it would be wide spread Knowledge. Now with that said a large drum tumbler with only a small amount of polishing compound with a pointed rifle bullet May set off a primer. Never heard of it and if it did it would not have enough force to punch a hole in the drum. It is not in a chamber and pressure would be very small . I dont advise to throw loaded ammo in a fire but they just go "PUTT" and you are in more danger from the case then the bullet.
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  • m113103
    If the cases chamber, shoot them and throw the brass away. If not rub them with steel wool until they do. Lee makes a drill type case spinner for this. Cases with heavy tarnish will never clean up as the tarnish is embedded in the brass. If you have to reload them really look them over for splits with a magnifing glass.
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  • Radar
    Why not call one of the powder manf. and ask them if its ok to put loaded ammo in a tumbler or vibratory cleaner for about 3 hrs ? (longer if its extra dirty )
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  • chappsyny
    Why do people worry what the outside of the brass looks like?

    I tumble my brass until it's pretty clean before I reload it then don't worry about it. Doesn't look like new ammo, but I don't really care if my ammo is all tarnishy.
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  • garanch
    quote:Originally posted by chappsyny
    Why do people worry what the outside of the brass looks like?


    The same reason people do not rub their trucks paintjob with sandpaper. A gritty round can scratch your chamber.

    The same reason you should use a bore guide or coated cleaning rod when cleaning a gun. Once the damage is there it cannot be fixed (without alot of expense). You know the old saying about an ounce of prevention.
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  • cpermd
    Back when I lived in Little Rock I had access to the Remington ammo plant through a production manager there.
    We were able to do chrono and pressure testing on rounds after 48 hrs in a tumbler.
    Also microscopic exams of the powder.
    There was absolutely NO difference in any case.
    Many, many reloaders, me included tumble ammo after loading.
    If there was a problem with it, you would have heard by now.
    It is SAFE!

    CP
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