How do I clean up old ammo?

[Pukindog]

If you the ammo tumble too long the powder may start to break down into smaller granules. if that happens the burning quality of the powder will change. Most likely cause higher pressures.
Leave the stuff alone and just shoot it. If you decide to use a chemical to clean the brass be specially aware of any product that contains ammonia.
Jeff

[mikepro8]

Lots to consider.
Thanks to everyone for their opinion!

[SteveWag]

Before you tumble the ammo, pull one round down and dump the powder onto a white piece of paper. Look for fines, especially if “stick” powder comes out. Keep the small pile of powder. Put one case in your cleaner and let it go until you think it’s clean, pull the bullet and dump the powder. Look again small or broken pieces, again it’s IMR powder that’s important, not flake or ball. It takes a lot of tumbling, but if the pieces break into smaller pieces the burning rate and pressure increase dramatically, possibly damaging a rifle.
The areas around the neck were not left bright on Greek ammo, but still had the annealing colors. If it’s just the annealing colors, don’t worry

Steve

[dodge]

Use some 000 or 0000 steelwool and twist it by hand. You'll be just fine.

[GetSome]

Use some 000 or 0000 steelwool and twist it by hand. You'll be just fine.

+1 or a light scotch-brite pad.....

I personally would never tumble(vibe) live loaded rounds, to many things could go wrong....

and some argue brasso isnt good for your brass, anything with ammonia will break down the integrity of your brass..... I have tried a batch polished with brasso and a batch without and after 5 or 6 firings I saw no difference... I think way down the road the brass may show signs of weakening but that would be long after its useful life...

[Noah_Zark]

. . . a few of the rounds are beginning to show a bit of corrosion on the brass, particularly the necks.

Since the issue is confined mainly to the case neck area, I question if it's truly corrosion or simply discoloration from annealing the brass prior to loading. Annealed brass has a metallic brown/bronze look to it, but brass corrosion will be white, whitish-blue, or turquoise and powdery.

If it's just the annealing coloration on your ammo, fuggedaboudit.

Noah

[mikepro8]

Its definately not the annealing, that I recognize.

Its actually little brown colored spots... check out the pic on this page, its about half way down.
http://www.odcmp.com/ammo.htm
None of my rounds are NEARLY that bad, just little spots particularly around the annealed necks. I am wondering if I am just barking up the wrong tree and to let it be after all.

[Noah_Zark]

Its definately not the annealing, that I recognize.

Its actually little brown colored spots... check out the pic on this page, its about half way down.
http://www.odcmp.com/ammo.htm
None of my rounds are NEARLY that bad, just little spots particularly around the annealed necks. I am wondering if I am just barking up the wrong tree and to let it be after all.

That's corrosion. If your rounds aren't that bad, maybe it would pay to try to remove it, to prevent it getting worse.

Noah

[40twist]

I tumble old ammo in my "vibrating" case tumbler and i know ohhhhh probably 10 or 12 reloaders that also do it ... no problems .....a vibrating tumbler is actually very gentle ... walnut is usually used to clean very dirty brass and corn cob for polishing.... 20 minutes or so in corn cob does the trick for me on my dirty "live" ammo

[mikepro8]

Hm. I may just have to "bite the bullet" and get some steel wool. Cheaper than buying a vibratory tumbler, although much more time consuming.

Anyone have any good suggestions for good movies while I inspect 1200 rds. of ammo??