factory vs handloads Tarnishing.

[flynlr]

here is the short story . I have loaded several thousand rounds of ammo
some put in MTM plastic boxes others in cardboard factory type boxes.

I have found that within about 6 months of loading the ammo I can see on the once beautiful brass evidence of tarnishing to include even my fingerprints.
I am guessing that when I boxed up this shiny reloaded ammo there were oils on my hands that are attacking the brass,. Which brings me to my question.


Does factory ammo have a coating of some sort on the brass to keep it perfect for years to come?. as I have some factory boxed ammo that looks brand new and it is years old.

the batches of ammo I loaded recently I used flitz brass polish in the tumbler and only handled the completed rounds with nytril gloves on. so in about 6 months I will now it that improved the tarnishing rate.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Add a little liquid car wax, like Nu-Finish, to your tumbler media. This should help...I have some brass that I tumbled and stored 10 years ago and, other then darkening, is still shinny. Some of us have a bit more acid in our skin then others and that might be what's happening...With the wax you shouldn't need the gloves...If Fritz's is a wax it should solve the problem too.

 

[buck460XVR]

Does factory ammo have a coating of some sort on the brass to keep it perfect for years to come?.

that and the fact it not directly touched by human hands once the reloading/ packaging process begins. Guy I know that sells reloads uses the Nu-finish.

 

[Floppy_D]

I tumble my loaded rounds and this problem goes away.

 

[rcmodel]

Yep!

Salt & acid from sweat on your hands.

Tumble after loading, then wash your hands good before boxing.

I have even been known to run my hands through the tumbler media to pick up some polish on my clean fingers first.

Storage conditions also have an effect.
Kept in sealed GI ammo cans helps protect from humidity & oxidation long term.

rcmodel

 

[scrat]

or talc powder. after tumbling handle the rounds with talc powder this will prevent the tarnishing

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

I see nothing wrong with camo ammo.

 

[rcmodel]

Makes it darned hard to find after you shoot it and go to pick up the brass.

rcmodel

 

[scrat]

i guess they could paint them flourescent orange then RCMODEL

 

[The Bushmaster]

See what you did flynlr...You got rcmodel and scrat all rapped around the axle and fightin' with each other and we just got them all calmed down the other day...

 

[scrat]

 

[rcmodel]

What?

ME fighten with SCRAT?

No Way!

rcmodel

 

[Slamfire]

Does factory ammo have a coating of some sort on the brass to keep it perfect for years to come?. as I have some factory boxed ammo that looks brand new and it is years old.

I believe it is so. I have NIB Federal 30-06 that I purchased before 1980. Most of the cases are still bright. However some cases have a sort of spiderwebbing corrosion pattern, which looks like the type of corrosion you get under a surface.

I concluded that at least some of the brands we use are dipped in a wax for corrosion prevention. This makes sense for a retailer, as ammunition can sit on a shelf for years, and people want to buy shiny ammo.

A wax coating is invisible, very hard, and very thin.

 

[scrat]

What?

ME fighten with SCRAT?

No Way!

rcmodel

ya no need to fight. we can have paint wars instead




That would be cool the THR paint wars.

 

[CU74]

Tarnishing

Add a capful of cheap automobile wax to your tumbler media. Works for me - YMMV............

 

[flynlr]

lots of good info there. I have been using the flitz in my media.
I guess a cap full of the nufinish that I have should do the trick

 

[Griz44]

I have found that within about 6 months of loading the ammo I can see on the once beautiful brass evidence of tarnishing to include even my fingerprints.

I never have ammo that sits around for 6 months....

Ditto on the above, Nu-Finish polish in the tumbler, for a shine that lasts...

 

[Quoheleth]

Get some rubber gloves!

I use cheap rubber gloves - the inexpensive first aid kind - when I reload. I do it for three reasons:

One, safety. While I'm sure the lead contact with my skin is micro-minimally absorbed, why take chances?
Two, clean-up. Rip the gloves off and a quick rinse under the kitchen faucet and good to go.
Three, I have very acidic perspiration. Anything I touch will rust...dies, Lee turret frame, etc....if I forget to wipe down with oil afterward. So my equipment and cases stay clean when I wear gloves.

They're available anywhere...the drug store, grocery store, wally-world...and at only a few cents a pair, they pay for themselves in cleanup time alone.

Q

 

[scrat]

talc powder guys. baby powder. ask the wife im sure she has some around. put it on your hands and you wont even need to leave the house to go buy rubber gloves.

 

[SSN Vet]

One of the fringe benefits of using Imperial sizing die wax is that the cases get a very thin wax coating .

I swab the neck with a Q-tip (usually when trimming) to prevent powder from sticking to the inside wall, and wipe the loaded cartridge down, but still seem to retain a thin wax layer.

Which is why I usually ellect to not tumble again after sizing.

 

[The Bushmaster]

scrat...With baby powder on his hands he may not want to leave the house...He might find some new found friends he may not want...

 

[scrat]

hahahahahahahaha you my friend are crazy.

 

[Lazuris]

+1 on cheap latex gloves. Keeps the lead off your hands and keeps the brass pretty.


But i do have a quick follow up question. What about tumbling loaded/tarnished rifle ammo? And truth to the rumor that it could set off primers?

 

[CU74]

But i do have a quick follow up question. What about tumbling loaded/tarnished rifle ammo? And truth to the rumor that it could set off primers?

I have seen that rumor time and time again, but have never seen a post actually reporting a problem. The rounds move so slowly in my vibrating tumbler that I cannot imagine a primer taking a hit that would set it off. IMHO the rumor is just that - a rumor.

 

[D. Manley]

I've seen it posted that ethylene glycol (via a little anti-freeze added to the tumbling media) will inhibit tarnishing without harming brass. Have'nt tried it so, take it for what its worth...it IS the internet, you know.