Getting back into the fold...

[Captain Quack]

Greetings and Salutation to all! I'm Captain Quack. Now that my Wife and I are both retired we're getting back into shooting after a 9 year break and I went and started to haul out my reloading kit which I haven't touched in about seven years. Methinks at this point it is best to start from scratch and relearn all that I used to know so I will likely have lots of questions and be spending hours with the search function. When I was unpacking I discovered two of the big plastic tubs had broken open. They had been stored in a shed and some of the items and boxes inside had gotten moisture damaged (shot gun shells corroded. Box of primers in wet boxes). My big concern right now is some 30'06 tracer that was given to my Wife for her Garand as a birthday present. The box they were in broke loose and they were loose in the bottom of the bin glued down with some sticky substance.

A: Is it safe to try and wash these with crud cutter or something similar?
B: Is it safe to use primers that have sat in a damp box for who knows how long?

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and hopefully will soon be accepted back into the fold.

Captain Quack.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Greetings and Salutation to all! I'm Captain Quack. Now that my Wife and I are both retired we're getting back into shooting after a 9 year break and I went and started to haul out my reloading kit which I haven't touched in about seven years. Methinks at this point it is best to start from scratch and relearn all that I used to know so I will likely have lots of questions and be spending hours with the search function. When I was unpacking I discovered two of the big plastic tubs had broken open. They had been stored in a shed and some of the items and boxes inside had gotten moisture damaged (shot gun shells corroded. Box of primers in wet boxes). My big concern right now is some 30'06 tracer that was given to my Wife for her Garand as a birthday present. The box they were in broke loose and they were loose in the bottom of the bin glued down with some sticky substance.

A: Is it safe to try and wash these with crud cutter or something similar?
B: Is it safe to use primers that have sat in a damp box for who knows how long?

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and hopefully will soon be accepted back into the fold.

Captain Quack.

those primers are toast, as for the tracer bullets, they might not trace anymore.

Welcome back to the club, components are impossible to get. If you got buddies, it might be your best source of components. Beg - trade -

 

[Captain Quack]

I've got lots of bullets and brass from before and so far about 7 boxes of various primers (I paid about $14.00 a 1000 box when I bought them.) so I should be ok for the moment. I still have a couple of hundred loaded of each caliber I shoot (.38/.357, 9mm, .303 british and 30'06 springfield). I had heard there were some shortages but impossible to get components?

 

[brewer12345]

I've got lots of bullets and brass from before and so far about 7 boxes of various primers (I paid about $14.00 a 1000 box when I bought them.) so I should be ok for the moment. I still have a couple of hundred loaded of each caliber I shoot (.38/.357, 9mm, .303 british and 30'06 springfield). I had heard there were some shortages but impossible to get components?

Primers = dang near impossible
Powder = challenging to say the least. Helps if you can make a number of different powders work. If you are hell bent on something like Varget, dang near impossible.
Bullets = Available, but thin supply, sell out quick, and prices are materially up. If you want something specific (e.g. 165 grain 30 cal Partitions), be prepared to pay through the nose if you can find it.
Brass = Common calibers are available at elevated prices. Anything weird, good luck.

 

[Captain Quack]

I cut a deal with a local gun store owner for '06 brass so I am really good there. (500+ cases). Not quite so good for .303 British but enough. Goodly amounts for the pistols. I always liked to buy in bulk when I had the chance. Still have several pounds of the various powders I use and as I said about 7 1000 boxes of various primers as well a good amount of already rolled for all our firearms. But thanks for the information. Hopefully by the time I need some components the prices will have come down (like that will ever happen)

 

[brewer12345]

Cap'n, you are just getting back into it, but once you get going and figure out what you are using the most of, I would suggest you keep an eye out for it. One of the things this mess is doing is forcing us to think ahead on resupply because it often takes quite a bit of looking to find stuff.

 

[rfwobbly]

Welcome Back !

Guess we can call off the search teams now.

 

[rfwobbly]

B: Is it safe to use primers that have sat in a damp box for who knows how long?

I wouldn't pronounce those primers DOA until I placed a firing pin on every one.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Since you’re retired, you’ll be able to find supplies, with some effort.

In 5 months, I have failed to buy a single primer online. But I have bought 5,000 small rifle and 2,000 small pistol and 1,000 209s just by hitting the local big box sporting goods stores 1X a week, usually when they open.

I have bought enough powder to last me my lifetime. Mostly online. There is a thread under reloading where people post what’s available. But be quick. An example is I saw someone had powder, followed the link to their website. I put 2 lbs each of 2 powders I really wanted in my cart. Then, not wanting to pay hazmat on only 4 lbs, I kept shopping. Although I thought I was quick, when I got to 10 lbs I started to check out, both of the first 2 went out of stock.

But just yesterday I saw 8 lb jugs of Titegroup in stock.

Projectiles are the same way, just keep looking and you’ll find what you need.

Prices are elevated from many vendors but still cheaper than loaded ammo.

 

[Captain Quack]

Thank you all for your kind greetings! I'm retired now. I have LOTS of time to track stuff down and go checking the local walmarts. That's theo nly place in town to buy anything reloading related now unless I drive the 35 miles each way to the nearest decent size city. What the heck. I have the time. Just gotta find a good store. I've always been one for buying in bulk.

 

[Blue68f100]

Welcome back.

As for the primers, get them to a dry environment and let the dry out for a good week or so. Primers are so hard to kill I would not be surprised if they still worked. The primer compound is sealed so the chances are the will still work. I would not use them for anything critical though, general practice/shooting.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Thank you all for your kind greetings! I'm retired now. I have LOTS of time to track stuff down and go checking the local walmarts. That's theo nly place in town to buy anything reloading related now unless I drive the 35 miles each way to the nearest decent size city. What the heck. I have the time. Just gotta find a good store. I've always been one for buying in bulk.

My searches took me 70 miles each way, once a week for 13 straight weeks. And with most places having a 1,000 limit on primers a score of 1,000 was a good day.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Welcome to the forum. And welcome back to the great hobby of reloading. What you knew before will come back quick. Components are starting to loosen up some too. My one LGS has been getting 1lb bottles of powder in. And the one where i buy bulk from. Is getting stuff in too. They called yesterday and said my powder was in i ordered. When i picked it up. They asked if i need primers too.

 

[mdi]

Welcome home Captain! I'd have to see the Garand ammo to make a decent assessment, but I'd probably tumble them and inspect closely for how much the corrosion may have weakened the brass (no we don't want to get into the "tumble/don't tumble live ammo" controversy!). As for the primers, as long as they were just wet and not agitated, I'd dry them out and try some. Primers aren't as delicate as some think, just try killing some...

I haven't seriously tried finding components, except 9mm JHPs, but I understand some vendors are getting some in.

 

[Captain Quack]

Anyone have any ideas on the '06 tracers covered with thick sticky gunk? I was thinking of just soaking them in a small tub with something like crud cleaner but I'm afraid that will ruin the tracer compound.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Primers aren't as delicate as some think

I agree with this. I would have no qualms with using those primers. I would let them dry and use them.

Load up 5 of them and try them. I'll bet they work fine.

 

[Captain Quack]

We just bought a bag of those little desiccant packets. Into a zip lock with a couple of those and let sit for a week or so then give them a try I think.

 

[FROGO207]

Try some soap and water on a rag to clean up one 30-06 bullet. If that doesn't work try mineral spirits on a rag. If you can find out what did leak it will be easier to find a cleaner. Those primers will work when dried out.

 

[Captain Quack]

It had to be some sort of cleaning fluid or lube. The bottle of motor oil was still sealed. Most of the bottles of things likes Hoppes and case cleaner had leaked (we had to move in a extreme hurry so I didn't have time to pack everything properly.). I'll give them a try with just the soap and water and a nail brush and if that doesn't work I'll try the mineral spirits. If we loose the tracer compound we can always buy more rds (I hope). What ever it is is so sticky I had trouble getting the off the bottom of the tub they were in but almost nothing else had that goop on it.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

no we don't want to get into the "tumble/don't tumble live ammo" controversy!

dry tumble, yes; wet tumble, probably not but as long as the necks are sealed it’s worth a try. Small batch.

Anyone have any ideas on the '06 tracers covered with thick sticky gunk? I was thinking of just soaking them in a small tub with something like crud cleaner but I'm afraid that will ruin the tracer compound.

The tracer compound is inside the case. As long as the neck stays sealed you’re good. Crud cleaner (I am guessing you mean Krud Kutter or related products?) is probably a penetrating compound which would be bad. Dry tumble in clay kitty litter, then corn media. They’ll be fine.

 

[rfwobbly]

We just bought a bag of those little desiccant packets. Into a zip lock with a couple of those and let sit for a week or so...

You guys are over-thinking this. Just put them in an air-conditioned room. It won't be but a couple of weeks until we all have those units turned on.

► What you must understand is that the primers are most dangerous when they are removed from their factory packing. Leave the primers inside their 100 packs, and set those individual packs out to dry. A/C will dry the packing and the primers together without danger. Due to ignition by static sparks, the most dangerous thing you can do is to place individual primers in plastic or glass of any shape, size or description. This includes zip lock bags.

Hope this helps.

 

[Demi-human]

Just another Hello, Captain!

And an agreement with @rfwobbly and @Random 8.
Many solvents and liquids can desensitize the primer compound, but, until it’s been burned, it is still a viable explosive.
Don’t soak the ammunition, it may still be good.

I wish I had someone to buy tracer ammunition for, well done, sir!

 

[Captain Quack]

I see i have some more work to do. All the boxes were moisture damaged to a greater or lesser degree. I put them boxes and all into gallon zip lock bags with lots of descant packets. I see now I should have taken the trays out of the boxes and put them on a tray in the zip lock bags with the descant. I'll be doing that now. I've got some clay kitty litter around for winter traction and some good clean corn media. I'll get into that right away GeoDude. And thank you to you rfwobbly for that very useful information!

 

[brassbullets12]

I would dry them primers out good.
They might be ok.

 

[bullseye308]

Unless those primers were soaked in some kind of solvent, they should be just fine when they dry out. The loaded rounds will probably clean up just fine with mineral spirits or acetone on a rag.