I'm slowly getting back in the groove reloading after about a 14 year hiatus, just loaded a box of 240gr .44's last night. I forgot how relaxing it was to spend a quiet evening at the bench! Now on to my problem, I've got a large inventory of jacketed bullets, the exposed lead on the Noslers in particular have a heavy coat of powdery white corrosion, harder to wipe off than I expected. Oddly my stock of Hornady looks pretty good. Perhaps Hornady used some kind of swaging lube that prevents the problem. Could anyone share their experience at an efficient means of clean up.
Lead Corrosion on Bullets
- Thread starter Shimitup
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According to ISO 8407:1991(E) "Corrosion of Metals and Alloys - Removal of Corrosion Products from Corrosion Test Specimens", you can remove lead oxide by immersion for 5 minutes in a boiling solution consisting of 10ml of acetic acid and distilled water to make 1L. Copper is cleaned using hydrochloric acid which is considerably more aggressive than acetic acid. Rather than boil the solution, you might try wiping the lead part of the bullets with some vinegar at room temperature to see how that works. If it doesn't work, you could always try the solution and procedure mentioned above.
Sport45
Member
If it's just the tip of jacketed bullets I wouldn't let it bother me at all. Heck, I'm not sure it would bother me if it completely covered a lead bullet. Load 'em and shoot 'em. Once they're buried in the berm nobody will notice anyway. And I'm sure the deer or whatever else they're intended for won't care either.
ReloaderFred
Member
You can tumble them for a short time in ground corn cob and that will remove the corrosion. Just don't tumble them too long or they'll become a little battered.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
Thanks guys,
Though it seems like the most thorough means, I probably won't go the acid route due to smell and hassle factor. I've got a batch of cases finishing up in the Lyman pumpkin with corncob, I also have an RCBS tumbler I inherited from my uncle loaded with I believe is the walnut media. I may give one of those a try. Good point Sport45, I'm just a sucker for a pretty bullet though.
Though it seems like the most thorough means, I probably won't go the acid route due to smell and hassle factor. I've got a batch of cases finishing up in the Lyman pumpkin with corncob, I also have an RCBS tumbler I inherited from my uncle loaded with I believe is the walnut media. I may give one of those a try. Good point Sport45, I'm just a sucker for a pretty bullet though.
Sunray
Member
As mentioned, it's lead oxide. Forget about it.
"...a pretty bullet..." That'd be an accurate bullet. Brass doesn't have to be shiney either.
"...a pretty bullet..." That'd be an accurate bullet. Brass doesn't have to be shiney either.
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