Oxidation on lead Maxi-Balls? How to clean?

[chuckles]

Hello all: I have been out of muzzleloading for 30 years and have now decided to get back into shooting my TC Hawken, .50 percussion. I built it from a kit in 1973. Anyway I have 9 boxes, (20 ea) of the 370 gr lead maxi balls, Thompson Center brand unlubricated. Over the years the bullets have "grown" a coating of oxidation. Pretty well covered and rough textured. I polished one with a scotchbrite pad just to see what the lead was like. It worked but way to tedious and time consuming to be practical for almost 200 bullets. Is there a way to remove the oxidation more easily, shoot them corrosion and all or chuck them?
Thanks for any helpful advice.

 

[243winxb]

Shoot them, might even smooth out some of the tool marks left in the barrel. It will not hurt accuracy. I shoot a 45 cal flint T/C

 

[Smokin'Joe]

Lead Oxide is considered to be toxic. Please research this topic and shoot in a well-ventilated area.

 

[CraigC]

It'll come right off as it passes through a deer or hog.

 

[Patocazador]

Shoot 'em. I do.

 

[Rojelio]

A couple of hours in a tumbler will clean them right up.

 

[Jaymo]

Lube them and shoot them. Don't lick your fingers after.

 

[72coupe]

I have some in the same condition that were prelubed. The lube is dried up and crumbly. I put some CLP on them and load them up.

 

[MattShlock]

I always wonder why they're SHINY when they are! Shoot them, don't lick them. Wash your hands with soap and cold water after you're done.

 

[Hellgate]

If they were mine I would lube them and shoot them. Tumbling them might round all the edges and change some of the dimentions.

 

[Fingers McGee]

Shoot them. The lead oxide coating won't hurt anything - just don't lick them or your fingers after handling them to be on the safe side. .

 

[chuckles]

Thanks all. I guess I'll lube them up and shoot them. Since I can't lick my fingers afterwards, I'll just forego the Bacon grease lube.

 

[Jaymo]

Don't pick your nose or rub your eyes, afterward, either.
And, for God's sake, don't pick your nose and THEN rub your eyes afterward.

 

[Rattus58]

heavily oxided bullets find their way back into the melting pot... as I did tonight on some 315 train minie's for my 58... oxided and dried lube.... yuck... I wouldn't be shooting that through my guns no how... maybe it won't hurt anything, but as was alluded to earlier about changing dimensions, these bullets aren't as accurate as I've seen before when I shot them...

Aloha..

 

[loose noose]

Never had a problem with any of mine that oxidized, shot just as accurate as I could shoot them otherwise.