Safely Cleaning Live Ammo

[atlctyslkr]

Get ready for a good one!

I got a bunch of ammo from my brother that he's had for a few years. He doesn't own a gun that uses it and I do (38 special).

He had it stored in zip lock containers wrapped in rubber bands. He says he's had it about 4 years or so. The rubber bands bonded to some of the brass. It appears to be some type of Winchester FMJ.

Can I clean this ammo off with something to get the rubber band gunk off the brass so I can fire it. I don't want to possibly damage on of my guns with this possibly odd fitting brass or have cylinder damage due to whatever toxic chemicals are release when rubber band gunk gets hot inside a cylinder. I don't want to damage the primers and have a bunch of miss or hang fires.

Any advice?

 

[Art Eatman]

Scrape off what you can with whatever's handy. Finger nail, pocket knife, whatever. Try coarse steel wool on the residue. Whatever's left will probably wipe off easily with a rag wetted but not soaked with a little gasoline.

Art

 

[sm]

I used a Case Trapper, buddy of mine used a Shrade Muskrat. Both knives worked as did the .38spl fired out of Model 10s.

He knew he tossed in six bags of ammo that day about 5 years earlier...just took getting yelled at for using his wife's car going frog giggin' . If wifey had not borrowed his truck, then that frog would not have gotten lost in the wife's trunk, died and gotten all stinky...then again he would not have found that ammo taking out all the carpet and all either...

I'd go with a Case, Shrade ain't who they used to be...

 

[Dionysusigma]

Scrape off what you can with whatever's handy. Finger nail, pocket knife, whatever. Try coarse steel wool on the residue.

An old credit card works well. I wouldn't use anything steel, personally; it might make the walls of the casing too thin. Not that I'd know, but I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Whatever's left will probably wipe off easily with a rag wetted but not soaked with a little gasoline.

Not to sound too blatantly obvious, but please be sure that the gasoline has evaporated completely from the cartridge before you fire it!

Maybe lighter fluid (evaporates a little quicker) or Brasso...

 

[atlctyslkr]

I was thinking using some Ronsonol (generic Zippo fluid) or brasso just didn't want to damage the primers. I'll go for it and hope for the best!

 

[oscar]

If you have a tumbler, just tumble it for 15 minutes or so.

 

[Yakko]

The eyeglass wipes that you can get at Costco might work.
It's a light amount of alchahol with an abrasive cloth.
I use them to clean gunk off of a lot of stuff. They work well on glasses too.


I remember reading somewhere that tumbling loaded rounds can be bad. The vibration could affect the consistancy of the powder. No experience, just something that comes to mind.

 

[AJAX22]

I'd go with lighter fluid, its mostely naptha and won't damage anything. that being said, I've used brasso to good results as well.

 

[Onmilo]

A plastic hobby knife or picnic knife followed with a touch of Brasso will do nicely.
I hope you have a bit of spare time on your hands because it will take some time to do this if you have a lot of ammunition to clean.

Use a pair of latex or vinyl surgical gloves while using the Brasso.
The stuff isn't good for your skin.

 

[WayneConrad]

Reloaders avoid Brasso because it contains ammonia, which weakens brass. It's probably not a problem if used sparingly and only once, but I'd be inclined to find some other way to clean 'em anyhow.