Cleaning corroded cases

[Cofisher]

Hey y’all. I’m looking for ideas to clean the corrosion off of loaded rounds. These 38s have been in a bandolier too long.

I’m leaning toward using my pin tumbler. Risk of water contamination?

I have a couple hundred, so hand polishing is not going to happen. Unless you know of a miracle wipe.

What do you think?

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[MuddyWaters62]

If you have a dry media tumbler (i.e. corn cob or walnut media), I have used that in the past. Some people fear tumbling for too long will break down the gun powder kernels. I usually always use flake or ball pistol powders. YMMV!

Muddy Waters68

[NHshtr]

You haven't mentioned how difficult it is to wipe or rub it off with some polish. I'd avoid tumbling if you used an extruded powder; which gets broken down by tumbling and exposing uncoated surfaces of the powder. It maybe won't matter though. Also want to avoid immersion with liquid in a pin tumbler.
Safest bet is to get some Brasso brass polish or similar polish or make a slurry of Comet cleanser and watch the ballgame while you clean them up by hand.
You should be done by the third inning! Seriously, hope you find a way to clean them up safely.

[Cofisher]

No tumbler. Thanks NHshtr. That may have to work.

[Travlin]

If they are not too rough to the touch, put them in that which they are chambered for, shoot them and then tumble or ultrasonic clean the brass.

[Vaquero]

I'm with Travlin, just shoot 'em then clean and reload.

RP

[Cofisher]

They were too sticky to load. I went ahead and ran them through my tumbler. No water, just wet pins. After I was done, it took a good pass with dawn. That cleaned my pins. About 30 minutes per 15 rounds on the cleaning. Not bad results. After shooting, revolver only, they will get a real clean and polish.

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[John E Davies]

Do not use the Brasso version that has ammonia. It causes corrosion stress cracking in hard brass. I would have dry vibrated them in walnut media, I never put loaded ammo in a liquid.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season_cracking

Nickel cases don’t look “cowboy” but OTH they won’t turn nasty in a leather gun belt or butt pad.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Cofisher]

Used only pins in minimal water. Was really quite effective. Will see when shooting if water was an issue. Actually, quite hopeful.

[JEBar]

its been decades since I had to deal with residue from leather belt loops but I vividly recall having to remove it .... hopefully, what you are doing will take care of it .... one thing I do remember is needing to keep a close eye on the cases as time goes on .... a larger than normal percentage of them developed pinhole leaks