Last year I loaded about 6 boxes of 270 ammo that I've had since the 70-80"s. I cleaned all but one box cause it didn't show any signs of corrosion, that is until yesterday. I checked all the boxes and the only one that didn't have any corrosion, now had small spots of corrosion. I don't have any loading dies for the .270 cause I didn't plan on shooting it again, it will be left to one of my sons and they can shoot it. Today I took the whole box of 20 and took them apart to clean them and of course I didn't have the right puller in my kit so I used my kenitic puller, worked well. I kept the bullets and powder. I chucked the neck into my drill press and used red Scotchbrite pad, then 000 steel wool and then treated them with NEVER DULL Polish when they were spinning on the lowest setting my drill press will allow, they shine like diamonds. Now all I have to do is borrow my friends 270 Win dies and reload them. The corrosion was just small spots of green but being a perfectionist and I didn't like them that way. The ones I cleaned last year were twice as bad as these and they are still gleaming. This is the easy way to clean. Last year I stuck the empties in my RCBS vibrator cleaner with Walnut and then corn cob media for about 4 hours each and it didn't clean the corrosion but the scotch brite sure does and then smooth everything out using 000 or better steel wool and polish with Never Dull. They are gleaming. Something to do on a Rainy Day in Nor Cal.
Little corrosion spots on Ammo!!
- Thread starter 74man
- Start date
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Hmm outside only?
I had some Rem 30-06 that got some corrosion and was wondering why since they were stored in a somewhat dry place.
Turns out it was bad (old) powder causing it.
I pulled the bullets and saved them but tossed everything else.
I am a brass scrounger but I would be leary about using the brass, but then I am chicken.
(remember there is about 62K PSI there going off by someones face)
I had some Rem 30-06 that got some corrosion and was wondering why since they were stored in a somewhat dry place.
Turns out it was bad (old) powder causing it.
I pulled the bullets and saved them but tossed everything else.
I am a brass scrounger but I would be leary about using the brass, but then I am chicken.
(remember there is about 62K PSI there going off by someones face)
Rolynstone
Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2019
- Messages
- 24
How'd you chuck the scotchbrite & 000 steel wool to work?
Jim Watson
Member
Surprised Slamfire didn't caution you about saving the powder.
But it is not clear, is this 1970s ammo or 1970s brass with fresh powder?
But it is not clear, is this 1970s ammo or 1970s brass with fresh powder?
Small amounts of ammonia in a cleaner are not a problem for modern brass. So-called "Season Cracking" occurred in brass that the British Army had been stored over a compost pit for months.
The cause of the case cracking was traced to the fact the brass was not annealed after forming. As all modern brass is annealed after forming, exposure to ammonia should not be a problem.
Let me say this, I loaded 5 boxes of empty 270 ammo that had corroded spots on the outside of the case, because they were in the the original boxes with stryafoam liners. One box didn't have any corrosion on the outside so I just cleaned them in my tumbler with walnut media and loaded them. Yesterday I looked at all the 270 loads and noticed that the box that I tumbled has some small spots of corrosion on the outside. I loaded this ammo in May of 2021. That is why I just took them apart and cleaned the small corroded spots with red scotchbrite and steel wool then polished them with Never Dull.
Watson, this is empty 1970 or 1980's brass that I loaded in 2021 with IMR 8208 XBR Powder.
Watson, this is empty 1970 or 1980's brass that I loaded in 2021 with IMR 8208 XBR Powder.
If you ever see this on the out side of a loaded case, it is best to investigate.
found this.
Only a few of the cases had external corrosion. All of the corrosion shows gunpowder breakdown, which produces NOx gas. One case, the pressures caused by the production of NOx was enough to push NOx out of the case. Maybe the case neck was looser. Once the gas was out, it lingered and corroded the outside of the case.One of the spectrum of NOx chemicals is nitrogen dioxide. When water molecules (humidity) bump into NO2, that produces nitric acid gas.
All the bullet bases were corroded.
Powder does not look back, except for a few green spots.
Now, would you shoot this powder? I do not recommend it.
found this.
Only a few of the cases had external corrosion. All of the corrosion shows gunpowder breakdown, which produces NOx gas. One case, the pressures caused by the production of NOx was enough to push NOx out of the case. Maybe the case neck was looser. Once the gas was out, it lingered and corroded the outside of the case.One of the spectrum of NOx chemicals is nitrogen dioxide. When water molecules (humidity) bump into NO2, that produces nitric acid gas.
All the bullet bases were corroded.
Powder does not look back, except for a few green spots.
Now, would you shoot this powder? I do not recommend it.
.45Coltguy
Member
Not a chance I'd shoot that powder. And went kaput in nine years!? Dang.
I have decided to can the powder cause I have trouble identifying it so onto the lawn it goes for fertilizer. I will use new powder and new bullets. Don't want to take any chances. Thanks for you replies, my corrosion was just little, pin head size corroded spots, but they polished out with scotch brite and 000 steel wool, and Never dull. They will look new. BTW all metal polish has ammonia in it, just make sure you wipe off the outside.
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