Discolored brass

[COLT45SA]

I have some brass that was cleaned, resized, trimmed, and reprimed about 20 years ago. Over time it has turned darker (oxidized), and I was wondering how to clean it up again before loading the powder and bullet. Or should I just wipe it down with a cloth dampened with WD-40 and finish the loading~?

 

[powderbrake]

I would not use WD40, you end up with oily cases.
If they are only discolored, use them as is.
If you have a lot of heavy oxidation, or feel they are too messed up to chamber properly, then tumble them with some polish in the media, and resize and reprime.
Or, polish them individually with a rag and Simicrome or Flitz.

 

[D-4297]

Clean them up with some lighter fluid on a rag to remove any built up dirt or junk , and shoot them . Then do a normal processing .

 

[M-61]

I have some brass that was cleaned, resized, trimmed, and reprimed about 20 years ago. Over time it has turned darker (oxidized), and I was wondering how to clean it up again before loading the powder and bullet. Or should I just wipe it down with a cloth dampened with WD-40 and finish the loading~?

Oxidation? Do you have just discolored or a powder film?
I have some 45Colt brass that was ready to be primed and loaded 35 years ago. It was kept in the cardboard containers from that period. No discolored or oxidized ones. Absolutely not kept in stable conditions in 5 different homes.
If riflewoman was still with I’m sure she’d have the answer to what has happened over the years to yours.

 

[Webster]

I have some brass that was cleaned, resized, trimmed, and reprimed about 20 years ago. Over time it has turned darker (oxidized), and I was wondering how to clean it up again before loading the powder and bullet. Or should I just wipe it down with a cloth dampened with WD-40 and finish the loading~?

The oxidized layer should be microscopic in thickness and cause no problems. It's cosmetic.

 

[451whitworth]

citric acid

 

[Rset]

I could personally care less if my brass is shinny or not. Target doesn't seem to care.

 

[243winxb]

I have some brass that was cleaned, resized, trimmed, and reprimed about 20 years ago.

Fine steel wool to clean primed brass. Then wipe with clean towel. I would not load to many. Over 20 years,brass may not do well. Watch for split necks.

 

[Rset]

Over 20 years,brass may not do well. Watch for split necks.

Does brass somehow harden with age? I would say NO!
Still have some rounds 40 years old that shoot just fine.

 

[243winxb]

Does brass somehow harden with age? I would say NO!

The point is, dont load a lot of rounds, till you know the brsss is good.

 

[Alguapo]

Chem bath in a sonic cleaner and about 2 hours in a vibrator with corn cobb media and brass cleaner should do the trick. Oooops . I'm bad. Didn't see they were already primed. Don't take em to the bath and corn media.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Folks, his brass is primed. I don't think he wants to ruin those primers. Yes old loaded brass can have problems due to the brass being in contact with the bullet jacket, necks coming off or split necks.

If its just the darkening color of the brass, load and shoot, If it has a powdery feel, then hand clean with an old rag and something like starter fluid, carb cleaner etc.

Frank

 

[COLT45SA]

Folks, his brass is primed. I don't think he wants to ruin those primers. Yes old loaded brass can have problems due to the brass being in contact with the bullet jacket, necks coming off or split necks.

If its just the darkening color of the brass, load and shoot, If it has a powdery feel, then hand clean with an old rag and something like starter fluid, carb cleaner etc.

Frank

Glad you at least recognized that the brass has new primers. I saw one response recommending going over each one with 0000 steel wool. That makes sense too. I'm still thinking that a final wipe down with a rag dampened with WD-40 or Ballistol, perhaps after loading the powder and bullet.

 

[Flouncer]

The point is, dont load a lot of rounds, till you know the brsss is good.

If you espouse and believe that then any brass is suspect.

 

[dellet]

The coloring of the brass would not bother me one bit, as long as someone didn’t wipe it down with WD-40, 20 years ago for storage. That would be the only reason to spend time cleaning.

I would be more worried about how the brass was stored, what might cause the likely oxidation. Moisture won’t hurt the brass, but the primers might be questionable.

As far as “old brass” goes, I routinely load and shoot brass in excess of 50 years old, often well over 100 years and originally used for black powder. Splits rarely happen and are more often caused by fatigue or out of spec chambers.

When you shoot brass that has been fired so many times the headstamps can’t be read, a split neck or case body is not a surprise.

 

[Zero333]

If you're able to post a picture of the brass it will tell us everything we need to know without assumptions.
If it was loaded ammo that has not had any sealer like surplus ammo then that's a different story.
But since the brass is only primed it should be good to go... key word is "SHOULD", because we can't see inside the brass.
If inside the brass you see greenish staining then I wouldn't use it. If it looks like it's just grey inside then it should be good.

 

[bozo699]

I could personally care less if my brass is shinny or not. Target doesn't seem to care.

^^^^^^^^^
Wayne

 

[bozo699]

If it were me and it bothered me I would chuck it in a drill or power screwdriver and some 0000 steel wool
Wayne

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

shoot it.

then throw it in a vibratory tumbler with some corn cob media and flitz and forget about it for 12 hours. problem solved

 

[243winxb]

Brass will turn brown, and stay brown & brittle using this very old NRA publication recipe. It calls for 2 cups of water, 1 cup of white vinegar, 1TBS salt, and 1tsp dish detergent. Wash for 10 minutes, rinse, and dry. Happens over time, a slow process, on stored ammo/brass.

Annealing will not correct the damage, nor will trying to pollish it.