Discolored brass

[divingin]

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

A lot of reports of just that. Not sure what the mechanism is that would cause it, but enough people have reported it that I accept that it could happen.

I would say to load up a few and see how they do. If no problems, then load the rest.

 

[JB10]

Clean it with some never dull. Works amazing

 

[Doom]

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

Age hardening of brass is a term that is used often but is misunderstood. In a "clean" environment the brass will not harden but if it is exposed to certain chemicals, ammonia or urea in particular, it will harden and corrode. The failure mechanism is stress corrosion cracking. The failure shown in the photo from @243winxb displays this type of failure.

 

[COLT45SA]

Age hardening of brass is a term that is used often but is misunderstood. In a "clean" environment the brass will not harden but if it is exposed to certain chemicals, ammonia or urea in particular, it will harden and corrode. The failure mechanism is stress corrosion cracking. The failure shown in the photo from @243winxb displays this type of failure.

They cleaned up nicely with 0000 steel followed by Flitz pretty nicely. Thankfully they weren't the cartridges I use for accuracy~!

 

[dteamer]

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.

Use a Lee universal chuck in a drill and polish with steel wool or scotch bright pad

 

[searcher]

If the brass is merely tarnished, do nothing. Just tumble it after the next firing. don't use any WD-40 as you want your case to "stick" to the chamber walls when it is fired, not getting pushed back without friction because the cases have slick surface. Cases that have mottled bluish/brassy coloration is spots might indicate corrosion that is deeper than surface tarnish. Might get one of the worst cases and try to scrape anything off the surface like peeling a potato. If the surface, after scraping, comes out bright brass color, you are good. If the corrosion seems to go deeper than the surface, your brass might have problems.