Corroded and unserviceable 30-06 ammo.

[flounderman]

the red primers are corrosive , iff it hasn't been mentioned

[Got-R-Did]

With the exception of WRA M2AP which converted to N/C in June, 1954, all Cal. .30 ammunition delivered to the D.o.D. was Non Corrosive as of mid to late 1952.
All Mil-Spec USGI ammo uses an asphaltic sealant at the case neck/bullet juncture.
Got-R-Did.

[chboats]

Not all mil ammo stores were well. I had some LC77 Match, after 20 years of storage it varied from whiff to excessive pressures (difficult to open the bolt). Pulled the bullets, some, the powder was loose and poured out fine. Others were caked and had to dug out with a stick.

Carl

[Wild Bill 7]

Jmho, if there is any green crud around the primer, pull them. I have about 700 WWII 30-06 rounds that about 30 rounds had the crud around the primer. Pulled them and the powder was tainted. The rest are ok. Took a lot of time to pull them and reload each one with non corrossive primers but it was worth it. Shot about 20 so far and they were impressively accurate. Not too bad for ammo that is over 70 years old.

[MtGun44]

Machine gun ammo is NOT loaded to higher pressure.
Tumble and try. All the factories tumble loaded ammo.

[lefty o]

Machine gun ammo is NOT loaded to higher pressure.
Tumble and try. All the factories tumble loaded ammo.

all factories do not tumble loaded ammo!

[toot]

NEVER, NEVER tumble live ammo!! the guys are right, it breaks down the powder and changes the burning rate, and can cause a terrible spike in pressure! use 4000 steel wool and light oil, it will amaze you how clean they clean up.

[M-Tecs]

None of the testing that I can find shows any pressure spikes. I would be very interested in any actual confirmation of powder breakdown and pressure spikes.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=119371

http://www.americanhunter.org/articl...mmo-dangerous/

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300510

Can you tumble live ammo in a vibratory cleaner?

Yeah I it's been re-hashed to death, but no one has put up any of the usual links yet.
So here's some light reading on the subject.

One of the best, most conclusive tests on tumbled live ammo and possible powder deterioration that I have seen.
Tumbling live ammo Tumbler O' truth - EXTREME edition 200 hour torture test.

My impression on the issue, is that it's not an issue.

Here's another thread.
Chronograph results. Tumbled vs non tumbled live ammunition.
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/i.../t-498890.html

Links were mined from the last Cast Boolits "Can you tumble live Ammunition" thread that I bothered to read/search for.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ling-live-ammo

When I worked for a small reloading company, we always vibratory tumbled ALL of our loaded ammo. Doing so made it look new, nice and shiny before being boxed up, shrink wrapped, and placed on a pallet to be shipped or sold. Many other ammunition manufacturers do this same thing. Vibratory tumbling live ammo never caused any problems that we experienced, and I saw most of the common mistakes and accidents that can occur during the loading process.

I've tumbled my own loaded ammunition for many years with no problems to speak of. Lately I simply wipe my cast hand loads down. It seems like I only tumble jacketed stuff these days, or really oxidized funky ammunition.

A cap full of your favorite automotive wax in the tumbling media keeps brass that's not stored in air tight containers looking shiny and new for a good amount of time.

[1911cherry]

Boy this one turned into a dumpster fire didn't it? If you have not already just wipe em down and shoot em. What ever happens please let us all know what you did, fwiw I tumble old ammo and shoot it to get the brass ,no kabooms yet....

[OptimusPanda]

I had totally forgotten about this project until today! (other reloading projects have taken priority since the thread started) I do have a handful of them cleaned up. I just used a little solvent on a patch and maybe 70% of the crust comes off em. I intend to try them a couple at a time and see if they still fire acceptably. Otherwise, I picked up a used rcbs collet puller and collet if it comes to taking them apart. I did pull one for fun and the bullet had a black sealant between it and the inside of the case neck. The powder looked fine and had not visibly degraded. I'm not sure about the primer yet. I wanted to use a cutoff wheel and sacrifice the case from the round I pulled to see if the corrosion had gotten to the inside but I didn't, and doubt it did.

[N4AUD]

I wonder how much "tumbling" ammo gets in the military, riding in trucks and tanks and whatnot going off road and on dirt roads and everywhere else. I've never heard of an issue with it, and some of that stuff goes through a lot more abuse than a couple of hours in a tumbler. I do recall reading in Guns and Ammo back in the 70's or 80's warning about carrying cartridges in a vehicle but I think tumbling ammunition for a short time won't hurt it at all. I tumble my handloaded rounds to remove sizing oil, and I've never had a problem.

[Geezer in NH]

For the do not tumble guys. Never ever buy clean old ammo from big surplus sellers. Duh it is all been tumbled.

By they way don't shoot any ammo that has been transported in any vehicle used on rough roads.