Can you "tumble or vibrate" to clean lead bullets?

[Waldog]

About 15 years ago I cast some 11mm bullets for a Model 71 Mauser. They were not sized or lubed. I stored them in a tin and now they look frosty white and slightly corroded. Can these be restored to "shootable" by a visit in my tumbler? Or, would you just re-melt and re-cast??

[NuJudge]

I've not noticed any problems with pressures, Leading or accuracy from Lead bullets that have been sitting and oxidized.

Wash your hands after handling, thought.

CDD

[Jim]

Lead oxide is a SERIOUS abrasive. You might can tumble the oxide off, but keep in mind that when any metal oxidizes, the surface is destroyed in the process. If they were mine, I'd throw 'em in the melt and start over.

[Lloyd Smale]

Your going to imbed dust and grit in those cast bullets. Dont do it.

[Waldog]

Thanks guys! I'll re-melt and start over!!

[shotstring]

I mentioned this in another post. Tumbling in a rotary tumbler with torn up pieces or strips of newspaper (tear it fresh yourself - you need those fresh edges) eliminates all those dust and grit problems with media and works very well for loaded rounds with cast bullets. I have never tried it with just bullets by themselves but I think it would work better than just about anything else.

[StanDahl]

I have had two separate instances where corroded lubed bullets have been more accurate than the same uncorroded bullet. They had actually grown to where they were oversize due to the action of the lube working on them. I resized them and shot them, and they worked great! Stan

[stubert]

I tumble my bullets after I cast them to get the frost off. doesn't damage them at all and leaves them a dull gray. I've never done corroded ons.