Cleaning Verdigris on 22lr

[barrabruce]

A friend who put a water camel or humidity collector in with his stash of 22lr.
He wished he put it in another container as it had an unseen fracture and leaked.
Did this to some of his 22lr.

It contained calcium oxide? Maybe.

Can I use a spinning soft wheel to get some of it off the lesser effected ones?
I can re lube if needed.

I would only use them in the 22lr I hate most and don’t love.

The real bad ones I thought I could keep the lead for melting and powder of the same sort/variety and maybe load a few rounds of cast or maybe use it as a kicker charge for powder that doesn’t want to burn that well.

Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
Bruce.

P.s. thought it might be wise before I need a metal articulated hand or glass eye ball.

[Randy Bohannon]

Corn cobb or walnut media in a case vibrator for a hour or so should clean them up enough to shoot. I would also get them shot up pretty soon at least the worst ones. Lesson learned ?

[Sasquatch-1]

If you have access to a wet tumbler, it should get most of that pretty clean. Might take a few hours. I have picked up some of the nastiest looking brass on the range and gotten close to pristine with the wet tumbler.

[JimB..]

Bullets aren’t sealed, so wet on the outside means probably wet on the inside and as you know, that stuff is pretty caustic.

I’d toss it, not worth the trouble. If I wanted to shoot it I’d dry tumble as suggested above, expect FTFs and squibs while shooting, and then clean the gun with hot water after shooting.

[Sasquatch-1]

Sorry. I didn't realize they were loaded rounds. Old eyes. Wet tumbling may not be the answer. If you don't want to shoot them, pull the bullet, save the lead, toss the powder on the flowers and recycle the brass.

[barrabruce]

Thanks.
So what’s toxic the Verdigris or calcium oxide?

I don’t own or use any type of brass cleaning machinery at all.


I might just toss them in something liquid to make them inert and be safer that way.
Oil maybe?
I don’t just want to dump them as they are.
Thanks all.
Bruce

[Finster101]

Thanks.
So what’s toxic the Verdigris or calcium oxide?

I don’t own or use any type of brass cleaning machinery at all.


I might just toss them in something liquid to make them inert and be safer that way.
Oil maybe?
I don’t just want to dump them as they are.
Thanks all.
Bruce

Automatic trans fluid will penetrate better than oil to render them inert.

[Patrick L]

I've cleaned up smaller quantities with a stainless toothbrush and alcohol. Possibly vinegar would work too, but my thought was that alcohol would evaporate and not introduce as much moisture.

All of the ammo I ever did was oxidized by time, not extreme wet exposure. I agree that .22 ammo likely isn't watertight. Two things to consider
1. It might be all for nothing, ammo may already be dead.
2. I would do only as much as I want to shoot at a time (ie say 50rds). That way your cleaning won't be as likely to kill the ammo.

And also, this would be strictly plinking ammo if it works at all.

[Hick]

I've found unfired 22LR at our local range that have been lying around wet in the weather a long time-- cases completely blackened. I brush off the dirt and shoot them. Never had one fail to fire. My oldest son, a long time police officer, keeps old 22 ammo around he acquired years ago in a garage sale that looks worse than what you have and lets his boys shoot it-- also without problems. Crappy looking cases don't mean there's anything wrong with the ammo.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Verdigris is toxic, but you have to get it on your fingers and then into your mouth.

DG

[stubshaft]

I'd throw them in a coffee can and let the kids plink with them when they visit!

[Minerat]

Throw some dry sand in the can and swirl till cleaner. It will get the grunge off then wipe them down.

[ulav8r]

Years ago had a brick of 22LR in the trunk of my car for a few months. Had an undiscovered leak in the rear window for a while. When I took the brick out it was dry but wrinkled from being wet. When firing them I had about a 8-10% failure to fire rate.

[georgerkahn]

Throw some dry sand in the can and swirl till cleaner. It will get the grunge off then wipe them down.

I have done this, what Minerat suggested, with success. I once had some .22 auto ammo for an antique Winchester (both now but memories ) which also was pretty nasty looking. I took a wood dowel, bored a hole in end a smidgen smaller than the bullet, made a vertical slit in dowel with a jeweler's saw; and then was able to chuck a dowel-held bullet into my drill press. It was quite a quick and successful operation to stick a round in; start the press; apply a hand-held wrap of steel wool; remove; and insert another.... etc., etc., etc.
I was lucky as I only had about 20-30 bullets to clean up and shoot. OP has quite a larger collection, but this MIGHT work? Bion, too, after I steel-wooled them all, I put some Imperial wax on my fingers and very lightly coated all in hopes to arrest any further degradation.
geo

[barrabruce]

Thank you one and all.
I have some more things to try.

I did pull the projectiles on a few of the real manky looking ones and alas the powder had been wet by the way the powder stuck to one side of the brass and had a white coating on it.
Some seemed all good.
This is mostly Winchester bulk hp ammo and ww super x rn and they have a black poppy seed type powder in them.

I will probably make a few different piles according to type and state of decrepitness.

Yes it has been a lesson learned from my friend.

This may take me some time to do. But I will endeavour to let you’s know how it turns out.

Rain is coming ,so I may get to it soon.

[BLAHUT]

Pull the bullets dump the powder save for garden fertlizer??

[uscra112]

Jeeez, I wouldn't expose ammo with outside lube to sand!

[barrabruce]

Well I tried tumbling some of the worst looking ones in a drum with sand and a diagonally wedged stick in it.
Sorta worked a bit. With proper medium maybe.


I made headway with a wire brush with the nose stuck into 4mm flexible garden water line.
I spin on a polishing disk with the nose and they only need a little lube.

Next I’ll may try shooting some.
I pulled some real bad ones and yes they had water in them but we’re dry.
The lesser damaged ones should come up better.
I think this could be the way to do say 50 at a time.
I like the wire tooth brush idea as I think it would work well.

[Sasquatch-1]

I think this calls for a trip to the pawn shop and picking up a cheap single shot .22 rifle. You don't want to mess up anything nice.

[barrabruce]

Only if it was that simple like the good old days.
Now you will probably have to wait 3-6 mths for a permit to Aquire then wait another 6 mths for the firearms register to approve the purchase and put it on your list.
Lots of hurry up and weight.

I have a 22lr I don’t feel any affection for.
I did test some out…but I found the scope base loose when I came home.
So I’ll have to wait to see if I have been successfull.
I ended up with a couple of hundred not worth shooting ones.
But the other 500 seam good enough with a little lube for blazing away at things.
I have very rarely ever used high velocity 22’s for anything.
Give me some trigger time if nothing else.