Discolored loaded cartriges

napg19 · October 19, 2020, 06:35 PM

I hope I'm putting this in the right section.
I have 2000 rounds of American Eagle .223, 55gr. cartridges that were stored in original boxs in a metal cabinet inside the house for 3 years. I went to transfer cartridges to ammo can and discard the boxes. All of these cartridges have little to a good amount of dark brown discoloring on them. Local gun shop said not to worry, they are still good to shoot. I would like another opinion please.
Now the stupid question. I don't need shiny brass. But would it be safe to buy a tumbler, not the vibrator kind, and tumble loaded cartridges for a minute or two just to satisfy my OCD?
All help is always appreciated. These cartridges will be shot in a AR15 if that matters.
Thanks.

**44 AMP** · October 19, 2020, 07:15 PM

Think about it for a moment, do you really think its a good idea to TUMBLE loose live ammo loaded with FMJ pointed bullets???

Discolored, how? (pic??)

Surface discoloration from cheap cardboard is one thing. Actual corrosion is another.

Any chance you are mistaking the color left by the brass annealing process for a discoloration?

napg19 · October 19, 2020, 07:55 PM

I took a good pic on phone but do not know how to send it to the thread. Help please.

**Aguila Blanca** · October 19, 2020, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

Think about it for a moment, do you really think its a good idea to TUMBLE loose live ammo loaded with FMJ pointed bullets???

Lots of people do just that, to remove case lube.

50 shooter · October 19, 2020, 09:16 PM

All the major ammo manufacturers tumble loaded ammo, gets rid of case lube, dirt, grime... whatever it might've picked up along the way.

It's perfectly safe to do and this myth was busted years ago, yet it still makes It's rounds every year on the interwebz.

Geezerbiker · October 19, 2020, 09:57 PM

I think what you are seeing is tarnish and that's not the same as corrosion. If you don't feel safe shooting them, send them to me for disposal.

In all seriousness, there's nothing wrong with them...

Tony

**44 AMP** · October 19, 2020, 10:57 PM

My first case tumbler was a Thumber's Tumbler, the kind made for polishing rocks. Seeing what the cases did convinced me that tumbling anything hard and pointed with live primers wasn't a good idea. The risk might be ultra low, but it looks risky to me.

Changing to one of the vibrating "tumblers" after a decade or so made a big difference to me. The brass simply isn't "picked up and dropped" inside the tumbler like it was with the rock tumbler, and I'm not worried about it now, though I still don't tumble live ammo, I see no need.

I tumble before sizing to remove dirt & grit, then again after sizing to remove the lube. Once that is done, I load and don't need to tumble as there's no lube on the loaded rounds to remove.

I am, however not loading on a progressive press. I gave that up as a poor idea a couple decades ago.

buck460XVR · October 20, 2020, 08:35 AM

The "dark Brown" is just what copper does when the shine is gone. If it were green as with corrosion, I would be concerned.

October 19, 2020, 06:35 PM	#1
napg19 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 431	Discolored loaded cartriges I hope I'm putting this in the right section. I have 2000 rounds of American Eagle .223, 55gr. cartridges that were stored in original boxs in a metal cabinet inside the house for 3 years. I went to transfer cartridges to ammo can and discard the boxes. All of these cartridges have little to a good amount of dark brown discoloring on them. Local gun shop said not to worry, they are still good to shoot. I would like another opinion please. Now the stupid question. I don't need shiny brass. But would it be safe to buy a tumbler, not the vibrator kind, and tumble loaded cartridges for a minute or two just to satisfy my OCD? All help is always appreciated. These cartridges will be shot in a AR15 if that matters. Thanks.

October 19, 2020, 07:15 PM	#2
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	Think about it for a moment, do you really think its a good idea to TUMBLE loose live ammo loaded with FMJ pointed bullets??? Discolored, how? (pic??) Surface discoloration from cheap cardboard is one thing. Actual corrosion is another. Any chance you are mistaking the color left by the brass annealing process for a discoloration? __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 19, 2020, 09:16 PM	#5
50 shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: SoCal PRK Posts: 986	All the major ammo manufacturers tumble loaded ammo, gets rid of case lube, dirt, grime... whatever it might've picked up along the way. It's perfectly safe to do and this myth was busted years ago, yet it still makes It's rounds every year on the interwebz. __________________ I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging.

October 19, 2020, 10:57 PM	#7
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	My first case tumbler was a Thumber's Tumbler, the kind made for polishing rocks. Seeing what the cases did convinced me that tumbling anything hard and pointed with live primers wasn't a good idea. The risk might be ultra low, but it looks risky to me. Changing to one of the vibrating "tumblers" after a decade or so made a big difference to me. The brass simply isn't "picked up and dropped" inside the tumbler like it was with the rock tumbler, and I'm not worried about it now, though I still don't tumble live ammo, I see no need. I tumble before sizing to remove dirt & grit, then again after sizing to remove the lube. Once that is done, I load and don't need to tumble as there's no lube on the loaded rounds to remove. I am, however not loading on a progressive press. I gave that up as a poor idea a couple decades ago. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 19, 2020, 07:55 PM	#3
napg19 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 431	I took a good pic on phone but do not know how to send it to the thread. Help please.

October 19, 2020, 09:57 PM	#6
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	I think what you are seeing is tarnish and that's not the same as corrosion. If you don't feel safe shooting them, send them to me for disposal. In all seriousness, there's nothing wrong with them... Tony

October 20, 2020, 08:35 AM	#8
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	The "dark Brown" is just what copper does when the shine is gone. If it were green as with corrosion, I would be concerned.