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Corrosion on lead ammo harmful?
TWalker
Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
Today I bought about 10 boxes of ammo that was made in the 50's and 60's. All the lead bullets have a white powdery residue on them. How should I clean this off and is anything to be concerned with? Thanks for any advice. Also bought a hundred or so paper shotgun shells and some plastic shells with cardboard discs at the mouth. Would these be safe to shoot? One more thing. Can Colt 32 New Police ammo be fired in 32 S&W Long revolvers? Thanks!
Comments
I can't answer the Colt.32NewPolice vs. .32S&W Long ammo question, however:
The shotgun shells should be safe to shoot in any modern gun of the correct gauge. If they fail to fire, be careful of "hang fires". If you don't know what this is, it is a situation wherein the firing pin strikes the primer, the primer fully or partially detonates but the powder charge does not behave as it should. The powder catches the spark but does not immediately detonate. It can be from one to a few seconds or as long as a minute or ninety seconds. If you have a failure to fire with this old paper ammo, keep your gun pointed safely downrange for about ninety seconds, then eject the dud. If you more than a few duds, toss'em all. Also, who knows what the history of the shells are. They may havee gotten damp and then dried any number of times over the years.
The corrosion on the lead bullets should not be a real problem to remove. You want to get it off because it can get on your hands and enter your body if you touch your mouth, eyes, dig in your nose or butt crack[:D]. The bullets should still shoot okay unless they were stored in a really damp place. Be careful with the powdery lead oxide. Wash your hands well after you are done. You are using the WD-40 (see below)so the lead oxide does not get airborne and you inhale it. You may also wish to use a particle mask when you do this job.
Put on some latex gloves, soak a paper towel or cloth lightly with WD-40 and scrub them with it. Don't soak the cartridges with WD-40 as the stuff will penetrate in around the primer and could inactivate the primer.
if they do go off, youre gonna love that old musty smell.[8D]
Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
Former NSSA All American
Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
MO, CT, VA.