Lapua Brass Ruined??

[Dirt_Nap]

I bought 2 boxes (100 each) probably 2 years ago. Never opened the boxes until today and they look rough. Some are shiny, some are tarnished while others look crusty. I live in AZ in the desert so I wouldn't think it's the humidity. I'm going to run it in a tumbler but any ideas?

 

[snox801]

I think those will clean up fine. Tumble overnight and see what happens

 

[PddPdd]

Run them for one hour and then judge how much longer you need to tumble them. Some have had issues with a long tumbling duration.

 

[Dirt_Nap]

Is just tumbled them for about a hour and they look great. No idea what caused it but we are good. Thx!

 

[Bucklowery]

I still have questions. Why some and not others? Was it tarnish and if so why did it not affect the others

Thanks

Buck

 

[MagnumManiac]

Many things in the environment and or solvents/polishes can oxidise brass over time if left on the surface.
Tarnishing is no big deal, but corrosion is another story all together.

Nosler used to use a red oxide polish for their bullets, if left on the surface it would leave black marks wherever it was left, over time, verdigris would start a corrosion process similar to electrolysis, where 2 metals cause oxidation. It also softened plastic tips…

Cheers.

 

[Dirt_Nap]

I still have questions. Why some and not others? Was it tarnish and if so why did it not affect the others

Thanks

Buck

Very good question. I've never seen it before. I wet tumbled it and looks good as new

 

[Rosebud]

They were exposed to something corrosive? Were they stored near some old powder? Or some other nasty stuff?
I've had powder go bad and corrode everything in the cabinet with it. The stuff corroded the metal lid off of the plastic can. Then went to work on everything else.

 

[rcg5076]

Was the box setting on a concrete floor or close to it? I have had this happen to me in a dry enclosed gun room inside of a garage in West texas. The brass came into contact with moisture form a sourse that omitts it.

 

[joelpend]

They were exposed to something corrosive? Were they stored near some old powder? Or some other nasty stuff?
I've had powder go bad and corrode everything in the cabinet with it. The stuff corroded the metal lid off of the plastic can. Then went to work on everything else.

Was it VV Powder? I have had and know of several experiences with VV going bad and it gases off with super corrosive acidic gases. Everything exposed to this is rusted, corroded, etc. Bullet jackets and cases look dark just like the pictured brass. I put some litmus strips in the bad powder and it pegged zero. Take a sniff and it would burn like strong ammoniated bore cleaners.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Do you have a swamp cooler down there in the sand box?

 

[Rosebud]

Was it VV Powder? I have had and know of several experiences with VV going bad and it gases off with super corrosive acidic gases. Everything exposed to this is rusted, corroded, etc. Bullet jackets and cases look dark just like the pictured brass. I put some litmus strips in the bad powder and it pegged zero. Take a sniff and it would burn like strong ammoniated bore cleaners.

No, imr 4007sc. It had been recalled. I'd saw the recall and had two pounds of it. I just forgot about it. Opened the cabinet with the stuff in it and the smell was pretty bad. Every thing made of metal in the cabinet had corrosion on it. The lid was nothing but fine powder around the base of one of the cans. The other one was in the process of doing the same. Scope rings, bases, tools. What a mess. I'm just happy no contender barrels were in there. Took me days to clean up everything.

 

[quigley257]

It's interesting how certain chemicals can off-gas and affect stuff that's not even in contact with it other than the air, especially in a semi enclosed space. That looks like what may have happened to yours. I process a lot of 5.56 and 9mm military brass. I usually do rather large batches at each session. After all the prep, trimming, chamfer and deburr, crimp removal, etc, I wet tumble it with stainless chips to clean them up, then immediately dry tumble them in fine corn cob media which has been treated with Nu-Finish Car Polish. This is a two-fold operation as it dries the cases after wet tumbling and it applies a protective finish on the brass that keeps it bright, shiny and corrosion resistant. I have pulled out and used bags of brass that I prepped 10 years ago that still look like new.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

It's interesting how certain chemicals can off-gas and affect stuff that's not even in contact with it other than the air, especially in a semi enclosed space. That looks like what may have happened to yours. I process a lot of 5.56 and 9mm military brass. I usually do rather large batches at each session. After all the prep, trimming, chamfer and deburr, crimp removal, etc, I wet tumble it with stainless chips to clean them up, then immediately dry tumble them in fine corn cob media which has been treated with Nu-Finish Car Polish. This is a two-fold operation as it dries the cases after wet tumbling and it applies a protective finish on the brass that keeps it bright, shiny and corrosion resistant. I have pulled out and used bags of brass that I prepped 10 years ago that still look like new.

I had lasagna last night. The chemicals in it made me off-gas.