Tarnished bullets

[Papabear55]

I recently noticed after a moose hunt that a bullet that had been chamber for a few days had some blue corrosion around the bullet. Was a swift a frame. Bullet feels a little rough where its tarnished, chamber is clean and whatnot. Pretty sure it just got moist in the alaskan rain. Should i toss the bullet or just send it?

 

[enysse]

I would send it, the rain and moisture just discolored the bullet.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Moisture discoloration. See this all the time on my ammo riding in my pocket. Send it all day long. If it were .22 it would go to the practice pile, but since it's probably a gigantic thunder of the gods round, it should be okay. I like cleaning my firearms after a rainy hunt or a dusty one. I never go more than two days without firearm maintenance. It keeps me out of trouble.

 

[Papabear55]

Moisture discoloration. See this all the time on my ammo riding in my pocket. Send it all day long. If it were .22 it would go to the practice pile, but since it's probably a gigantic thunder of the gods round, it should be okay. I like cleaning my firearms after a rainy hunt or a dusty one. I never go more than two days without firearm maintenance. It keeps me out of trouble.

I usually give basic wipe downs and maintenance after each day or so. Rifle sat in the house more than it was in the woods this time unfortunately, due to other things coming up

 

[matt85]

bullet is fine.

Swift uses pure copper which is more prone to corroding then other jackets.

-matt

 

[bruce moulds]

did you leave the rifle loaded for a few days, or unload when not hunting?
bruce.

 

[BeeMaa]

The cause of the blue-green corrosion is electrochemical.
Low pH (acidic) water/moisture present in the chamber is reacting with the copper.
It matters very little what kind of bullet it was as long as it had a copper jacket.

As long as the corrosion was on the surface and wiped off easily, I'd use it.
If you can feel where the corrosion was, and see where it ate into the bullet...
This means it has gone beyond the surface and I'd move it to the practice pile.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Shoot it! My hunting buddy who borrowed my .338 WM for a Newfoundland hunt did the same thing and gave me some of his tarnished bullets. I shot em! I’ve had some .338s with dented shoulders from having them in my pocket with a pocket knife, and when I would kneel down the knife dented the shoulders. Didn’t know what had caused the denting at the time. I shot them and the shoulders fire formed back to the original case specs. Brass is very forgiving.

 

[Rum Runner]

bullet is fine.

Swift uses pure copper which is more prone to corroding then other jackets.

-matt

Which makes me ask, shouldn't we be using a copper bore cleaner (like Bore Tech) after shooting A-Frames too? Just wondering...

 

[bruce moulds]

ceh,
we should use it.
bruce.

 

[D.M.V]

After trying a few copper removers. I found bore tech. Sold !!!! Works wonders and is easy to use indoors. No foul ammonia smell.

 

[Nhoro]

If it is green/blue verdigris, I have used a cloth with a little vinegar on it to clean cases/bullets. If it were a long range bullet, you may notice a little difference but I very much doubt that a little rough surface will show any deviation at 300 m. Don't use ammonia based bored cleaners or brass polishes-they react with the brass and may weaken it.

 

[bruce moulds]

i still wonder why a round was left in the chamber that long.
sounds a little unsafe for a number of reasons, not to mention firing pin spring compression.
bruce.

 

[Forrest Halley]

i still wonder why a round was left in the chamber that long.
sounds a little unsafe for a number of reasons, not to mention firing pin spring compression.
bruce.

You've got to be kidding about this whole post. Cycles weaken springs, not compression. Loaded firearms in bear country are much safer than unloaded ones. Perhaps you are unaware just how dangerous moose can be. I'd have left my gun loaded too.

 

[fourfive8]

Been there done that a lot in those type conditions. I wouldn't worry about the ammo. If the ammo tarnished inside the chamber... I'd worry about the chamber/bore. I'm having trouble visualizing that much corrosion to brass or copper in that short a time. Is there more to the story?

 

[bruce moulds]

You've got to be kidding about this whole post. Cycles weaken springs, not compression. Loaded firearms in bear country are much safer than unloaded ones. Perhaps you are unaware just how dangerous moose can be. I'd have left my gun loaded too.

i believe leaving a spring compressed will weaken its strike.
target rifle shooters mostly decompress them upon bolt removal.
as for safety, leaving one up the spout except when firing a shot leaves a lot to be desired.
it takes little time to get a round out of the magazine.
a gunshot wound can be awfully permanent.
i and those around me unload before entering a camp.
bruce.

 

[Forrest Halley]

i believe leaving a spring compressed will weaken its strike.
target rifle shooters mostly decompress them upon bolt removal.
as for safety, leaving one up the spout except when firing a shot leaves a lot to be desired.
it takes little time to get a round out of the magazine.
a gunshot wound can be awfully permanent.
i and those around me unload before entering a camp.
bruce.

I always evaluate the situation before unloading the rifle.
So many people say it only takes a second to load and that's highly optimistic at zero dark thirty when the gates are crashing in.
"Target rifle shooters"...pretty much ends the discussion right there doesn't it? People who compromise the reliability of their firearms in the name of accuracy should not be looked to for advice on the former.

 

[bruce moulds]

they are needing reliable firearms too, and making sure ignition is such.
bruce.

 

[Shawn.54]

I have used have had that happen to Nosler Accubonds in my sons 35 Whelen around the plastic tip while the bullets were still in the box when I contacted them they told me that it was from chemical in bonding process and that it would not affect bullet performance but they would replace them if I wished. They said if I mailed them back they would replace but I decided to just use them. A frames are bonded also and I imagine same process is used so if they did not get properly cleaned after bonding it could cause the blue green tarnish to appear.
Shawn

 

[fourfive8]

Certainly possible. If it's just residual flux from the bonding process or even cleaning/tumbling solution, the tarnishing will show even in dry conditions. I've never seen it with Swifts but once in a while other brands. Just wipe it off and not worry about it.