Would you shoot this ammo? 22LR

G

golfnutrlv

New member
Title says it all. A friend gave me this ammo some time ago when he left for basic. I pulled it out of my stash this morning, and apparently it was moist when put away.

Would you shoot this? I have thought of running it through my tumbler with corn cob media to clean it up before shooting.



Thanks all!
 
If it was anything other than 22LR I might try and find a way to salvage it. 22LR is too inexpensive to spend time fixing, IMO.
 
Likely pass on these !!!

I guess you have to ask yourself; What "could" go wrong if I shoot it? Depending on it's use, I think that most problem presented, would be minor but there are others that would present serious problems. When I was a day-old Boot, I'd probably shoot it. Today I'm sitting pretty good on ammo so would pass on it. Before attempting to clean, I'd weed out the really nasty looking ones, separate them from the rest of your "plinkers" not use in an semi-auto and watch every shot. ... :eek:

Wow !!!
Now I have to ask myself; Is it worth it ???

Be Safe !!!
 
Moisture leaches chemicals out of smokeless powder, and causes it to crystallize on the surface of the powder granules. That, of course, can result in significantly altered burn rates, ranging from super-fast to slower-than-molasses. Neither ruptured cases, nor bullets lodged in the bore are something I want to deal with.

That factor, combined with all of the oxidation you have showing, would have me disposing of the ammo.

I wouldn't tumble it. I wouldn't shoot it.
I'd dispose of it. (Which, for me, means pulling the bullets for the lead, burning the powder [a controlled burn is the only legal method for disposal], and tossing the hulls into my scrap bucket.)
 
I'd be inclined to wipe each round with a coarse cloth, then try it in a less-than-premium gun with a closed, locking, action. My Ruger 77/22, with its easily removed and replaced barrel, for example. I would not mix such corroded cases with a revolver's normal gas leaks. I would be careful to listen for a proper report with each shot and sure to observe an ample delay against the possibility of hangfire should there be no report. I would be prepared to deal with a bullet that leaves the chamber but fails to leave the barrel. (All this is back-of-the-mind-don't-forget SOP for all shooting, brought forward and fully active for old, suspect, ammo.) Given the low cost of .22LR, it wouldn't take many failures to set me to hunting an ammo amnesty day at a nearby military base.
 
I would use some Butch's Bore Shine on them. It works good to get the corrosion off. The way it worked for me was to take a bowl, put the bore shine in. The put the rounds in a rag and dip it in the bore shine and roll it around with your hands(with gloves). It will clean them like nothing else.
 
If you are hurting for .22 ammo and it's either use this stuff or not having anything to shoot,
You might pull some of the bullets and check the condition of the powder.
Like if it's dry, smells ok and if a very small amount burns like it should.
Then fire the empty cases to check if the priming is still good.
Just a cautionary thought.
 
At the next gun buy back in your area, see if the buy backers would be willing to pay you something for the stuff.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Not sure what I will do yet with it. Hopefully I can find more .22 before i get to the point where I want to use the corroded stuff.
 
Yeah, pull a few bullets and if not totally offput then clean it in a tumbler, as you have one, with some media you must dispose of (peanut shells), then shoot em whilst paying attention!

Don't clean them ewith any petroleum-based products for a coupla reasons!!!
 
Tumble? 22lr bullets are usually covered in a wax lube, tumbling wouldn't be a good idea.

Edit: looking closer, these seem to be the type with a copper wash instead of a wax. Tumbling would still probably take it off unless they're actually plated.
 
I would take it to my gun club and put it in the bad ammo can. I would have to be real desperate to be willing to run it through my guns. I make an effort to care for my guns so they are still good for my grandkids. $10 of sketchy ammo is not worth risking anything I own.
 
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