Rusty Wolf Ammo

[noelephant]

Hi folks,

I inherited 300 rounds of wolf ammo that was submerged in the recent flooding in RI.

I took all of the rounds out of the wet boxes and set them out to dry. They look okay but they do have light surface rust on the cases. I can wipe the rust away with my fingers...

Is this still safe to fire? (I tend to think so...)

Is it okay to store for a while?

I'm thinking that I may just take it to the range this weekend and have a fun time with my AK and SKS....

Thanks!

-NoElephant

 

[Youradolt]

I would shoot it

 

[kerismo]

The rust could cut/scuff the chamber. While I would not run it in a tight chamber bolt gun, an AK has been known to eat just about anything.

Anybody think a trip through a vibratory tumbler would cure the prob.?

 

[vellnueve]

It's your life... If it's truly surface rust, it might be OK... if the corrosion is deeper than you see, it might not be safe. It's your call.

 

[JackDaniels]

Makes me think about the conditions that ammunition is put through all over the world by soldiers in jungles, etc. Wonder if they ever get surface rust.......

 

[crazymjb]

If it just started rusting the last couple days and he can wipe it all off I highly doubt that casing is compromised, and certainly not enough to cause a problem. The chamber of the weapon is what contains the blast, not the casing, so as long as he doesn't see flaking and pitting I wouldn't worry about a problem. That, and its only been a couple days in predominately fresh water.

Mike

 

[atilla]

300 is nothing, go bring it all to the range and blow through it all.

when the wife asks why you're buying more tell her it was all ruined in the flood.

 

[Kenny474]

Makes me think about the conditions that ammunition is put through all over the world by soldiers in jungles, etc. Wonder if they ever get surface rust.......

I would think most military's have seen the benefit of brass cased ammo, which doesn't rust. Or they varnish the heck out of it. Unless it's some long lost military still using Mosin Nagant's, in which case they purposely rust their Russian surplus ammo to show the superiority of their weapons and that they will fire anything, and also double as a sledge hammer.

I would wipe the rust off, or at least throw the rounds in a big plastic bag and hit them with some wd-40 or some other light spay oil. Then go shoot all of them. If they are starting to rust, I would "dispose" of them asap so they don't get worse.