haugpatr 972 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I have some 308 ammo, it is CAVIM. It is very corroded but it appears to be superficial only. I am thinking I could shoot it, but would like some opinions first. Maybe it would be safe in a bolt action gun and unsafe in a semi-auto? Some of it is bad and some is pretty clean, it came this way sealed from the factory, so this isn't from me storing it in a swamp. It doesn't seem to want to clean off. Any ideas/thoughts? The picture of the single round is a "real bad one". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 That ammo is way to corroded to shoot, send it to me for proper & safe disposal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 That ammo is way to corroded to shoot, send it to me for proper & safe disposal. I might be willing to send some off for a range report, I have almost 2k of it. I got it real cheap back in the day due to it's condition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WhiskeyMinion 300 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'd let 'er buck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D.C.MORRISON 494 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 steel wool should do the trick. can you hear the powder if you shake a round by an ear? if so worst thing would be bad primers. ....... no bang, wait five seconds before ejecting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 steel wool should do the trick. can you hear the powder if you shake a round by an ear? if so worst thing would be bad primers. ....... no bang, wait five seconds before ejecting. I can hear powder shaking so it should be good to go from that aspect, i just don't want to somehow burn my face off with some corroded shell. I'll have to try the steel wool, I remember trying to clean this years ago but do not remember how I tried to clean it. Would I need to be concerned about whatever that corroded shit is getting into my rifle? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D.C.MORRISON 494 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 no, i have used ammo like this. i just didn't want to deal with casings getting stuck in the chamber. so i would rub them until smooth. iv'e even used rifle ammo with dents. but not bent . iv'e run ammo as old as 1935 manufacture with just occasional primer failures. just clean the rifle after use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 What they said. you could do a fast cleanup with a wire brush or light sand paper. One other thing. watch for squib loads. If you feel a soft shot and don't feel an impact, make sure that the bullet is not lodged in the barrel. I had this happen with some similar looking old .38s in a revolver. we had to make an aluminum punch and push the bullet back in. It was lodged halfway between the cylinder and the barrel. I shot a lot of those that looked as bad as your ammo with some light cleanup. All that was needed was brushing off the loose corrosion and a bit more attention. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 A little scotch brite, and GTG. Do watch out for squibs and case ruptures. (The above advice does NOT apply for AR's ,only AK's and strong turn bolts). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodes1968 1,638 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Had some SB mil-surp that looked about as bad and shot better than new Wolf. If the primer looks good and you can hear powder and no PITTING on the cases then hell its fine. Pitting on the case on the other hand is deal killer. On a side note: Dont understand the problem people have with corrosive primer ammo, hell all it takes is water to clean up. Take that stuff any day for the price I have been getting. Maybe I should shut up... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Had some SB mil-surp that looked about as bad and shot better than new Wolf. If the primer looks good and you can hear powder and no PITTING on the cases then hell its fine. Pitting on the case on the other hand is deal killer. On a side note: Dont understand the problem people have with corrosive primer ammo, hell all it takes is water to clean up. Take that stuff any day for the price I have been getting. Maybe I should shut up... I'm not at all woried about corrosive primers, just a little concerned about the effects of whatever the green stuff on the shell is "infecting" my gun. There is some of that green stuff on some of the primers, could that be an issue? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D.C.MORRISON 494 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 one more time, ............... not a problem. it's .308 , i'll pay the shipping. send it to me. my ptr91 has a fluted chamber Quote Link to post Share on other sites
preparehandbook 326 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 One bit of advice here: DO NOT POLISH COMPLETE ROUNDS IN A TUMBLER !!! Back in the 80's an enterprising gun show vendor took a bunch of similarly corroded 8mm mauser ammo and tumbled it until it was beautiful and shiny. In doing so the propellant inside was reduced to a very fine powder which dramatically increased the burn rate. Several rifles were ruined and some minor injuries were incurred before the cause was sorted out. Some hand polishing/rubbing should do the trick, I would use steel or copper wool. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodes1968 1,638 Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 The green stuff is oxidized copper, one of two main components of brass. You have heard of copper tarnishing I would bet. Its harmless Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 One bit of advice here: DO NOT POLISH COMPLETE ROUNDS IN A TUMBLER !!! Back in the 80's an enterprising gun show vendor took a bunch of similarly corroded 8mm mauser ammo and tumbled it until it was beautiful and shiny. In doing so the propellant inside was reduced to a very fine powder which dramatically increased the burn rate. Several rifles were ruined and some minor injuries were incurred before the cause was sorted out. Some hand polishing/rubbing should do the trick, I would use steel or copper wool. I saw some ammo JUST like that at the gun show this past spring, in Syracuse NY... at the 2011 show... I asked the guy how he got the rounds so shiny... and thats EXACTLY what he said HE DID!!!!! HE TUMBLED THEM!!!! I VERY quickly walked away shaking my head.... What a DUMB FUCK!!! I swear that the MAJORITY of "dealers" at gunshows are totally fucking CLUELESS MORONS!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted March 8, 2012 Report Share Posted March 8, 2012 One bit of advice here: DO NOT POLISH COMPLETE ROUNDS IN A TUMBLER !!! Back in the 80's an enterprising gun show vendor took a bunch of similarly corroded 8mm mauser ammo and tumbled it until it was beautiful and shiny. In doing so the propellant inside was reduced to a very fine powder which dramatically increased the burn rate. Several rifles were ruined and some minor injuries were incurred before the cause was sorted out. Some hand polishing/rubbing should do the trick, I would use steel or copper wool. Thanks for posting that. It never would have occurred to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted March 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2012 I am hoping to test some of the ammo tomorrow. The blue/green stuff was removed with steel wool and there were dark spots left on the brass, looks ugly but I don't care if it shoots I'l be happy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MT Predator 2,294 Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 Like stated above, pay attention for squibs characterized by a short recoil. In a semi auto, it can still generate enough recoil to chamberanother round behind one lodged in the barrel. I would slow fire it, no controlled pairs! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 Well I went and test fired the ammo today. I had one round out of 20 that didn't fire. I should have tried to run it again to see if it would go the second time, but I was in a hurry. Now I get to have fun scrubbing up about 1500 rds of it. At least I only paid $75/1000 years ago. Next thing for me to figure out is if this brass is reloadable and wether it is boxer/berdan primed and how to remove the old primers and then where to get a good deal on a tumbler. I would like to eventually start re-loading, but for now would like to at least get the brass cleaned and set aside, assuming it is reloadable. It is CAVIM ammo mainly from the 70's and 80's and was made in Venezuala. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted March 10, 2012 Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 I would guess BERDAN primed.... but I could be wrong... heres to hoping for a single flash hole... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodes1968 1,638 Posted March 11, 2012 Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 http://www.nationalgunforum.com/showthread.php?3452-What-do-you-know-about-quot-CAVIM-quot-brass Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted March 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 Thanks for all the help everyone. It appears the stuff made in the 80's is boxer primed(1 flash hole) and the stuff made in the 70's is berdan primed(2 flash holes). I guess as I am scrubbing all this up I'll have to seperate by year. I actually found the receipt from this stuff, I paid $75/1000 and it was described as in this condition. I set it aside years ago and figured it was time to do something with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodes1968 1,638 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 Seems it did pretty well once you got and it wasnt stored in the rain any longer. Time to shoot it up I agree but then I would say that regardless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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