So I bought a bunch of the CBC .50BMG ammo that is sealed in the plastic bags and opened some up today. Maybe I'm spoiled, but this ammo has a very dirty appearance. Is it OK to shoot as-is? Or should I toss it in the tumbler for a bit?
I've never shot loaded CBC ammo but I like the brass. I've got a single shot that really likes CBC brass. I tend to have trouble with Lake City brass but never had an oz of trouble with CBC brass.
it is dirty, I tumbled them for a few minutes to knock the crap off then shoot.
I’ve bought a lot of the CBC ammo and opened it all up to re-pack 150 rounds to an ammo can. This particular brand of ammo has a dirty appearance due to the brass having been annealed. The “grit” that feels present on the exterior of the ammo comes from the cardboard boxes that it is packed in.
IMHO, tumbling (wouldn’t hurt it) but is not necessary, as the rounds clean up easy by just being wiped down good with some old T-shirts. Even when wiped thoroughly clean, this ammo looks ugly from the annealing process.
Originally Posted By Snot-Rocket:
I’ve bought a lot of the CBC ammo and opened it all up to re-pack 150 rounds to an ammo can. This particular brand of ammo has a dirty appearance due to the brass having been annealed.
No, its not the anneling, it the cases themselves. They have some type of oil/grease/residue that attracts dirt. If you tumble them for a few minutes it comes off, and the annealing is still present.
All of my CBC ammo came in boxes containing 20 10-round cardboard boxes that were sealed in heavy plastic. Since mine were sealed, none had any grease or oil on them – only cardboard dust. Even after wiping them off, the brass was still dull with the case necks being darker in color – which looked like annealing to me…
