Clean 22 cartridges in a vibrating tumbler?

[EastHumboldt]

I have friend who has about 500 rounds of 22LR. They are 30-40 years old still in the box. The brass is clean as a whistle, but the bullets have a white powdery crust on them. She is worried they may prove corrosive to the barrel if she shoots them. First question... is ammo that old safe to shoot in a bolt action 22? Second, is it a reasonable idea to try to clean it up by running it through a vibrating type brass tumbler with some walnut shells? Any chance that the shells might detonate? is this a terrible idea?

 

[Rob5589]

I'd wipe them off with a rag. I have tumbled loaded center fire pistol ammo but I don't think I would do it to rimfire ammo.

 

[Desk Jockey]

22s are externally lubricated, both the bullet and the shell. You are probably seeing a combination of oxidizing the bullets and the lubrication. You could clean them in A tumbler or with a solvent. The downside is they will give you a lot of lead fouling in your barrel.

i have shot bullets like that before without an issue and without cleaning. I just had to clean the barrel more than usual.

 

[FLAK]

Reminds me of when I was a kid in the 70's-80's.
Course we had shag carpet throughout the house.
I would periodically lose .22LR rounds in that carpet.
And, periodically mom would "find" them with the vacuum.
First time I was like what was that???!!! Quite loud in the house.
Lets just say mom was never happy when it happened, so
future discharges meant a quick getaway for a few hrs.