Cleaning dirty bullets

[paxfish]

So, I've got a couple of coffee cans of bullets that have have been sitting in the woodshop for 20 years. Uncovered.

How do I clean them to prepare them for reloading?

 

[SoMDGuy]

I'd soak them in degreaser and use a kitchen brush to scrub out that old lube...then dump them in the tumbler. The spitzers look like they just need wiping off.

 

[marlin.357]

They don't look too bad, the lead isn't heavily oxidized, they're just a little dirty. Try wiping the lead bullets with a rag lightly dampened with a little mineral spirits to get the sawdust and coffee grounds off. You could tumble the jacketed bullets in crushed walnut. I wouldn't over do it, especially with the lead bullets. They don't need to be pretty.

 

[paxfish]

Thanks Gents.

Should I spray them with Boeshield or something for proper storage?

 

[trickg]

I'd tumble the copper ones and if I had the means, I'd recast the lead ones. Otherwise, as others have said, try wiping them off, but be careful not to remove too much of the lube from the lube grooves.