Older Rifle Brass Question

[A-Brakke]

Hi Guys,

I’m somewhat new to the reloading game. That said, a good friend passed away and left me a few rifles and 500-1000 of these 30-06 casings labeled LC Match 67. Most seem to be in good condition, and some with some really light green patina as you would see on brass with age. My question is can this brass still be cleaned up and used? I tend to think if it’s not corroded I should be fine. At the end of the day I don’t shoot 30-06 so I’ll most likely trade the lot to buy a few more bullets and powder for my 300wm and 7mm rem mag.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

If it is all LC (Lake City) (19)67, that is a good thing vs mixed years. The Lake City brass is good brass also. Just tumble to clean it up and it will shoot great. If the crimp is still on the primer pocket, that would indicate it is once fired.

 

[long hunter]

Early Lake City brass is good quality brass, clean it up and as stated check for primer crimps if there it is once fired brass.

 

[A-Brakke]

Early Lake City brass is good quality brass, clean it up and as stated check for primer crimps if there it is once fired brass.

Would you be considered at all about any light patina “greenish/gray on parts of the inside or will that clean up?

 

[A382DWDZQ]

Would you be considered at all about any light patina “greenish/gray on parts of the inside or will that clean up?

It should be fine unless they are caked in green. LC is pretty thick. So it would have to be really really bad to affect it. Wet tumble would clean the inside out. If the primer crimps are there, I would remove those and then wet tumble, then dry them out then dry tumble. Anneal after if you want it to really last.

 

[long hunter]

A good tumble in some clean media and a bit of case polish will take care of it, I would shoot the brass after proper preperation before loading, also I have a hunting buddy who uses some kind of liquid cleaner, he says it does a better job than media. I am old school and use dry media in a tumbler and have cleaned some pretty dirty brass just fine.