Damaged Shotshells - Advice Please

[outdrs111]

Hello everyone,

I had quite a few boxes of shotshell stored in a closed off area of the basement.
We had a terrifically heavy rain that damaged the gutters, and water dampened the basement walls.

When I went in to get some shells for trap, I found all of the boxes badly molded, so I removed all of the shells, threw away the boxes, and put the shells into sealable plastic bags.

Most of the shells seem fine, but some have slightly rusted/corroded bases. Some are brass bases and some are steel.

I'd like to clean them up, and my thought is to spray then with WD-40, let then sit a bit, and then wipe them with a non-scratching kittchen pad. Does this sound OK?
Am I ok storing them in sealed plastic bags?

Any other suggestions are much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Tom

[daniel77]

For hand rubbing brass (admittedly always rifle or pistol cases) I've always just used steel wool. Works well, and quickly, unless they are badly pitted, in which case give them to a friend or one of my brother in laws.

Personally, I'd watch out for the sealed plastic bag if they may still be damp, because you'd be sealing them away with moisture, which "could" ruin the primers and leave you with duds. A paper bag, or unsealed plastic container would be better for them IMO. Shooting them up would be best however assuming they are in good enough shape to shoot.

[Mountaineer]

WD-40 is a penetrant...I would not spray down a cartouche with a penetrant.

Sealed bags are also a bad idea.

Wipe 'em off if it makes you feel better but air-dryed they will likely be fine.
Old paper hulls and top cards would be a bit different.

I'd be more worried about breathing the mold spores than the shells you describe.

[birddog1968]

Test fire four or five....if one or more misfires or doesn't go off throw them out. ain't worth it.

also listen carefully if one sounds weak check your barrel for stuck wads.

Again for the price of a box of shells , I'd toss em. When your in the moment trap shooting or hunting you
could possibly not hear a weak one and end up with a stuck wad.

[Tejas]

I had a case of double AA's completely submerged in flood waters for about three days. They were still wet when I got to them, but had no rust on the bases. I took them all out of the boxes, dried them with towels, left them out for a week or so while the boxes were drying, put them back in the boxes and shot them over about a three year period. I never had a problem with a single shell.....the flood occurred in 1981.

If they are plastic hulls new enough to have plastic wads, you will likely have no problems based on my experience.

[outdrs111]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Now I'll handle them based on all of your great advice.

Sincerely,

Tom