CMR 100

[sundog]

Canadian Military Rifle 100 in these loads. This was a surplus powder that was available in the mid/late 80s to early/mid 90s. Burn rate equivalent to IMR 3031. Good stuff, used a bunch of it in both cast and jacked loads. This happens to be about some jacked loads but very well could have been cast. I had a about two pounds left in the jug that went bad - strong ammonia smell. It was destroyed. Stuff that had been loaded previously was shooting fine. Until I found the stuff in the pic.

222 Rem, WW Super cases, Rem SRP, 21.0/CMR100, Dogtown 55Gr, loaded in Oct 2021. Those that had been previously fired were quite satisfactory. Three bags of 50 each have been in a GI ammo can along with other rounds in controlled environment. Ammo has been removed and added as needed during this time. A little less than half of 150 rounds show some type of exterior
anomaly like shown. No other ammo in the can shows any problems. Nothing else currently is loaded with CMR 100.

Not sure now if I have a powder or moisture problem.

I have a couple ideas about how to proceed, but first, have any of y'all run into this before?

 

[Ian]

I'd try to pull the bullets and scrap everything else including the primers if it were me. As you well know, ammonia in even trace amounts embrittles cartridge brass. Some of those case walls ahead of the heads look a little stretched anyway.

 

[sundog]

Thx Ian, pretty much which I'm leaning, too. I would not even test fire one of them. That blue color is what is concerning. I think I'll pull a bullet and see what's going on inside.

Btw, cases were all in spec, so what you're seeing is probably just the angle or lighting. I'm really careful about case prep.

 

[Tomme boy]

you definitely have an issue by the look of that brass. Way too much stretch at the web. Seen way too many rifles the the body diameter is oversized and then you get that excess stretching above the web. Just that alone I would toss the cases, let alone the corrosion.

 

[sundog]

Pulled one. Powder smelled and looked okay except for two small clumps. This is not a compressed charge.

 

[BeeMan]

Corky,

I'm thinking that the corrosion is not from the powder. Looks to me like corrosion I've seen when I left case lube residue or handled brass after working with various homebrew cast bullet lubes. Could the corrosion inside the case neck be from lubing the necks to help with the expansion? The spots on the outside look like handling residue.

I used to occasionally find older ammo with odd corrosion spots until I started thoroughly cleaning after all case processing steps. For 10 years or more I've been using 91% Isopropyl alcohol and then warming the cases gently with a hot air blower. All I get any more is a uniform patina.

If I really wanted to know about the powder and it looks and smells good, I'd load a couple charges in fresh brass and check velocity. But 150 charges of 3031 speed powder in 222 may not be worth the effort since the supply is already gone.

BeeMan

 

[sundog]

Also found a [plastic storage] box loaded in May 2005 with exact same load, 32 rounds. No observable anomalies. Overlooked it when I was going through the ammo can the other day thinking it was another loading.

Beeman, same Beeman I know? Good to see you!

 

[sundog]

btw, 'load tickets' and a load log are invaluable, as proven for me yet again, with this event. My log goes back back many years and is referred to somewhat regularly.

 

[Tomme boy]

That happens to IMR powders of that era. Save the bullet and pitch the rest.

 

[Brad]

I am too lazy to pulls stuff like that. Trash cans have a use.

 

[Missionary]

Atmospheric conditions turned all sorts of military brass colors.
Have we forgot sitting in the shade (if there was some) cleaning ammo we were just issued.

 

[4060MAY]

I had a similar problem
didn't see the corrosion line, my friend was shooting my 308 , model 12 BVSS, Savage,, I was trying to sell it to him
Boom, gas blew out the side of the action thru the safety hole, opened the action, extractor was blown off the front of the bolt, laying on the bench
Cartridges had been loaded for about 2 years, load on the box said VV N133, 150 gr, Nosler BTSP, pulle the rest of the box down, 19 rounds, all corroded inside.

picture 1, 2 shows where the case blew, 3, 4 are the other cases I opened up to see

 

[Maven]

Corky, Regardless of whether it's a powder or moisture problem, although I think it's a little of each, I'd pull everything apart and anneal those necks and shoulders ASAP. I'd then reload every one with the same propellant or IMR 3031 if you have it.

 

[BeeMan]

Corky, yes I'm the same BeeMan from Green Country. Good to run across you here.

 

[fiver]

funny how some brass gets this and some doesn't.
i've had brand new [relative term i guess] factory ammo get those spots, and the box from the same purchase sitting right on top or next to it not have any issues.
seen it in linked ammo and in leather belts too.

i think sometimes a little water might be involved, but also acids from some fingers.

 

[sundog]

Last week I pulled apart all that were corroded or I even suspected. Brass went in recycle bin. Powder smelled and looked good. Huh? I had 55 left that still looked okay. I shot 5 of them yesterday and they grouped fine at 100. Spent brass was normal. If I really get motivated this week I'll put some over the chronograph and check against their original chrono tape when they were first loaded. But for what's left it wouldn't make any difference other than curiousity since there is no more of this powder around.

I'm beginning to think maybe case lube or even possibly something in the plastic storage bage they were in. If I had used spray lube than that would account for inside the case contamination. Maybe a can of Hornady One-shot (used properly it is very good lube) that might have had something in it. But that would not account for other brass not being the same way.

 

[fiver]

were they ever in a cardboard box?

 

[Ian]

I just realized every person commenting on this thread is from waaaaaaaay back on boolits.

FWFL will stain rings in the neck and darken gas checks over time, but I've never ever had it cause outright active corrosion, especially not beyond the surface of the inside of the neck.

 

[sundog]

Shot some 80 some rounds Wednesday that were still 'good'. I've got 100 left I'll shoot when this heat spell relents - may go as high as 105dF next week. Anyway, 100 yards, temp high 90's, wind 15 @ 135, shooting 360 with good sunlight on target with scope. Not the best bench and rest but made due nicely. One inch squares. same batch of ammo as the culled corroded stuff. ten in the top and five in the bottom. I will move on to another load now. 222 Rem is one of the 'neatest' rounds ever devised!

 

[Bret4207]

Nice see" you Corky! I've had similar verdigris on cases that were in a somewhat humid area that had been handled with my grubby paws. I thought it might be acids from my skin reacting with case lube and maybe moisture. I caught it early and steel wooled it and saved the brass.