Removing marine growth

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lhpdiver

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New captain on the boat doesn't quite know how to find the dive sites... Got dropped over some sand we wouldn't have normally visited. While swimming to the reef I found what looks like it might be an old (WW II) bullet. It's about the diameter of my index finger and 4-5" long. There is an old wreck in the area and I thought it was a spike, until I got back on board and someone said it was "an old 5mm" (or something). How would you go about cleaning it up ? Can I place it in some sort of solution ?

Thanks
 
lhpdiver:
Can I place it in some sort of solution ?
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I was recently told that soaking in a mild solution of muriatic acid removes marine growth. Trouble is, it will severely tarnish copper, which the brass in your cartridge contains. The other option I was told will remove marine growth is elbow grease - lots of it ;)
 
I've had good results with vinegar, but - are you sure it's not a live round?
 
Sounds like a .50 caliber also known as a BMG (Browning machinegun).50
If it's live it can hurt.
No polishing with a grinder (polish wheel)OK?
You can get a nice shiney surplus one for about a buck.
mech
 
being the diameter of your index finger, I sincerly doubt it's a 5mm. if it's WW2, and one of ours, might be a .50cal. just about all the WW2 aircraft used this ammo, and it's about that size.
Could you take a picture of it?
 
try using viniger!!

I use it when cleaning things in my marine tank...
 
HELLO! Before anyone else suggests to lhpdiver that he goes sticking it in vinegar or any other chemical, can we please confirm that it's NOT a live round? Sitting on the bottom of the ocean for 60 years does NOT make these things inert if it was live. A 50 cal contains a decent amount of propellant, and if it's a tracer round, you've got some phosphorus thrown into the mix.

The reason firearms are thick around the breech is to contain the explosive force of the propellant igniting, and directing it to push the projectile out - as opposed to the case simply rupturing and spraying torn brass fragments in your face. I have a grandfather who literally lost an eye in a reloading accident a couple of decade ago - and it was a much smaller round than a 50 cal.

Geez. Think before you post, people.
 
Live round ? It is a whole bullet. It looks like a little space rocket. Exactly 5'" long and at the back 3/4" round. (Can you tell I was never in the service?)

Maybe I'll just throw it in the canal and go looking for gold coins to restore instead. Thanks everyone for your replies.
 
lhpdiver:
Live round ? It is a whole bullet. It looks like a little space rocket. Exactly 5'" long and at the back 3/4" round. (Can you tell I was never in the service?)

Maybe I'll just throw it in the canal and go looking for gold coins to restore instead. Thanks everyone for your replies.
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If it's just the projectile (bullet) cleaning with a mild acid will work fine. If it's a tracer it will have expended it's hazardous load in flight and the base will be hollow.

If it's a loaded round (cartridge) all bets are off. There are ways to kill a loaded round, but if you are asking this question you don't yet have the knowledge and skill necessary to complete the operation.

It's best to dispose of it in that case, or start doing the research to identify exactly what the round is. Once you know that it's possible to determine how to disarm/disable it safely. Keep the round submerged in fresh water while doing the research, preferably in your toilet tank or fresh water stream to do some Cl leaching. It needs to hang out there for a several years anyway to leach out the clorine ions form the thing if you inted to properly conserve it. The rule of thumb is one month of fresh water soak for each year the item was submerged in seawater. There are ways to speed that up by about 4X, but it takes a stable voltage source, a dedicated tank, some knowledge of chemistry, and paying attention to small details over several years.

FT
 
FRED, he said it was a "whole bullet."

lhpdiver:
Live round ? It is a whole bullet. It looks like a little space rocket. Exactly 5'" long and at the back 3/4" round. (Can you tell I was never in the service?)

Maybe I'll just throw it in the canal and go looking for gold coins to restore instead. Thanks everyone for your replies.
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Yep, that's what people who have experience eating in Chow Halls call a bullet - a live round. Really can be dnagerous. And wow - if it's a 50 cal (1/2 inch think projectile), I've fired those. They'll really mow thru things - more so if "amour penatrating." From you layman description, it could be even worse - beyond this grunt's (Marine Infantry) experiences.

Don't throw it in the canal. Suggest you call your local police department ASAP. You may have a small bomb with a delicate fuse! :zap1:

Be careful. don
 
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