How can I respectfully remove green corrosion from historic ammunition and its box?

I did some research but didn't see a clear-cut way to do this. Attached is a photo of some WWII .45 ACP ammo that goes with my 1942 1911A1. Not sure how museums do this; I want to remove and stop the corrosion but without removing the historic patina. I figured that, with these goals in mind, vinegar and tumbling were not options.

How about the box?

I live in a high and dry climate and expect that if I can get the bulk of the corrosion removed it won't recur.

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Wipe it with a soft dry rag and just leave it I think. Is it steel case ammo?

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

How about Hoppes #9?

I'd try a little vinegar.

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I've still got it made.

The green fungus-like substance is called verdigris. A simple way of dealing with it is to use a soft cloth soaked in club soda to clean away the verdigris without affecting the cartridges in any way.

Verdigris is also frequently seen on leather cartridge loops or carriers, and this can be cleaned up easily with club soda and a soft brush. No need to soak the items, just wipe or brush lightly until all the nasty stuff is gone.

Once the green is gone, a little museum wax will keep it looking good, if unhandled, almost forever.

That ammunition, manufactured by Evanston-Chrysler-Sunbeam in 1943, is steel cased with zinc plated cases. That is their natural color! If the bullets are vedigrised most of it can be simply buffed off with a soft cloth. You can't remove the staining in the box, don't even try.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Here is the box if it matters to anyone.

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You mean that stuff they use to keep objects from falling over?

If not that stuff, do you have a link to where it's sold??

Sorry for the confusion, the stuff I'm talking about is commonly referred to as "renaissance wax" and will show up in a google search. When I was working with a local museum in the collections we made a concoction of our own that was similar and we called it Museum wax, and so that was what I called it without thinking about it.

Flitz Metal polish and a Microfiber cloth works terrific! The flitz will also leave a little protection behind to retard it from coming back.

Be careful with ammo that shows green corrosion coming from around the bullet/case interface. I once obtained a full case of M118, Lake City, 7.62 x 51mm ammo. It was all in the original sealed cardboard boxes and and enclosed in the original wood crate that was wired together. It showed no signs of getting wet or improper storage. Upon opening a box I noticed green spots on the brass and green corrosion at the bullet case interface. I used a collet style bullet puller to remove one of the bullets. As I pulled the bullet, there was a whoosh of pressure escaping from the case. The powder inside was a brown gooey mess. The bullets, and cases were heavily corroded and all was unusable. I was very concerned about the pressure buildup and took the case out in the woods and buried it to dispose of it safely. Just a heads up, but I would not want corroding ammo any where in my reloading room, or house.

Verdigris can be easily wiped away with Isopropyl Alcohol. That's Rubbing Alcohol for those of you who don't recognize the name. You can get Isopropyl Alcohol in a 91% alcohol solution (made for giving injections) and this will make it even more likely to quickly evaporate when done with its cleaning job. Once you've tried it, you won't ever use anything else to address verdigris. Of course, you actually have to try it.

Look for it at CVC Pharmacies or similar places.

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

Is this what causes that awful, terrible smell when I buy a case full of old leather military surplus gear? A lot of stuff has that milsurp smell, but verdigris leather has something a whole lot worse in some cases.

That smell is most likely mold. Some folks are very sensitive to mold spores so such things are probably best stored somewhere other than inside the home.

I have cleaned some with a soft cloth and any CLP you have on hand.
The green is from the copper . Don't try to get them like new shiney clean, you will ruin the collector value....just clean off any green or tarnish on the case and let the CLP soak in the metals pores....
After that you can wax them.
Wiping the box clean is about all you can do...if some staining remains that's called "character " and adds to the antique look .
Gary

What has worked for me on verdigris on holsters and leather products is my wife's dryer sheets. It just wipes the verdigris off the products I'm cleaning. Also works on the white mold that sometimes shows up on leather holsters.

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Kevin in Oregon