My brother bought some .38 brass at the local gun show about a month ago. He wassorting through it tonight to load some tomorrow, and he discovered that a few of them are corroded on the inside. This corrosion is partially copper oxide (green) as well as some which is crusty and white and unknown. The main question is whether this has affected the structural integrity of the brass or if it will react with the powder. In short, are these safe to use with or without some sort of cleaning?

1. I don't think the corrosion will have any adverse effect on the powder.

2. Corrosion of brass, depending on how bad it is, can affect case integrity. The consequences depend on the gun and the pressure of the load. I've had 38 Special cases crack along the side at the first firing in a revolver and nothing bad happened for what it's worth.

If you get some sort of pointy piece of metal and run it over the corroded area, you should be able to tell if the corrosion is superficial or goes deeper. If superficial, I would load and go.

First boil the cases in detergent so you can see things better. Make a wire probe as was suggested and check fo pitting. Anything more than superficial pitting - dump the case. Most cases if used often will crack [longitudinal] before any thing else, from repeated sizing and firing.

Decapp and tumble them. If you see pits in the case walls, throw them out. If not,use them.

I'd be concerned about, if reloading, that crud and crap then being discharged up the barrel of my gun when it was fired.

I'd sooner then not spend the next week checking and re-checking the barrel to see if THAT had now started to rust.

Used good condition brass is cheap. Barrels aren't.