Just picked up an old M48 Mauser and some surplus 8mm ammo. Due to the age of this ammo (1953 headstamps) I am all but certain it is corrosive. Can anyone repeat the cleaning procedure when using corrosive ammo again? I know it's been posted here several times in the past, but at the time I had no weapons in which I used corrosive ammo....so I didn't save the info. Before shooting this thing I just want to make sure I fully understand how to properly clean it.

Thanks,

-Charging Handle

Personally, I'd do soap, hot water, bore brush then WD-40 and dry with compressed air.

Right or wrong, that's what i would do.

Bump for you.

MM419

Regardless of headstamp, it's a good assumption that ALL surplus 8mm is corrosive.

I use 3-4 patches soaked with Windex...enough so that the last one comes out clean.  If you can do this before you leave the range or otherwise as soon as you can, so much the better.

Then I convert to SOP...meaning Hoppes #9 until clean, than a patch with some CLP.  A dry patch before I shoot again.  

Lots of C&R's over the last 20 years, lots of corrosive ammo, lots of windex, zero corrosion.

-hanko

My father said he used to shower with his M1903, but...

I use the Windex method hanko described. Less messy than soap and water and seems to work as well. And since you probably don't want to bring a thermos of hot, soapy water to the range, it can't be beat.

A good waterbased cleaner is required to dissolve the corrosive salts.  A good ammonia cleaner is required to get rid of the copper in the barrel.  Windex fits the bill as does good olde GI RBC.

Avoid spraying kerosene on anything.  WD40 is mostly kerosene.  When the barrel is clean swab it out with CLP just as you would any fire firearm.

-- Chuck

In my black powder gun I use straight 409 (no water) to clean and then protect with CLP. Never had any problems.