Tell me about corrosive ammo.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about corrosive ammo.

Posted: 2/9/2007 6:33:15 PM EDT

Is it safe to shoot in anything more than a $70.00 mosin? I always thought the corrosive part refered to the ammo itself rusting or something, and then I found out it actually means that the ammo itself can corrode your gun. Am I on the right track here? If so do you shoot it, and is it alright to shoot it? It does usually seem to be a lot cheaper than most.

Posted: 2/9/2007 6:37:41 PM EDT

[#1]

as long as you clean your gun after each range trip i would not worry abou it.

Posted: 2/9/2007 6:49:44 PM EDT

[#2]

Go to the store and buy wet wipes.
Cut 'em up to the size necessary for
your barrel.
After the barrel cools, then clean away.
Works for me year after year.

Posted: 2/9/2007 7:03:04 PM EDT

[#3]

So what happens if you don't clean it?? Does it rust, pitt, or corrode?? Just the chamber, barrel, or anything the cartridge touches?

Posted: 2/9/2007 7:17:13 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
So what happens if you don't clean it?? Does it rust, pitt, or corrode?? Just the chamber, barrel, or anything the cartridge touches?

basically when you shoot your rifle it spits out stuff down the barrel. the stuff that non-corrosive ammo spits out will not damgage your barrel but the stuff in corrosive ammo (called oxidents) will. these oxidents will make your gun rust if it comes in contact with water. if you live in a dry place such as AZ then the stuff sitting in your barrel will not damage anything till you come in contact with water.

windex and ammonia are great in neutralizing these oxidents. after using corrosive ammo i spray windex down the barrel and over the bolt, dry, then i proceed to lube.

Posted: 2/9/2007 7:22:56 PM EDT

[#5]

Corrosive ammo turned my SKS barrel and action into an orange chia pet in 3 weeks. I did not know that it was corrosive at the time. Cleaning is easy. Don't let corrosive ammo scare you. Cleaning can be more of a chore in a semiauto weapon, but good cleaning practices is a good habit to form. BTW. Don't wait three weeks before cleaning. Don't even wait a day.

Posted: 2/9/2007 7:24:34 PM EDT

[#6]

Thanks for the info. I shall buy mme some corrosive ammo now.

Posted: 2/9/2007 7:28:02 PM EDT

[#7]

Don't be scared about corrosive ammo, Just clean after the range. At one time all mil ammo was corrosive, and wars were still faught without rifles turning into dust.

Posted: 2/9/2007 10:52:43 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Don't be scared about corrosive ammo, Just clean after the range. At one time all mil ammo was corrosive, and wars were still faught without rifles turning into dust.

+1 You would think corrosive ammo gave your rifle herpes based on the way people talk about it. I don't remember seeing any pictures of soldiers carrying Windex in WWI, yet they seemed to manage.

Corrosive primers use potassium chlorate. After firing, it becomes potassium chloride which is deposited in your barrel. Potassium chloride is similar to sodium chloride, also known as salt. The effect is pretty much the same, it's like having has a tiny bit of sea spray on the inside of your barrel. Wash it out when you get home and you'll be fine.

Posted: 2/10/2007 10:33:27 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Don't be scared about corrosive ammo, Just clean after the range. At one time all mil ammo was corrosive, and wars were still faught without rifles turning into dust.

+1 You would think corrosive ammo gave your rifle herpes based on the way people talk about it. I don't remember seeing any pictures of soldiers carrying Windex in WWI, yet they seemed to manage.

Corrosive primers use potassium chlorate. After firing, it becomes potassium chloride which is deposited in your barrel. Potassium chloride is similar to sodium chloride, also known as salt. The effect is pretty much the same, it's like having has a tiny bit of sea spray on the inside of your barrel. Wash it out with hot, soapy water when you get home and you'll be fine. Follow up with a light oil or Sheath/Barricade, and you'll be even finer.

A friendly ammendment...

Forrest

Posted: 2/11/2007 12:56:09 PM EDT

[#10]

I give my M39 the windex treatment at the range followed by a good cleaning at home.

Regards,
Gary

Posted: 2/11/2007 1:09:45 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I give my M39 the windex treatment at the range followed by a good cleaning at home.

Regards,
Gary

For my M44, I just fold out the bayonet and stick it into the ground with the bolt out, then dump a small water bottle down the chamber. I then clean as normal when I get home.

Posted: 2/12/2007 1:32:02 PM EDT

[#12]

Think about how anal we all are about our weapons. Do you think the average GI in WWII or Dough Boy in WWI had as much concern? I would have thought not as they could just pick up another weapon. The problem would be that weapon would most likely be in worse shape than the one they dumped. Corrossion happens rather quickly.

Posted: 2/12/2007 1:50:14 PM EDT

[#13]

The salt residue in itself is not corrosive. What makes it bad is that salt attracts water and the water corrodes the bore. Just pour som hot water down your bore from the breech and clean as normal. I just use Hoppe's No 9 Nitro Powder solvent. It says on the bottle that it removes corrosive primer residue and it does. It's what I use and I don't have any problem. After cleaning all my rifles I always spray a little EEZOX down the bore and onto the bolt face. I then check them a day or two later.

Posted: 2/12/2007 2:24:34 PM EDT

[#14]

What is EEZOX

Posted: 2/12/2007 4:17:12 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Don't be scared about corrosive ammo, Just clean after the range. At one time all mil ammo was corrosive, and wars were still faught without rifles turning into dust.

+1 You would think corrosive ammo gave your rifle herpes based on the way people talk about it. I don't remember seeing any pictures of soldiers carrying Windex in WWI, yet they seemed to manage.

Corrosive primers use potassium chlorate. After firing, it becomes potassium chloride which is deposited in your barrel. Potassium chloride is similar to sodium chloride, also known as salt. The effect is pretty much the same, it's like having has a tiny bit of sea spray on the inside of your barrel. Wash it out with hot, soapy water when you get home and you'll be fine. Follow up with a light oil or Sheath/Barricade, and you'll be even finer.

A friendly ammendment...

Forrest

Thanks, didn't mean to imply that's all you should do. My routine with corrosive ammo when I get home is:

Water/windex >Ed's Red > Hoppe's > CLP

Posted: 2/12/2007 4:24:19 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
The salt residue in itself is not corrosive. What makes it bad is that salt attracts water and the water corrodes the bore. Just pour som hot water down your bore from the breech and clean as normal. I just use Hoppe's No 9 Nitro Powder solvent. It says on the bottle that it removes corrosive primer residue and it does. It's what I use and I don't have any problem.

If we want to get technical, although salt does attract water (it's hydroscopic), the main reason it corrodes is because rusting is an electrochemical process, and the water is the electrolyte. The salt makes the water a much better conductor, which greatly accelerates the process.

Hoppe's may "remove" the salt but just about any fluid can make that claim. Water however is polar (not sure if Hoppe's is, maybe), which dissolves the salt, and being cheap, you can flush your barrel using a large volume of it, getting almost all of it out. Much easier than running a bunch of patches through.

Posted: 2/12/2007 5:11:55 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Think about how anal we all are about our weapons. Yet none of us think twice about eating at McDonalds.

A friendly ammendment...

Posted: 2/12/2007 6:20:22 PM EDT

[#18]

all i use is full strengh simple green. i found a solvent made by birchwood made for cleaning black powder or corrosive ammo, can smell the alchol in it. both work great. i even shoot black powder and none of mine are rusted.

Posted: 2/12/2007 8:40:34 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Think about how anal we all are about our weapons. Yet none of us think twice about eating at McDonalds.

A friendly ammendment...

Yup...

I even like kangeroo...

Forrest

Posted: 2/13/2007 5:55:23 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Don't be scared about corrosive ammo, Just clean after the range. At one time all mil ammo was corrosive, and wars were still faught without rifles turning into dust.

+1 You would think corrosive ammo gave your rifle herpes based on the way people talk about it. I don't remember seeing any pictures of soldiers carrying Windex in WWI, yet they seemed to manage.

Corrosive primers use potassium chlorate. After firing, it becomes potassium chloride which is deposited in your barrel. Potassium chloride is similar to sodium chloride, also known as salt. The effect is pretty much the same, it's like having has a tiny bit of sea spray on the inside of your barrel. Wash it out with hot, soapy water when you get home and you'll be fine. Follow up with a light oil or Sheath/Barricade, and you'll be even finer.

A friendly ammendment...

Forrest

Thanks, didn't mean to imply that's all you should do. My routine with corrosive ammo when I get home is:

Water/windex >Ed's Red > Hoppe's > CLP

Mine is

>Hoppe's

That's all there is.

Doesn't need to be more than that.

Posted: 2/13/2007 7:38:55 AM EDT

[#21]

Ballistol

Posted: 2/13/2007 9:44:07 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
If we want to get technical, although salt does attract water (it's hydroscopic), the main reason it corrodes is because rusting is an electrochemical process, and the water is the electrolyte. The salt makes the water a much better conductor, which greatly accelerates the process.

Actually, the salt is the electrolyte.

I just rinse with water and then clean as normal. Nary a speck of rust on any of my guns.

Don't waste your time with Windex. Ammonia has no effect on a salt. Plain ol' water will do the trick.

Posted: 2/14/2007 7:56:03 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If we want to get technical, although salt does attract water (it's hydroscopic), the main reason it corrodes is because rusting is an electrochemical process, and the water is the electrolyte. The salt makes the water a much better conductor, which greatly accelerates the process.

Actually, the salt is the electrolyte.

I just rinse with water and then clean as normal. Nary a speck of rust on any of my guns.

Don't waste your time with Windex. Ammonia has no effect on a salt. Plain ol' water will do the trick.

I use the Windex because I really like the streak-free shine

Posted: 2/14/2007 8:53:43 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Actually, the salt is the electrolyte.

science.howstuffworks.com/question445.htm

When a drop of water hits an iron object, two things begin to happen almost immediately. First, the water, a good electrolyte, combines with carbon dioxide in the air to form a weak carbonic acid, an even better electrolyte.

Now IMO I wouldn't call water a "good electrolyte" by itself, but water is very capable of acting as an electrolyte without salt.

Posted: 2/14/2007 10:54:03 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If we want to get technical, although salt does attract water (it's hydroscopic), the main reason it corrodes is because rusting is an electrochemical process, and the water is the electrolyte. The salt makes the water a much better conductor, which greatly accelerates the process.

Actually, the salt is the electrolyte.

I just rinse with water and then clean as normal. Nary a speck of rust on any of my guns.

Don't waste your time with Windex. Ammonia has no effect on a salt. Plain ol' water will do the trick.

I use the Windex because I really like the streak-free shine

Windex works fine because it is water based...

Plain water is cheaper...

Forrest

Posted: 2/15/2007 6:04:49 AM EDT

[#26]

Windex at the range, soapy water or a good bore solvent at home, then clean and oil normally and you'd be good.

Posted: 2/15/2007 6:05:28 AM EDT

[#27]

Not sure why this doubled.. sorry.

Windex at the range, soapy water or a good bore solvent at home, then clean and oil normally and you'd be good.

Posted: 2/15/2007 6:13:33 AM EDT

[#28]

The ammonia in the old water based bore cleaner made for corrosive ammo was there to dissolve the copper deposits in the barrel.
I usually get a pan of hot soapy water, stick the barrek in the water, run a brush up and down a few times. I use hot water so it will evaporatge off quicker. I spray some Windex in the chamber, only because it is the only thing I have in a spray bottle. I swirl the bolt in the hot water too. Then, I spray some WD40(WD--
Water Displacing) into the barrel, on the bolt, and anywhere else water go onto. Then run a couple of patch through the barrel.

Posted: 2/27/2007 4:02:17 PM EDT

[#29]

My Mauser, Mosin and CZ52 have never seen anything but corrosive ammo and they are all perfectly fine. I just run a few patches soaked in hot water down the barrel and then clean as I would clean any other gun.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about corrosive ammo.

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