Have I damaged my Garand?

baddarryl · April 7, 2024, 10:02 PM

When I first got a Service Grade about 10 years ago my first 200 rounds were Greek surplus from the CMP. I didn't know anything about corrosive ammo and water so I have always cleaned it with CLP. I haven't noticed any degradation in accuracy. I have since put 400 rounds of new Seller and Bellot though it and cleaned after every range trip.

Have I harmed it in any way and is there anything I should do now? Thank you!'

**JohnKSa** · April 7, 2024, 11:17 PM

I thought the Greek Surplus was non-corrosive?

**44 AMP** · April 8, 2024, 01:56 AM

The issue with corrosive primed ammunition is that the priming compound leaves chemical salts behind, everywhere the powder gas contacts. These salts attract water out of the air, and hold it against the steel, which causes rust.

Sometimes, really bad rust rather quickly.

Cleaning with solvents that do not contain water does not dissolve the salts well, if at all. Cleaning with water (or something with water in it, like Windex) does dissolve and flush out the salts. But it is water, so you have to clean again with something that displaces the water (regular gun solvent and oil).

Check your gun, carefully. If there is no rust, I'd say you haven't harmed it.

jcj54 · April 8, 2024, 05:16 AM

From the CMP is non corrosive. Tha Garand ammo made by PPU is non corrosive. US commercial M2 Ball equivalent is non corrosive. US military .30-06 made before 1955 is corrosive. 1950's era PMC Korean surplus. 30-06 is corrosive.
Corrosive primed ammo fired and left uncleaned overnight will rust a bore, if you pay careful attention to the ammo you use you should have no problem.

MC 1911 · April 8, 2024, 01:33 PM

If it was 10 years ago,it's a little late to worry about it & issues would have shown up long ago..

NWPilgrim · April 11, 2024, 04:40 PM

Greek surplus M1 ammo is some of the best. More accurate than the most of the Lake City I have shot and is not corrosive. I believe most of the HXP ammo that was through CMP was from the 1960s-1970s. Great stuff.

Nathan · April 11, 2024, 08:42 PM

Just keep shooting it. Clean with water now if you are concerned.

Red Devil · April 17, 2024, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baddarryl

When I first got a Service Grade about 10 years ago my first 200 rounds were Greek surplus from the CMP. I didn't know anything about corrosive ammo and water so I have always cleaned it with CLP. I haven't noticed any degradation in accuracy. I have since put 400 rounds of new Seller and Bellot though it and cleaned after every range trip.

Have I harmed it in any way and is there anything I should do now? Thank you!'

IF - you shot 200 rounds of corrosive ammo ten years ago, and never properly cleaned it?

You'd be picking up that rifle with a dust pan.

1. HXP is non-corrosive.
2. Shooting non-corrosive ammo will dislodge most/all of the salt left behind by corrosive ammo.

Rest easy.

Red

tangolima · April 18, 2024, 11:32 AM

I have a few milsurp rifles that most certainly saw actions during 2 world wars, firing corrosive ammunition. Pretty sure they were not cleaned with water anything right after action, if at all. They are still in pretty good shape. Corrosive ammo has higher chance to cause rusting, but it may not always.

AK-47 are known to last forever, right? The ammo Vietcong used during Vietnam war was corrosive. If it is that bad, AK wouldn't be considered so rugged.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

**JohnKSa** · April 18, 2024, 11:44 PM

If you clean right after shooting, clean everything thoroughly and clean the bore back to bare metal and then get all the metal oiled then it doesn't matter what you clean with.

I got a bunch of corrosive pistol ammo years ago at a really low price and shot a bunch of it. Then one time I couldn't get the pistol cleaned right after shooting and found out the stuff was corrosive. Up until then I had cleaned it immediately after getting home from the range, cleaned the bore to bare metal and then wiped on a very thin layer of a good CLP over the whole gun. No problems at all until I didn't clean immediately after shooting.

Mike40-11 · April 19, 2024, 12:01 PM

The Greek HXP is definitely non-corrosive. I've shot a couple thousand rounds of it through Garands, 03s and 1917s. Headstamps 68-72. Complete non-issue.

Great brass by the way, some of mine is on it's 5th loading.

tangolima · April 20, 2024, 12:17 PM

I believe CMP only sells non-corrosive ammo.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

April 7, 2024, 10:02 PM	#1
baddarryl Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2011 Location: Cape Fear! Posts: 1,683	Have I damaged my Garand? When I first got a Service Grade about 10 years ago my first 200 rounds were Greek surplus from the CMP. I didn't know anything about corrosive ammo and water so I have always cleaned it with CLP. I haven't noticed any degradation in accuracy. I have since put 400 rounds of new Seller and Bellot though it and cleaned after every range trip. Have I harmed it in any way and is there anything I should do now? Thank you!'

April 7, 2024, 11:17 PM	#2
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,049	I thought the Greek Surplus was non-corrosive? __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

April 8, 2024, 01:56 AM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,944	The issue with corrosive primed ammunition is that the priming compound leaves chemical salts behind, everywhere the powder gas contacts. These salts attract water out of the air, and hold it against the steel, which causes rust. Sometimes, really bad rust rather quickly. Cleaning with solvents that do not contain water does not dissolve the salts well, if at all. Cleaning with water (or something with water in it, like Windex) does dissolve and flush out the salts. But it is water, so you have to clean again with something that displaces the water (regular gun solvent and oil). Check your gun, carefully. If there is no rust, I'd say you haven't harmed it. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

April 8, 2024, 05:16 AM	#4
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 222	Greek Surplus M2 Ball From the CMP is non corrosive. Tha Garand ammo made by PPU is non corrosive. US commercial M2 Ball equivalent is non corrosive. US military .30-06 made before 1955 is corrosive. 1950's era PMC Korean surplus. 30-06 is corrosive. Corrosive primed ammo fired and left uncleaned overnight will rust a bore, if you pay careful attention to the ammo you use you should have no problem.

April 18, 2024, 11:44 PM	#10
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,049	If you clean right after shooting, clean everything thoroughly and clean the bore back to bare metal and then get all the metal oiled then it doesn't matter what you clean with. I got a bunch of corrosive pistol ammo years ago at a really low price and shot a bunch of it. Then one time I couldn't get the pistol cleaned right after shooting and found out the stuff was corrosive. Up until then I had cleaned it immediately after getting home from the range, cleaned the bore to bare metal and then wiped on a very thin layer of a good CLP over the whole gun. No problems at all until I didn't clean immediately after shooting. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

April 8, 2024, 01:33 PM	#5
MC 1911 Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 380	If it was 10 years ago,it's a little late to worry about it & issues would have shown up long ago..

April 11, 2024, 04:40 PM	#6
NWPilgrim Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,350	Greek surplus M1 ammo is some of the best. More accurate than the most of the Lake City I have shot and is not corrosive. I believe most of the HXP ammo that was through CMP was from the 1960s-1970s. Great stuff.

April 11, 2024, 08:42 PM	#7
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,352	Just keep shooting it. Clean with water now if you are concerned.

April 18, 2024, 11:32 AM	#9
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,889	I have a few milsurp rifles that most certainly saw actions during 2 world wars, firing corrosive ammunition. Pretty sure they were not cleaned with water anything right after action, if at all. They are still in pretty good shape. Corrosive ammo has higher chance to cause rusting, but it may not always. AK-47 are known to last forever, right? The ammo Vietcong used during Vietnam war was corrosive. If it is that bad, AK wouldn't be considered so rugged. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

April 19, 2024, 12:01 PM	#11
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	The Greek HXP is definitely non-corrosive. I've shot a couple thousand rounds of it through Garands, 03s and 1917s. Headstamps 68-72. Complete non-issue. Great brass by the way, some of mine is on it's 5th loading.

April 20, 2024, 12:17 PM	#12
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,889	I believe CMP only sells non-corrosive ammo. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk