corrosive ammo

jersurf101 · March 2, 2014, 11:14 PM

I took the Mosin out to the range today. A nice 10 degrees a the range seemed like a good Russian day to me

I shoot the milsurp corrosive Bulgarian light ball and clean after each range session.

It got me thinking about my practice of using windex and why I do so. I was told the ammonia neutralizes the corrosive salts. I figure it is close to soap and water as well. The Windex actually works very well and I then use Hoppes and CLP.

Anybody else care to share their method for cleaning after corrosive ammo?

Willie Lowman · March 2, 2014, 11:24 PM

Balistol and hot water. After that Hoppe's 9 or gunzilla.

tango1niner · March 2, 2014, 11:45 PM

I was taught to scrub bore for 3 days in a row after shooting corrosive ammunition.

wogpotter · March 3, 2014, 08:58 AM

Corrosive salts are a first cousin to table salt, which loves to dissolve in plain ol' tap water.

Because of that here's what I do, YMMV.

I take a small pump bottle (4oz about 2 1/2" long by 1/2" wide) filled with water to the range with me. I wet 3 patches & run them through the bore, followed by 3 dry patches & an oily one. I do this while the barrel is still warm from firing. Then I take the gun home & clean normally the same day. I finish up with an oily mop & check the next day.

*note: My cleaner is water-based & I clean thoroughly, this may effect the final process, but I've yet to have any rust in 45 years of shooting corrosive .303 British.

Dfariswheel · March 3, 2014, 09:29 PM

Ammonia has no effect on corrosive primer residue.
The only reason it works is because commercially available ammonia is mostly water.
The reason Windex works is because it's mostly water.
Windex with Ammonia D contains no ammonia. Ammonia D is a form of alcohol.

You cannot "neutralize" corrosive residue.
Since it's a salt what you have to do is dissolve it and flush it out.
Since nothing is better than water, and nothing is cheaper then water, just use water.

A good test to see if a produce will dissolve corrosive reside is to put some of whatever it is in a small glass and add a little table salt.
If the salt just lays there, it won't remove corrosive primer residue.
If the salt dissolves and "disappears" into solution it's good to use.

hooligan1 · March 4, 2014, 03:42 PM

Great point Dfariswheel, and I use Dawn and hot watet with my Mosin and blacpowder rifle..... Always does a fine job...

seanc · March 4, 2014, 05:31 PM

Dfariswheel:

Quote:

Since nothing is better than water, and nothing is cheaper then water, just use water.

+1

The only thing to add is, after you flushed out the corrosive salts, clean and lube as normal. I like to use hot water so it evaporates out fast (I bring a thermos of hot water to the range), and then clean and lube as normal. You don't want to leave your barrel or any part of the rifle wet.

tahunua001 · March 4, 2014, 06:08 PM

I used to run hot water down the barrel before regular cleaning... i still ended up with rust. Now I just clean with clp and never have rust trouble with any of my guns

mapsjanhere · March 4, 2014, 06:26 PM

The problem with the water rinse is - it only works if you get ALL the salts. If you don't, you leave moist salt on the metal, with a nice layer of oil to make sure the moisture stays. A patch with denatured alcohol before the oil helps drying out the barrel.

HankC1 · March 4, 2014, 06:58 PM

Barrel is easy, remember to clean bolt and gas system as well is semi-auto.

Lemmon · March 4, 2014, 09:36 PM

Thanks.....I learned some thing new Today! I always wanted to know how to clean out corrosive ammo/primers.

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina

reynolds357 · March 4, 2014, 09:53 PM

Black powder solvent works easiest. I always clean with copper remover and when I get the barrel un-coppered, I wash away the corrosive salts with Black powder solvent.

jersurf101 · March 4, 2014, 10:50 PM

I figured water was the active ingredient I needed. I will have to try the black powder solvent because I have some. I'm glad I don't have a semi auto I shoot corrosive in. That would require a lot of cleaning.

Thanks for your replies.

March 2, 2014, 11:14 PM	#1
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	corrosive ammo I took the Mosin out to the range today. A nice 10 degrees a the range seemed like a good Russian day to me I shoot the milsurp corrosive Bulgarian light ball and clean after each range session. It got me thinking about my practice of using windex and why I do so. I was told the ammonia neutralizes the corrosive salts. I figure it is close to soap and water as well. The Windex actually works very well and I then use Hoppes and CLP. Anybody else care to share their method for cleaning after corrosive ammo?

March 2, 2014, 11:24 PM	#2
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	Balistol and hot water. After that Hoppe's 9 or gunzilla. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

March 3, 2014, 08:58 AM	#4
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Corrosive salts are a first cousin to table salt, which loves to dissolve in plain ol' tap water. Because of that here's what I do, YMMV. I take a small pump bottle (4oz about 2 1/2" long by 1/2" wide) filled with water to the range with me. I wet 3 patches & run them through the bore, followed by 3 dry patches & an oily one. I do this while the barrel is still warm from firing. Then I take the gun home & clean normally the same day. I finish up with an oily mop & check the next day. *note: My cleaner is water-based & I clean thoroughly, this may effect the final process, but I've yet to have any rust in 45 years of shooting corrosive .303 British. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

March 4, 2014, 03:42 PM	#6
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	Great point Dfariswheel, and I use Dawn and hot watet with my Mosin and blacpowder rifle..... Always does a fine job... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

March 4, 2014, 06:08 PM	#8
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	I used to run hot water down the barrel before regular cleaning... i still ended up with rust. Now I just clean with clp and never have rust trouble with any of my guns __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

March 2, 2014, 11:45 PM	#3
tango1niner Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: NY Posts: 317	I was taught to scrub bore for 3 days in a row after shooting corrosive ammunition.

March 3, 2014, 09:29 PM	#5
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Ammonia has no effect on corrosive primer residue. The only reason it works is because commercially available ammonia is mostly water. The reason Windex works is because it's mostly water. Windex with Ammonia D contains no ammonia. Ammonia D is a form of alcohol. You cannot "neutralize" corrosive residue. Since it's a salt what you have to do is dissolve it and flush it out. Since nothing is better than water, and nothing is cheaper then water, just use water. A good test to see if a produce will dissolve corrosive reside is to put some of whatever it is in a small glass and add a little table salt. If the salt just lays there, it won't remove corrosive primer residue. If the salt dissolves and "disappears" into solution it's good to use.

March 4, 2014, 06:26 PM	#9
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	The problem with the water rinse is - it only works if you get ALL the salts. If you don't, you leave moist salt on the metal, with a nice layer of oil to make sure the moisture stays. A patch with denatured alcohol before the oil helps drying out the barrel. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

March 4, 2014, 06:58 PM	#10
HankC1 Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 531	Barrel is easy, remember to clean bolt and gas system as well is semi-auto.

March 4, 2014, 09:36 PM	#11
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	Thanks.....I learned some thing new Today! Thanks.....I learned some thing new Today! I always wanted to know how to clean out corrosive ammo/primers. Lemmon from Rural South Carolina

March 4, 2014, 09:53 PM	#12
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	Black powder solvent works easiest. I always clean with copper remover and when I get the barrel un-coppered, I wash away the corrosive salts with Black powder solvent.

March 4, 2014, 10:50 PM	#13
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	I figured water was the active ingredient I needed. I will have to try the black powder solvent because I have some. I'm glad I don't have a semi auto I shoot corrosive in. That would require a lot of cleaning. Thanks for your replies.