7.62x39

[Chester32141]

Hey y'all ... I've got a couple of old spam cans of 7.62x39 on stripper clips, that was left to me by my dad ... the entire round is one color, bronze ... can anyone tell me if this ammo is corrosive or if there is a way to tell prior to firing it ... thanks ...

Chester

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

it likely is if it's any age at all, if left-over bring homes from 'nam it surely is.
pull a slug out of a round dump the powder (smokeless powder isn't corrosive, it's the primer) then chamber and fire the round onto a clean piece of unpainted steel, if it rusts quickly it's corro primered.

 

[CornCod]

Bronze? Could be "copper-washed" Red Chinese stuff. Some of it was corrosive and some not. If the condition is good, it should shoot well. I always had good luck with the Chinese stuff in my SKS.

 

[HOWARD J]

[/URL][/IMG]

If it looks like this--it's Chinese-copper wash steel-corrosive as hell,
Gov. stopped import claiming it was armor piercing.
Take some Windex with you when you go to range--swab barrel well
b/4 leaving---do regular cleaning at home-same day!!!!!!
This kills all corrosive action.......................

 

[Col. Plink]

Just shoot it, baby (and then clean your weapon well with appropriate [water- or ammonia-based] solvent).

 

[Nugilum]

Chester32141,

What are the numbers/letters on the base of the cartridges?

 

[nalioth]

If you don't know - consider it corrosive.

I've seen enough of these threads to wonder why folks don't like cleaning their guns.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

winter mix windsheild washer fluid is good to clean corro-primed ammo residue and black powder guns. the winter mix has more alky in it. really cuts the crud. cheap to.

 

[Chester32141]

Nugilum
What are the numbers/letters on the base of the cartridges?

351
73

Looks just like the ammo in Howard J's picture ...

I enjoy cleaning my guns but I'm not anxious to use water, especially since my purpose for this gun, a single shot Rossi, is an occasional 1/2 doz rounds ...

 

[Nugilum]

357 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
73 - Manufactured in 1973

Oh yes, very corrosive...

Cleaning after corrosive ammo:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=468347

 

[Chester32141]

Thanks for the info ...

 

[Driftertank]

I have a buddy with a bunch of that stuff. It may not be TRULY armor-piercing, but it does dig nice big craters into steel plates (as well as ricocheting rather powerfully; I had one of those whang off said steel plate and hit the spoiler on his car about 6 inches from where I was standing. We decided to quit shooting steel with it).

We've mused about taking a few of the projo's out and loading them in .308's. I magine that would make for a SMOKIN little round that will punch through most obstacles with aplomb, but not be particularly accurate.

 

[fireman 9731]

You can mail it to me, and I will dispose of that awful CORROSIVE ammo for you