I have read on several occasions where people say they use Windex to clean rifles fired with corrosive priming or black powder weapons. This has raised a couple of questions in my mind.
Nearly everybody knows plain water is the only solvent that will wash out the salts deposited by firing corrosive priming. Is Windex used because it is convenient and cheap in the spray bottle?
Besides a large percentage of water, Windex contains ammonia, not at a high concentration, but ammonia has corrosive properties itself and will eat steel if left in the bore. In addition it is hygroscopic, meaning it sucks moisture from the air, so if any were left in the bore it would wick humidity onto the steel.
I understand the function of using ammonia to cut copper deposits, but the amount of ammonia in Windex is not enough imho to do that.
I am coming to the conclusion that the only reason people recommend using Windex is the convenience and cheapness, although I like the price of water even better.
Please enlighten me.
Here is a paper on Ammonia
Thanks!
Nearly everybody knows plain water is the only solvent that will wash out the salts deposited by firing corrosive priming. Is Windex used because it is convenient and cheap in the spray bottle?
Besides a large percentage of water, Windex contains ammonia, not at a high concentration, but ammonia has corrosive properties itself and will eat steel if left in the bore. In addition it is hygroscopic, meaning it sucks moisture from the air, so if any were left in the bore it would wick humidity onto the steel.
I understand the function of using ammonia to cut copper deposits, but the amount of ammonia in Windex is not enough imho to do that.
I am coming to the conclusion that the only reason people recommend using Windex is the convenience and cheapness, although I like the price of water even better.
Please enlighten me.
Here is a paper on Ammonia
Thanks!