Corrosive ammunition and friends (advice requested)

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Snowdog

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Here's an odd question, but I feel there are many here with the necessary wisdom and insight to help me make the right decision.

A few month ago, a friend of mine bought a nice Yugoslavian M48A identical to mine and asked if I could give him a few rounds to help him get acquainted with his new find. I told him I'd be happy to give him 100 round or so of 8mm (just purchased 1000 rounds of older but sure-fire 8mm ammunition a week prior), however I specifically warned him that the only ammunition I had on hand for the 8mm was circa 1950 FN manufactured fodder that was berdan primed and corrosive.

I remember warning him on two separate occasions that the rifle barrel and bolt face absolutely needed to be cleaned with hot soapy water thoroughly after firing in order to prevent damage to his barrel and bolt.

No problem....

A month or so later, I hear back from him. The rifle is a real gem... accurate, comfortable, etc. However, he's curious why he can't get his barrel shiny like it was when he purchased the rifle. I asked him if he cleaned the rifle as he was suppose to after firing the corrosive ammunition I gave him and he replies "Yes, I'm doing that now and I can't get the barrel clean" . :rolleyes: "You're doing that now?"

I sympathetically explained to him that he most likely sustained some damage in the form of a dark bore from the lack of immediate cleaning that he was specifically instructed to do. He becomes defensive, somewhat angry and eventually hangs up.

last Wednesday, he asked to purchase some of the (in my opinion "absolutely worthless") Norma 9mm training rounds that feature a plastic bullet with an imbedded 5mm iron ball to play around with. I told him I would think about it and get back to him.
Normally, I would have sold him all the Norma 9mm crap he wanted, but I can't be sure he won't go and do something absolutely stupid with it.
He has been told that it's deadly at close range and shouldn't be used in any manner that regular ball wouldn't be used in.
However, I fear he'll call and tell me the "training ammunition" that I sold him killed the family cat.


So, do I just tell him that I'm no longer selling it to spare myself any prospective liability, or do I sell him what I have with a good long spiel about the inherent dangers of this particular ammunition?

Thanks.
 
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After the 8MM corrosive ammo incident, any thing he asked about buying from me would certainly start waving the BIG Red Flag...and probaly send up a couple of flares, too.

Since he disregarded your emphatic instructions to clean immediately after firing the 8MM stuff, he WOULD IGNORE ANY warnings about the suitable use and non-use of the 'training ammo', and most likely would end up mortally wounding the family pet, or MUCH WORSE.

Short answer: NO SALE!
 
Yeah, I've been leaning in that direction.

Overall, the guy is fairly level headed and the incident with the 8mm ammo truly took me off guard as I wouldn't have expected it from him.
I should have included that he has since admitted fault for the damage to his rifle while not directly saying so.

I should also point out that if any of you just met this guy, you would likely think of him as a reasonably stable sort. If it were some bozo that chronically passed the buck as a result of his own incompetence, I wouldn't have asked the question.
This same person has given me (or sold for on the cheap) ammunition in the past that he thought I would find interesting, such as S&B rubber buckshot and original Winchester Black Talons that he managed to pick up fairly cheap at a gunshow. Just last summer he put two boxes of Norinco steel core (yellow box) ammunition in the back of my Wagoneer and would take anything for them. He's proactive in the legal issues concerning firearms and has convinced his wife that firearms don't bite. He's far from gun illiterate... or so I think.
Though I don't feel I particularly owe him anything, I would like to pay back the favor if I could without creating anymore grief for either of us. The guy shoots fairly regularly but has just about zero knowledge of surplus rifles and ammunition.

It seems though I shouldn't push my luck!
I guess I just sold out of 9mm Norma training rounds.


Thanks for the replies.
 
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