Corrosive surplus ammunition

[monotonous_iterancy]

I've decided to buy some 7.62x54r, and the local store has a choice between newly manufactured soft-point hunting ammunition, and old surplus ammo. The problem is that the modern stuff is about twice as expensive. But I've never shot corrosive ammo. I hear that all you have to do with corrosive ammo is use hot water and flush out the salts. Is it really that easy? Do you have to use water, or would a regular cleaning solution like Hoppes work?

 

[Fishslayer]

Corrosive ammo is no big deal. I've not actually used the water yet but cleaned & scrubbed vigorously immediately after shooting with Hoppes & the usual oils & potions.

Got this stuff but haven't had a chance to use it yet. Moose milk. Ballistol & water. Black powder shooters swear by it.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-596552.html



Also got some of these at Harbor Freight. Great for gas tubes & whatnot.

 

[Deus Machina]

The salts soak up water, and IIRC Hopps doesn't break them up completely. Or it might, but they simply resolidify when it evaporates, or whatever.

You need to flush them out. Copious patches with a water-based cleaner or the like, but it's just easier to dump liquid through the barrel. Water and Windex are the popular ones.

I use a janitor-style ammonia, myself. The surfactant in it helps break up the other crud.

 

[Reloadron]

Why do you suspect the surplus ammunition to be corrosive? Surplus ammunition is not necessarily corrosive. Some older stuff I believe did use corrosive priming but even that stuff has become scarce. Anyway, as suggested just clean the rifle well after use. Years ago we used soap and water. Dry it well then a normal cleaning with solvent.

Ron

 

[303tom]

All 7.62x54R surplus is corrosive, clean after use.............Unless it was made here, or hand rolled.

 

[Milsurp70]

Yes. Its corrosive. I use a lot of water and also use windex. Then finish up with hopps or another solvent. CLR too. Never had any problems. I do tend to be a bit OCD on cleaning after surplus ammo though. Don't forget the bolt.....


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[Certaindeaf]

Just get a gallon of Windex from Costco or such, put some in a spray bottle and spray the heck out of it, punch/dry it and oil as normal.

 

[gbeecher]

Whatever works!

The corrosive primer compound leaves behind potassium chloride salts in the chamber and bore. As with any chemical salt, it will attract moisture and water. Water, of course, will rust metal - especially steel. Just clean it the way you normally do. The key is to not neglect the cleaning after shooting and also to not wait too long between shooting and cleaning. Given enough time and the right conditions, metal will naturally rust. If rust develops, the bore and chamber will become pitted.

 

[BCRider]

As I understand it the salts will not dissolve and properly flush away if you use regular solvents.

For my Mosins I don't "flush" them away with running water. It would get all over the stock. Instead I push a few patches soaked in Windex down the bore. The first couple come out black as blazes. The third comes out somewhat grey. The fourth or maybe fifth one comes out as blue as it went in. At that point a last dry patch followed by a solvent patch or two cleans away the fouling that is not water soluable. Then a lightly oiled patch followed by a last dry patch and I'm done. A lightly windex dampened paper towel is then used to wipe down the nose of the bolt and clean down into the locking lugs area as well as I can reasonably reach. A second lightly oiled towel oils the metal to protect it.

The whole process takes less time to do than it took me to type this message.... and I type quite fast.

Now there's another factor to consider. The surplus ammo is just that. It was intended to throw lots of lead and steel downrange quickly rather than punch tight groups of shots. It's fun to see just how good the surplus ammo can shoot but in the end if you're after tighter accuracy then you will want to either gather up the stuff to reload your own or buy the more expensive new stuff.

 

[Scimmia]

Just get a gallon of Windex from Costco or such, put some in a spray bottle and spray the heck out of it, punch/dry it and oil as normal.

A gallon of Windex? Why not just get a gallon of water? Cheaper and should work better.

I don't know what the fascination is with ammonia or Windex. The water is what dissolves the salt, and water is cheap.

Why do you suspect the surplus ammunition to be corrosive? Surplus ammunition is not necessarily corrosive. Some older stuff I believe did use corrosive priming but even that stuff has become scarce.

If we were talking about US caliber surplus (30-06 - 7.62 - 5.56), I'd agree. Almost all other surplus ammo is corrosive, and ALL of the 7.62x54R surplus in question is corrosive.

 

[303tom]

You all probably don`t have any of this, but this is what I use, bought it from a guy on Surplusrifle a couple years ago, I shoot lots of Black Powder & it works great on them, it`s WWII Rifle Bore Cleaner..............

 

[fallout mike]

I've shot lots of surplus 7.62x54r and 5.45x39. Just clean very good good after shooting each time with any of the above methods and you will have no issues.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A gallon of Windex? Why not just get a gallon of water? Cheaper and should work better.

I don't know what the fascination is with ammonia or Windex. The water is what dissolves the salt, and water is cheap.

If we were talking about US caliber surplus (30-06 - 7.62 - 5.56), I'd agree. Almost all other surplus ammo is corrosive, and ALL of the 7.62x54R surplus in question is corrosive.

It seems to work plenty good and a couple bucks worth will clean a lifetime of shooting. It smells good. I can clean my windshield with it while at the range.
It's handy and cleans more stuff than just water can/will.

 

[kcshooter]

All correct about dissolving the salts.

I boil the water first, then let it cool for a minute or so. The only reason I do that is so it evaporates more rapidly.

Then, clean like any other gun.

ALL surplus 7.62x54 is corrosive, as is ALL 5.45x39.

Hoppes does not dissolve salt. The salts need to be dissolved or abraded away. The only way to get it clean with standard cleaning solutions is thru excessive scrubbing. I'm not big on abrasion in my rifle barrels.

 

[BCRider]

I prefer the Windex over plain water simply because it aids in cutting thru any residual oil in the bore that may be there. In effect I suppose I could simply use water with a few drops of a detergent in it but I've got the Windex handy in a big jug refill for the rest of the household glass cleaning duties.

 

[evan price]

Nearly any gun chambered in 7.62x54R probably shot corrosive its whole life anyway. It's no big deal. Not worth spending money on retail ammo. I keep a squeeze bottle with some blue windshield cleaner in my range bag ($.88 a gallon, use it in all my cars & trucks anyway) to rinse out after corrosive in my 8mm rifles. No problem. Buy a spam can or two of 54R and have some fun.

 

[Salmoneye]

Remove the barreled action from the wood and take it right into the shower with you...Old tooth brushes and a soft bristle bore brush is all you need...

Hang the metal over a woodstove, radiator, etc., and a fan helps...

At least that is what we do with our front-stuffers...

 

[j1]

At the range shoot some Windex down the bore till you get home to do it right.

 

[Murphy4570]

I just pour water down the bore, then scrub vigorously with a bore brush soaked in Hoppe's. Then I wipe a patch soaked in Hoppe's, then dry patches until it comes out clean enough.

The bore of my Mosin rifles are as good as I got them with this method. No rusting to speak of.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

I always have trouble using patches. I have one of those multi-purpose cleaning kits, and while it has an attachment for patches, one of those things that you fold a patch and thread it through, I don't really know how to use it very well. But I read on here about using a smaller size brush and wrapping a patch around it. So that's what I've been doing. Like, when I clean my .22, I take a .17 brush, and put a patch around it. The only problem I see is that cotton gets stuck between the bristles. Is that a good idea though?

 

[fallout mike]

Is the 7.62x38 surplus corrosive as well?

 

[Scimmia]

I always have trouble using patches. I have one of those multi-purpose cleaning kits, and while it has an attachment for patches, one of those things that you fold a patch and thread it through, I don't really know how to use it very well. But I read on here about using a smaller size brush and wrapping a patch around it. So that's what I've been doing. Like, when I clean my .22, I take a .17 brush, and put a patch around it. The only problem I see is that cotton gets stuck between the bristles. Is that a good idea though?

I use a patch loop for some things, but a jag works better most of the time. It would work similar to your brush trick without the problem of getting stuck in the bristles.

Is the 7.62x38 surplus corrosive as well?

Yep

 

[fallout mike]

I figured it was. Just wanted to know for sure.

 

[Reloadron]

I always have trouble using patches. I have one of those multi-purpose cleaning kits, and while it has an attachment for patches, one of those things that you fold a patch and thread it through, I don't really know how to use it very well. But I read on here about using a smaller size brush and wrapping a patch around it. So that's what I've been doing. Like, when I clean my .22, I take a .17 brush, and put a patch around it. The only problem I see is that cotton gets stuck between the bristles. Is that a good idea though?

While universal cleaning kits are OK for some applications think about it this way. Guns can get to be pretty expensive. I would suggest for those who like to shoot on a regular basis they get familiar with good solid cleaning gear. Maybe a single high end rod cost but the rifle deserves the best. This is but one example of higher end cleaning gear.

Use a loop and solvent to wet the bore and let it soak, then run a patch on a jag through the bore repeating as necessary. A good quality cotton patch on a correct size jag will follow the grooves down the barrel rotating the rod. If the rifle is really dirty and fouled then use a brush first to remove and break loose the crud and fouling.

Get familiar with stripping the weapon for cleaning and how to correctly clean it.

As to corrosive ammunition. The only thing corrosive in most of today's military surplus imported ammunition is the priming compounds as was covered. There are two priming compounds in use today, Sodium Petrochlorate (corrosive) and non-corrosive (usually lead stypnate). That is about it. If shooting military surplus ammunition trips your trigger then just make sure you thoroughly clean the weapon.

Just My Take
Ron