I went out shooting today as the weather was very nice for this time of year - low 40s with barely even a breeze. When I was shooting my AR, I noticed something I've not noticed before, either with this ammo or with this gun, or with any combination of gun and ammo, for that matter. There was a very distinct - I'd say strong, even - odor of ammonia. It happened primarily when I was shooting more quickly - or that I noticed, at least. It did not smell what I'm used to combusted gunpowder smelling like, and this Fiocchi has historically smelled little different than, say, Federal .223.
The gun is just a boring AR-15. The ammo is Fiocchi 55gr .223, which comes packaged in 50-round boxes (boxes are green w/ the plastic tray). I bought a case (1k rounds) of it a couple years ago when it was still relatively "cheap". I've shot about half of it up, and it has been stored in of doors (heat and air conditioning) - though the climate we're in now is quite a bit drier than the one I bought it in and where it was for about a year (in terms of warm-season humidity).
Is this ammo corrosive? What's the deal? Aside from being unobservant, what might lead to the very distinctive ammonia odor (not just distinctive, it was the only odor I could smell aside from "warm barrel")? Is this ammo known for having such an odor?
ETA: there was a "moist" residue, which I assume was condensation, on the inside of the receiver, though I have not noticed this in the past while shooting in colder weather (and I've been out shooting in much colder/windier). Could the ammo have gotten wet to cause this?
The gun is just a boring AR-15. The ammo is Fiocchi 55gr .223, which comes packaged in 50-round boxes (boxes are green w/ the plastic tray). I bought a case (1k rounds) of it a couple years ago when it was still relatively "cheap". I've shot about half of it up, and it has been stored in of doors (heat and air conditioning) - though the climate we're in now is quite a bit drier than the one I bought it in and where it was for about a year (in terms of warm-season humidity).
Is this ammo corrosive? What's the deal? Aside from being unobservant, what might lead to the very distinctive ammonia odor (not just distinctive, it was the only odor I could smell aside from "warm barrel")? Is this ammo known for having such an odor?
ETA: there was a "moist" residue, which I assume was condensation, on the inside of the receiver, though I have not noticed this in the past while shooting in colder weather (and I've been out shooting in much colder/windier). Could the ammo have gotten wet to cause this?
