Milsurp rust/cleaning question...

[J23]

Ok, I have a major crisis over here...

I bought a FPK 'Dragunov' PSL recently to add to my WTSHTF toolbox. Took it to the range and shot 7N1 and Czech Silvertip through it. The gun shoots and fuctions like a top. I love it.

I bring the gun home and, based upon what Ive read on this board and others, cleaned the gun THOROUGHLY with a Windex soaking, then wiped, then CLP.

Two days later, I take the gun apart to check it out, because I just had a bad feeling, as I have never shot milsurp corrosive ammunition before. I field stripped the weapon and the gas piston and rod was coated with that bright red corrosive rust. The muzzle brake was coated along with various spots in the action area and on the bolt face.

I brushed what I coudl off with a toothbrush, got some SCALDING hot (not boiling) water and just drowned the gun: the barrel, action area, muzzle break, piston and rod, down the barrel, ect. Let it dry, then coated the gun with CLP. This was last night...

Today I took her apart, AGAIN. Not as bad, but I still have a few spots starting inside of the break, and on the boltface... AGAIN. WHAT DO I DO!?!?!? Is she ruined?!!? I swear thats the end of milsurp for me... Ill pay the extra money for wolf and NOT ruin my 750.00 rifle that Ive saved like crazy to purchase.

Thanks for any advice,
Joe

 

[Vaarok]

Yeesh, this is why the ammonia myth is bad. Hot water dissolves salt. Ammonia has water, that's why it kinda works.

The PSL has a chrome bore, so all you need is HOT water.

Once you get rust started, you either need to kill the rust with phosphoric acid, a electronic bore cleaner, or scrubbing, and then keeping it oiled.

As long as the bore's clean, anyways, the piston won't die of a little freckling. And can I have all that horrible surp ammo?

 

[marktx]

Pouring hot water down the barrel and then oiling up works just fine for $79 Mosin Nagants but I take a lot more care after shooting corrosive ammo through more expensive semi autos. Dunno how difficult it is to take apart that particular rifle as I don't own one but my guess would be that it's not overly difficult or time consuming. The only semi auto that I regularly shoot corrosive through is a 7mm FN-49 and I strip it down almost completely to clean it to be sure nothing unpleasant is lurking. My procedure is to rinse off the barrel/receiver in the back yard with a hose and everything else gets rinsed off in the sink. Then it all gets tossed in the oven at 200 degrees. Not enough to risk any damage to heat treatment or finish but it gets all the water out of nooks and crannies. Then I give everything a shot of Rem Oil where it sits until I get around to reassembling it.

I wouldn't completely pass on shooting corrosive ammo, cheap surplus is a great thing. When I am just gonna be shooting a little bit or don't have time to clean up afterword then I shoot noncorrosive. If I'm gonna be blasting a lot and have the time then it makes sense to break out the cheaper corrosive stuff.

Haven't had any rust problems with rust myself but from what I hear brass wool (like steel wool but not so harsh on gun finishes) does the trick.

 

[Vaarok]

The PSL is a glorified AK, press the recoil spring button, pop the cover, pull the bolt, flip the release tab on the gas tube, pour boiling water on everything.

It's not that hard and there is no difference between cleaning a $79 Mosin properly and a $790 PSL properly. Either you cleaned it right or not.

 

[the rifleer]

i have a mosin nagant m44. what i do it sprat everything with windex, the clean it all off with lots of water, then use hoppes 9 bore cleaner, then use hoppes 9 gun oil. that seems to do a pretty good job. its a lot of work, but its worth it.

 

[Pipe Burn]

I shoot 7N1 through my PSL. I take the weapon completely down to its individual components. I soak them in Simple Green and then rinse thoroughly in hot water. Clean with toothbrush and q-tips. The parts then get to dry over my portable radiator heater to get the moisture out of the nooks and crannies. Then THOROUGHLY oil the parts with CLP. Use oil soaked q-tips to get to the hard to reach places. Coat all surfaces. A light coat will do. Punch the bore and reassemble. Check again in a few days.

A sheen of red on a weapon isn't the end of the world, just oil it again. Your PSL will be fine. Just stay on top of it and the rifle will outlast you.

As said before, it's a chrome bore and chamber so your pretty safe there.

 

[Bub012]

Ballistol.

 

[strat81]

I'd try hot, soapy water. If everything is coated with CLP, the water will have trouble penetrating the CLP since it's job is to prevent moisture from contacting the metal surface. The soap in the water should help cut through the oil.

You could try a degreaser (Brake cleaner) before the water too.

 

[nicholst55]

Although Windex is most decidedly NOT a magic elixir (it's the water that constitutes 95% of the formula that does the work), you must clean the rifle thoroughly after firing corrosive primed ammo, regardless of what you use. That means the bore, the op rod, the gas piston and gas cylinder, the bolt face, the muzzle device (inside and outside), and everything that was exposed to powder gas, and hence, primer salts.

As you've discovered, just spraying a few shots of Windex in the general direction of the bore is not adequate. It's not voodoo, it doesn't take a magic elixir; it just takes dedication and attention to detail. It's like Master Yoda told Luke: 'Try not; do, or not.'

 

[Flash!]

I never used the water or windex thing......I've always just used Hoppes 9 and then oil the gun thoroughly and never had any problems.....but it is a VERY thorough cleaning with Hoppes 9...

Anyone else doing this and not having problems?

 

[briansmithwins]

I clean my AK after shooting corrosive Yugo M67 ball with Ballistol. I use a 10:1 water/Ballistol mix (as per the label) on any parts that has gas residue on them. Field stripping is required and I brush the water/Ballistol mix on using the field cleaning kit. After wiping the water/Ballistol off with a rag I then apply straight Ballistol as a protectant.

I do this at the range while the rifle is still warm.

I check the AK then next day for rust, any rust spots get more water/Ballistol. 3 days to a week later I check again.

Basically, it's what the AK manual commands: http://www.box.net/shared/cu2djae1zb

BSW