WardenWolf
member
Now, this is NOT a "SHTF" or other post-apocalyptic thread. However, it is intended to discuss the merits of corrosive ammo in an emergency situation.
A lot of people buy corrosive ammo because it's cheap and, in spam cans, has an indefinite shelf life. That's all well and good for range use, where you can clean your guns thoroughly afterwards. However, for actual emergency use, you won't have that luxury.
One, cleaning supplies tend to be very bulky, as well as give off noxious fumes. They will easily take up far more space and be more difficult to transport than the ammunition itself. But without them, your weapon will quickly degrade if you shoot a lot of corrosive ammo. On a semi-automatic, this includes thoroughly cleaning the gas tube, which gets absolutely filthy and requires a ton of supplies to clean.
Two, the cost-per-round of 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 ammo difference between surplus and Wolf or Bear ammo is more than offset by the cost of the solvent used, considering with non-corrosive you can get away with cleaning just the barrel and only cleaning the gas tube when it really needs it.
When it boils down to it, corrosive ammo often turns into a false savings, and can seriously compromise your ability to maintain your weapon in the absence of proper cleaning supplies. You wind up paying more for supplies than the cost difference for budget commercial ammo. Of course, if you're only shooting a Mosin Nagant, surplus ammo can definitely make sense, but with any semi-auto, you're asking for trouble.
A lot of people buy corrosive ammo because it's cheap and, in spam cans, has an indefinite shelf life. That's all well and good for range use, where you can clean your guns thoroughly afterwards. However, for actual emergency use, you won't have that luxury.
One, cleaning supplies tend to be very bulky, as well as give off noxious fumes. They will easily take up far more space and be more difficult to transport than the ammunition itself. But without them, your weapon will quickly degrade if you shoot a lot of corrosive ammo. On a semi-automatic, this includes thoroughly cleaning the gas tube, which gets absolutely filthy and requires a ton of supplies to clean.
Two, the cost-per-round of 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 ammo difference between surplus and Wolf or Bear ammo is more than offset by the cost of the solvent used, considering with non-corrosive you can get away with cleaning just the barrel and only cleaning the gas tube when it really needs it.
When it boils down to it, corrosive ammo often turns into a false savings, and can seriously compromise your ability to maintain your weapon in the absence of proper cleaning supplies. You wind up paying more for supplies than the cost difference for budget commercial ammo. Of course, if you're only shooting a Mosin Nagant, surplus ammo can definitely make sense, but with any semi-auto, you're asking for trouble.