Cleaning after shooting "non corrosive" corrosive ammo

[PinnedandRecessed]

Hey TGT patrons, <----NOT THE ATF

Over the years I've come across many types of "non corrosive" ammo. Some types seem to be like any other ammo and some will rust and pit your rifles naughty bits within a matter of days. Just curious what regimen others employ when using surplus ammo that sits on the corrosive side of the scale. As with many things there are a lot of myths out there about what to or not to use. Windex? Ammonia? Water?...or just the regular gun scrubbers (Hoppes/CLP).

I'll admit that I am NOT one of those guys that comes straight home from the range and spends the rest of the day cleaning what I just used. I take care of my stuff but I'm not anal about it. I'm currently watching an AK that I used Herter's "non corrosive" 7.62x39 in. The firearm has been kept in dry cool conditions for 5 days now and seems to doing ok. What has ya'lls experience been with Herter's?

 

[Moonpie]

I've not used Herter's ammo so I can not comment on it.
I have fired lots of corrosive ammo tho.
The easiest thing to clean it with is hot water poured down the barrel. Followed by regular solvent and then rust preventative oil.
Yes, there are specialty corrosive cleaning solvents but they aren't really needed.
You should clean your weapon ASAP after firing corrosive.

 

[ROGER4314]

There's really no mystery to corrosive ammunition. It's just about SALT! The salt is from the primer composition and it has an affinity for moisture. Moisture applied to steel, breeds RUST.

In searching for something to clean off the corrosive residue, just ask: "Will this dissolve salt?" If the answer is "Yes", then it's a good solvent to use. Warm, soapy water followed by oil after drying is the best! Petroleum based oil will not dissolve salt!

In Black Power firearms again, the culprit is salt mostly from the Potassium Nitrate in the BP and from a salt in the percussion caps. Powder residue left in the firearm, collects moisture and rust begins almost immediately.

Don't forget that when that salt is spread by firing the load, it gets on everything! You clean the barrel, but the salts gets under the stock, mounted sights or anything else. There it sits and there it rusts!

Old Mercuric primers contain mercury which attacks the brass and ultimately trashes it.

Couldn't swear to this, but I've been told that nations that have very cold climates, use corrosive primers because they ignite better in extreme cold. That would explain the corrosive Russian, Bulgarian, Czech and other ComBloc ammunition we see.

Flash