Cleaning Up After Corrosive Ammo?

w.gilbert · 06-17-2002, 12:24 PM

HOW DO YOU CLEAN A GUN AFTER USEING CORROSIVE AMMO?I HAVE A YUGO M-48.THANKS!

alan c. · 06-17-2002, 12:27 PM

I believe there some suggestions on another thread. AR 15/M16
chromed barrels and foward assists.

Big Dog · 06-17-2002, 03:15 PM

First, swab it out with any good bore cleaner with ammonia. Some even use Windex-D, Formula 409, etc. This cuts the primer salts. Then clean as per normal and oil it.

FALPhil · 06-17-2002, 03:28 PM

Easy. Eat a BF slice of watermelon, then take a leak down the bore. Swab out dry and coat with your favorite gun oil. Works every time!

(I got this technique from an old hillbilly in the mountains of western Carolina.)

Dale · 06-17-2002, 03:37 PM

Voluntarily deleted my post outta better judgement...fer sure, lol

NRAJOE · 06-17-2002, 05:23 PM

Haaa, FalPhil, you crack me up! With all the modern loads for old guns,why even bother shooting that old corrosive junk? Oh and Dale, thirds? lol

alan c. · 06-17-2002, 07:52 PM

The last time someone tried that the bolt slammed shut--that had to hurt. See M 1 Thumb thread.

NRAJOE · 06-17-2002, 09:02 PM

OOOWWW!

w.gilbert · 06-17-2002, 10:22 PM

thanks!i normally wouldnt use corrosive ammo,but a friend gave me about 400 rds of turkish 8mm.(i guess its corrosive?)

Dale · 06-17-2002, 11:53 PM

A lot depends on where it was made, when it was made and by who.

Assuming it's military surplus and older in age, my guess is it probably is corrosive. Some people will tell you it's the primer that is corrosive and not the powder/properllant and some will tell you it's either or both. There is a LOT of Berdan primed rounds that are corrosive. Most boxer primes are not. So, I tend to agree with, at least in part, the primer theory.

I personally won't shoot corrosive ammo, and know few that do, but sometimes we just don't know. Just like this case. So, I say, when in question treat it as corrosive.

A high strength of ammonia based cleaner is generally sufficient. I would strip the weapon as far as you can and soak the metal parts that come in contact with the firing process overnight in a strong solution (the length of the barrel might mean it will require individual attention). Scrub, brush, swab, etc. as well as you can. Rinse well and place them in a warm (not terribly hot) oven to let the parts dry good.

Stewart · 06-18-2002, 10:24 AM

There is nothing wrong with corrosive ammo especially when you compare the price to all of the new manufactured ammo for Mausers and such. I shoot Turk and Yugo ammo in my Mausers all the time, no need to strip the gun all the way and I wouldn't soak the parts in ammo based cleaner overnight.

Here is a reproduction of text from Dennis Kroh at Empire Arms, I clean my weapons this way and have never had a problem. Once done with the ammonia clean like normal with Hoppes, etc. I have included the address if you want to read the rest:

"Dilute regular household ammonia (sudsy is best but regular is OK too) to 2/1 or 3/1 with water (it can be as much as 10/1 if the smell really gets to you). Keep in a small bottle to take with you to the range but label it well so you don't mistake it for contact-lens solution or something (yeeeowww!)

After you are done firing and while still at the range moisten (not dripping-wet, but sorta-soaked) a patch and run it down the bore and back once. This instantly will neutralize and dissolve the corrosive salt-compounds from the primers and start in on the copper and powder fouling with a vengeance.

Let stand for thirty seconds or so (just enough time to take off and throw away the ammonia-patch you just used and put a new, dry patch on your rod). Run the dry patch (or several) down the bore and you are most literally done.

DON'T OVERDO IT! More ISN'T better in this case...

You really don't want to slop ammonia (especially if heavily concentrated) all over the blued parts of the gun (as it will likely start to remove bluing after 30 minutes or so) and you also shouldn't leave the ammonia in the bore for an extended period of time (like hours, although I do know folks who do that anyway) as that may (not WILL, but MAY) cause "crazing" (microscopic pitting) of the metal. I also have to caution against slopping ammonia on the wooden parts of your rifle, as it will usually strip the finish down to bare-wood, BUT if you follow my advise on HOW MUCH ammonia to use (only enough to dampen, but not soak, a single patch per gun) you will not EVER experience ANY problems at all...

If you are worried about primer residue getting on the bolt-face you may want to quickly wipe it with the wet patch before throwing the thing away and quickly dry it. Same thing with the gas-tube in a semi-automatic rifle... don't go overboard, just wet it and dry it and get done with it.

As a final precaution (since the ammonia will also kill all lubricants and leave the metal very dry) you can run a patch of gun-oil down the bore and leave it like that for protection from the elements (just be sure to run a dry patch down the bore before shooting it again).

I've been cleaning guns this way (including *every* gun we sell) for nearly thirty years, and have never had rust form in any bore (even here in humid Florida). " Dennis Kroh.

http://www.empirearms.com/

w.gilbert · 06-19-2002, 01:26 PM

THANKS!

06-17-2002, 12:24 PM	#1
w.gilbert Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: kentucky Posts: 11	Cleaning Up After Corrosive Ammo? HOW DO YOU CLEAN A GUN AFTER USEING CORROSIVE AMMO?I HAVE A YUGO M-48.THANKS!

06-17-2002, 12:27 PM	#2
alan c. Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pasadena,Tejas - also known as Texas Posts: 3,769 Images: 15 Blog Entries: 3	I believe there some suggestions on another thread. AR 15/M16 chromed barrels and foward assists. __________________ God Bless. From Tejas -- formerly known as Texas. Last edited by alan c.; 06-17-2002 at 12:33 PM.

06-17-2002, 03:37 PM	#5
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	Voluntarily deleted my post outta better judgement...fer sure, lol __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me Last edited by Dale; 06-17-2002 at 08:44 PM.

06-17-2002, 05:23 PM	#6
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,351 Images: 3	Haaa, FalPhil, you crack me up! With all the modern loads for old guns,why even bother shooting that old corrosive junk? Oh and Dale, thirds? lol __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany Last edited by NRAJOE; 06-17-2002 at 09:02 PM.

06-17-2002, 07:52 PM	#7
alan c. Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pasadena,Tejas - also known as Texas Posts: 3,769 Images: 15 Blog Entries: 3	The last time someone tried that the bolt slammed shut--that had to hurt. See M 1 Thumb thread. __________________ God Bless. From Tejas -- formerly known as Texas.

06-17-2002, 03:15 PM	#3
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,642	First, swab it out with any good bore cleaner with ammonia. Some even use Windex-D, Formula 409, etc. This cuts the primer salts. Then clean as per normal and oil it.

06-17-2002, 03:28 PM	#4
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Occupied Confederacy Posts: 241	Easy. Eat a BF slice of watermelon, then take a leak down the bore. Swab out dry and coat with your favorite gun oil. Works every time! (I got this technique from an old hillbilly in the mountains of western Carolina.)

06-17-2002, 09:02 PM	#8
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,351 Images: 3	OOOWWW! __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

06-17-2002, 10:22 PM	#9
w.gilbert Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: kentucky Posts: 11	thanks!i normally wouldnt use corrosive ammo,but a friend gave me about 400 rds of turkish 8mm.(i guess its corrosive?)

06-17-2002, 11:53 PM	#10
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	A lot depends on where it was made, when it was made and by who. Assuming it's military surplus and older in age, my guess is it probably is corrosive. Some people will tell you it's the primer that is corrosive and not the powder/properllant and some will tell you it's either or both. There is a LOT of Berdan primed rounds that are corrosive. Most boxer primes are not. So, I tend to agree with, at least in part, the primer theory. I personally won't shoot corrosive ammo, and know few that do, but sometimes we just don't know. Just like this case. So, I say, when in question treat it as corrosive. A high strength of ammonia based cleaner is generally sufficient. I would strip the weapon as far as you can and soak the metal parts that come in contact with the firing process overnight in a strong solution (the length of the barrel might mean it will require individual attention). Scrub, brush, swab, etc. as well as you can. Rinse well and place them in a warm (not terribly hot) oven to let the parts dry good. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me Last edited by Dale; 06-17-2002 at 11:58 PM.

06-18-2002, 10:24 AM	#11
Stewart Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Calhoun, Georgia Posts: 675	There is nothing wrong with corrosive ammo especially when you compare the price to all of the new manufactured ammo for Mausers and such. I shoot Turk and Yugo ammo in my Mausers all the time, no need to strip the gun all the way and I wouldn't soak the parts in ammo based cleaner overnight. Here is a reproduction of text from Dennis Kroh at Empire Arms, I clean my weapons this way and have never had a problem. Once done with the ammonia clean like normal with Hoppes, etc. I have included the address if you want to read the rest: "Dilute regular household ammonia (sudsy is best but regular is OK too) to 2/1 or 3/1 with water (it can be as much as 10/1 if the smell really gets to you). Keep in a small bottle to take with you to the range but label it well so you don't mistake it for contact-lens solution or something (yeeeowww!) After you are done firing and while still at the range moisten (not dripping-wet, but sorta-soaked) a patch and run it down the bore and back once. This instantly will neutralize and dissolve the corrosive salt-compounds from the primers and start in on the copper and powder fouling with a vengeance. Let stand for thirty seconds or so (just enough time to take off and throw away the ammonia-patch you just used and put a new, dry patch on your rod). Run the dry patch (or several) down the bore and you are most literally done. DON'T OVERDO IT! More ISN'T better in this case... You really don't want to slop ammonia (especially if heavily concentrated) all over the blued parts of the gun (as it will likely start to remove bluing after 30 minutes or so) and you also shouldn't leave the ammonia in the bore for an extended period of time (like hours, although I do know folks who do that anyway) as that may (not WILL, but MAY) cause "crazing" (microscopic pitting) of the metal. I also have to caution against slopping ammonia on the wooden parts of your rifle, as it will usually strip the finish down to bare-wood, BUT if you follow my advise on HOW MUCH ammonia to use (only enough to dampen, but not soak, a single patch per gun) you will not EVER experience ANY problems at all... If you are worried about primer residue getting on the bolt-face you may want to quickly wipe it with the wet patch before throwing the thing away and quickly dry it. Same thing with the gas-tube in a semi-automatic rifle... don't go overboard, just wet it and dry it and get done with it. As a final precaution (since the ammonia will also kill all lubricants and leave the metal very dry) you can run a patch of gun-oil down the bore and leave it like that for protection from the elements (just be sure to run a dry patch down the bore before shooting it again). I've been cleaning guns this way (including every gun we sell) for nearly thirty years, and have never had rust form in any bore (even here in humid Florida). " Dennis Kroh. http://www.empirearms.com/ __________________ "You can sleep well at night because rough men are willing to commit violent acts on your behalf" George Orwell

06-19-2002, 01:26 PM	#12
w.gilbert Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: kentucky Posts: 11	THANKS!