corrosive vs. non-corrosive

BillOrr

corrosive vs. non-corrosive -

What's the difference in the two types of ammunition? Is it in the powder? What does corrosive do to your bore or action that non-corrosive doesn't? What do I need to know about shooting corrosive through a remington 700?

Thanks, Bill

perry shooter

Corrosive primers work as good if not better the only thing is they leave SALTS in the bore that combined with moisture will cause the bore to start to rust . This can be completely avoided IF you clean with a good military bore cleaner each time you shoot it . IMHO some of the NEW bore cleaner is made for non corrosive ammo and may not work as well as the older bore cleaner did. YMMV

BillOrr

Wow, that was fast - thanks. So it's the primers doing the foul play huh? Do you know if shooter's choice will get the cleaning job done for corrisove ammo? It's all I use and I use it religiously every time I shoot.

Hawk Carse

Shooter's Choice will not reliably get the job done. The original report by the Bureau of Mines that tied it down was titled "Corrosion Under Oil Films."
The deposit left by "corrosive" primers is potassium chloride, common ingredient in fertilizer and table salt substitute. It will rust the dickens out of any mild steel and some grades of stainless if the humidity is up to normal for most areas and it can absorb moisture to form little drops of salt water in your barrel.

The only thing that will reliably remove the potassium chloride is WATER. You can dress it up with soluble cutting oil, Ballistol emulsions, various muzzleloaders' "Moose Milk" recipes and WW II - Korean era GI bore cleaner, but it is the WATER that does the job. It doesn't take much, we are not talking about cramming your gun in the dishwasher, but it does take some. Followed by drying and oiling, of course.

BillOrr

Excellent, thanks guys. You're the beth-t

bpost

I never shy away from corrosive ammo, just shoot it and use common sense when cleaning after the range session. There is no need to panic and run home with great fear of damage to your gun, again common sense comes into play.

As mentioned, the corrosive component is in the priming mixture. The smoke from firing carries it to other parts of your gun. If you are shooting a gas operated semi-auto like an M1 cleaning can take a bit longer, a bolt gun is much simpler.

Use your favorite bore cleaner first, to get carbon and jacket fouling out of the bore. Then use a black powder solvent soaked patch to flood any remaining salts with the water in the cleaner. Use Kroil as a treatment after the BP cleaner. It helps condition the bore. Remember to wipe out the inside of the action and the bolt face too, some residue can get there and attract rust.

FWIW, I left a rifle out in my shed, it was shot with corrosive ammo and hosed out with WD-40 only. I monitored it every day for several days, rust never formed anywhere on the gun.

XXCross

It might be noted that German 8mm ammo loaded during the second world war was not loaded with corrosive primers. It was the powder that was corrosive. But ya still have to clean!

jonk

quote:Originally posted by XXCross

It might be noted that German 8mm ammo loaded during the second world war was not loaded with corrosive primers. It was the powder that was corrosive. But ya still have to clean!
I'd be interested to hear the source of that. I'd never heard that German 8mm had non-corrosive primers. As for the powder, the Germans used the same powder (essentially) that they had been using for years- a single base chopped flake powder in the 48 gr range. I don't have a chemical analysis of this of course but I'd doubt it was corrosive in and of itself, having the same ingredients as any other period powder (and the same as most today for what its worth).

I do know some Canadian made 8mm from WW2 was non-corrosive, as was USGI M1 Carbine ammo, but those were the only I was aware of.

If you shoot corrosive ammo from your Remington, water is the key as has been said before. I usually boil a pot, dip the brush in, scrub the bore a bit, then pour a pint of boiling water through from the breech with a tight fitting funnel and PCV hose. Dry, then finish with Hoppes or Shooter's choice or whatever. You can reverse the order as BPost suggests but I like to finish with the oil solvent for removal of any remaining water. But either way water is key.

Wulfmann

Are you sure the Canadian 8MM HS 44 is not the CIA "Pay of Pigs" 8MM we gave the invaders so it would appear to be WWII surplus????
I have had some of that boxer NC stuff, nice cases, still use them.

Perhaps the best method for cleaning a rifle after using corrosive ammo is to pour boiling water down the bore.
This washes out the salt and quickly dries the water from the heat.
As stated follow with normal cleaning and oil the barrel.
I also pull the firing pin assembly out and spray some Ballistol in the bolt then shake out the excess. I also wipe down the firing pin while it is out.

With as much 3006 NC around not sure why anyone would bother the extra hassle in cleaning a Garrand, but that is my opinion.

98 action Mausers have a big difference in availability of NC ammo at reasonable prices so one can save a bunch shooting corrosive in a 98 and it is hardly any more trouble than normal cleaning.

A Remington 700, however, is more trouble to disassemble the bolt and not worth the extra trouble but again, IMO

Wulfmann

Rocky Raab

Rocky's Secret Tip #43:

One of THE best and quickest ways to clean a gun bore (with corrosive ammo or not) is with steam. One of those little "Shark" steamers is perfect, and even come with a nozzle small enough to fit most chambers. A 15-second burst of steam not only removes almost every trace of fouling, but allows the steel to dry instantly. An oiled patch afterward with the steel still warm soaks right into the pores of the steel.