Should I freak out about this?

[Cooper 0]

Disassembled my Saiga tonight and found rust in the gas tube, on the piston, and in the part that connects to the barrel. I shot it three weeks ago and gave it a pretty good cleaning afterwards.

 

How should I deal with this?

 

Thanks!

[Vultite 57]

what did you clean it with? I don't have any rust on my gun after 1k rounds....i clean with hopps gun cleaner and use a teflon lube to coat the gun

[Cooper 0]

what did you clean it with? I don't have any rust on my gun after 1k rounds....i clean with hopps gun cleaner and use a teflon lube to coat the gun

 

Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber. Then a coat of Rem Oil.

[22_Shooter 1,560]

Were you using corrosive ammo? How are you storing the gun when you're not using it?

[ArcFault 4]

I have had rust in the gas tube before, its really not a huge big deal provided that its confined to the gas tube. Just clean it out with a wire bore brush and give it a slightly heavier coat of oil than before. You really dont want to much oil in the gas tube as it will attract fouling, so sometimes as a consequence of light or no oil you get a little rust. Like I said, it really isn't to big of a deal, the gas tube on an AK is really just a piston guide, it doesn't handle gas anyway. If you want you can try a dry lube like silicone or a protectant like Birchwood Casey Barrel Sheath.

[Cooper 0]

As far as I know I was not using corrosive ammo. I was using Wolf, and another ran some rounds through it that were all brass-looking (could that be Golden Bear, or something?) that he said was about ten years old. I guess that could have been corrosive, but I cleaned it immediately after shooting.

 

I store it in a soft case (carrying bag) in my safe.

 

Ran a 20ga brush through it and oiled it, then swabbed the oil out.

 

The bore still looks shiny. Is there anything else I should check?

 

Thanks!

[nalioth 405]

I was using Wolf, and another ran some rounds through it that were all brass-looking (could that be Golden Bear, or something?) that he said was about ten years old.

10 years ago, Wolf and other Russian ammo makers were using corrosive primers when they ran out of noncorrosive ones. This happened quite a bit back then and is documented on the various gun boards.

[SJgunguy 5]

As far as I know I was not using corrosive ammo. I was using Wolf, and another ran some rounds through it that were all brass-looking (could that be Golden Bear, or something?) that he said was about ten years old. I guess that could have been corrosive, but I cleaned it immediately after shooting.

 

I store it in a soft case (carrying bag) in my safe.

 

Ran a 20ga brush through it and oiled it, then swabbed the oil out.

 

The bore still looks shiny. Is there anything else I should check?

 

Thanks!

 

That brass shit could be some of that corrosive Yugo surplus ammo. If you store your rifle in a safe,take it out of the bag. Those bags tend to hold moisture in really well. Do you have a safe heater(golden rod) or a bucket of desiccant, that will eliminate excess moisture.

[jrance@iacwds.com 716]

Apparently corrosive ammo leaves salts in the affected fiream and typical gun cleaning products will not remove them. See the link below

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/corrosive/index.asp

[SJgunguy 5]

Apparently corrosive ammo leaves salts in the affected fiream and typical gun cleaning products will not remove them. See the link below

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/corrosive/index.asp

 

 

Yep, most gun cleaning chemicals won't work. Just use windex and rinse with soapy water,dry completely and use whatever you normally do when cleaning.

[nalioth 405]

Apparently corrosive ammo leaves salts in the affected fiream and typical gun cleaning products will not remove them. See the link below

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/corrosive/index.asp

 

 

Yep, most gun cleaning chemicals won't work. Just use windex and rinse with soapy water,dry completely and use whatever you normally do when cleaning.

Another myth.

 

Use hot soapy water (people advise windex cuz its' easy to carry to the range - the primary agent in windex is . . . . water) rinse with hot water, proceed as above.

[jrance@iacwds.com 716]

Reminds me of when I used to shoot black powder pistols. Always felt funny washing my pistol and drying it in the oven.

[22_Shooter 1,560]

If you store your rifle in a safe,take it out of the bag. Those bags tend to hold moisture in really well. Do you have a safe heater(golden rod) or a bucket of desiccant, that will eliminate excess moisture.

 

+1 to this.

 

Goldenrods are cheap and effective.

[Catahoula 0]

Oils in gas systems are generally considered a No-No. This is true for the M14 and the M1 as well as many sporting semi-autos. Gun oils gum up or carbonize under heat. I have been using Ed's Red - home brew formula - primarily as a cleaner, and it is not supposed to gum or carbonize and can be used in gas systems. It does a marvelous job of cleaning a firearm, breaking down any buildups or carbon easily and has some lubricating qualities. I have personally never found a gun cleaner that works as well.

 

And it is cheap! Make your own by mixing 1 part paint thinner, 1 part kerosene (low sulfa version), and 1 part Mobile 1 ATF. You can use any Dexron based ATF, but I like the fact that Mob 1 is synthetic.

 

Ed's Red was developed years ago by a fellow named Ed (forget his last name). There are several minor variations on the formula to be found on the net.

 

When the evaporating elements flash off there is a lubricating element left, so it has some lubricating qualities. Although for lubrication, I am trying a formula of Mob 1 10W30 motor oil and Mob 1 ATF about 4 to 1. It seems to work just fine. And is a whole lot cheaper than over priced gun oils.

 

Catahoula

[Gaddis 1,689]

His last name was Harris, I believe.

 

Back in the days of FIDO net. Post one day, wait overnight to see if you get a response. Boy, that sure brings back memories. (or was it more like):

[Cooper 0]

Thanks for the all the info. I checked my gas tube today and sure enough, more rust. I will try the windex thing and let y'all know.

[ironhead7544 35]

Black powder cleaners will remove salts from corrosive ammo fouling. I shoot surplus 5.45x39 and have no rust problems. Wally World has it.

[Shellshock1918 1]

Apparently corrosive ammo leaves salts in the affected fiream and typical gun cleaning products will not remove them. See the link below

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/corrosive/index.asp

 

 

Yep, most gun cleaning chemicals won't work. Just use windex and rinse with soapy water,dry completely and use whatever you normally do when cleaning.

Another myth.

 

Use hot soapy water (people advise windex cuz its' easy to carry to the range - the primary agent in windex is . . . . water) rinse with hot water, proceed as above.

 

The windex is used if you shoot corrosive ammo first, then plan to be at the range for a long day shooting other stuff.