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Corrosive Ammo.....


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Ok,

 

If you put 150rds of Corrosive surplus ammo through your gun and then let it sit in the humid FL weather for 2 weeks without cleaning, you WILL have rust and corrosion on some pieces and parts.

 

What I saw:

 

Rust on the gas piston from transfering from the gas tube.

Green Corrosion on the Gas tube vent holes.

Rust on the non-chromed threads of my FSB and Brake.

Rust "dots" as i'll call them (small sand-like growths on the metal) on places of high gas concentration (brake, gas block, gas tube)

 

Places that had NO rust or corrosion:

 

Receiver

US Trigger group etc.

Anything behind the chamber

Bolt

Bolt Carrier

 

OMG RUST? HOW DO I FIX IT! OMG FIX IT QUICK!:

 

Step 1:

 

Having read that the salts in the primers were corrosive, I first stripped my rifle (gas tube, bolt carrier, brake) and proceded to wash all the items I removed in HOT soapy water in the sink. Salts go bye bye.

 

Step 2:

 

Shake and blow out all the parts the best i can without an air compressor.

 

Step 3:

 

Add cologne/perfume to the parts... err I mean Hoppes #9. Being sure to get Hoppes in the places I got water....

 

Step 4:

 

Clean gun barrel like normal with Hoppes #9.

 

Step 5:

 

Wet a cleaning cloth with hoppes and run it over every piece and part from the chamber forward.

 

Step 6:

 

Admire my shiny barrel and rust-free gun.

 

Step 7:

 

Re-assemble.

 

Step 8:

 

Will check it tonight for any rust / corrosion but I think it's good.

 

 

Time spent cleaning:

 

20 mins.

 

Ammo Cost per round:

 

$0.15

 

Ammo Cost Per Round of NEW NON-CORROSIVE:

 

$0.24

 

Savings when shooting 200-500rds at the range before coming home to clean:

 

$18.00 - $45.00

 

Conclusion:

 

If you plan on shooting 200 rounds or MORE at the range in one trip, the cost savings outweigh the time and effort to clean. If you are going to shoot 5 rounds to "sight it in" you're gonna spend more time cleaning. The time to clean is almost independent from the round count as shooting 5 rounds will require a strip and clean just as shooting 500 would. You may need to make a few more passes with the cleaner and rod after 500 though but time to clean is not directly correlated to # of shots. It doesn't take you 100x longer to clean after 500rds than after 5. maybe 1.5-2x as long.

 

Anyway, just thought I'd post my test of Corrosive and findings. :)

 

have a great day!

 

~SN

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how did the ammo perform?

any notable difference???

 

 

Ammo performed superbly besides the occasional light-strike which i'm currently attributing to the light-hammer spring i stuck in the gun.

 

I was popping clay pigeons with Iron sights at 100yrds.

 

Video of occasional light-strike Here:

 

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=44197&view=findpost&p=404434

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Saiganoobie - you are in Florida, just drop it in the pool and hand cycle it a couple of times, hang it up to drip dry, then spray it with rem oil or mink oil or something to cut the water out of the parts, no? Or heck, just use the garden hose, even....Im sure a lot of people's neighbors will enjoy that one!

 

you guys just gotta make this stuff scientific, i tell ya! :)

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Saiganoobie - you are in Florida, just drop it in the pool and hand cycle it a couple of times, hang it up to drip dry, then spray it with rem oil or mink oil or something to cut the water out of the parts, no? Or heck, just use the garden hose, even....Im sure a lot of people's neighbors will enjoy that one!

 

you guys just gotta make this stuff scientific, i tell ya! :)

 

I do have a Chem/Bio degree so yah, I make it scientific.

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I've heard a good trick when firing corrosive ammo is to finish up the range session with a few rounds of non corrosive ammo. That or send a non corrosive round down the pipe every 100- 200 or so, it tends to help clear things out.

 

For a quick range clean before packing up or if you don't have time to really clean right now:

Warm or hot soapy water in a squirt bottle for rinsing out the barrel and bolt at the range when you are done shooting; quick dry off with T-shirt or whatever is handy, then spray the nooks and crannies with WD-40. I know WD-40 is not a great lubricant or gun product but it is a water displacer. (Water Displacement forumla #40). Soapy water will clear out the salts, WD-40 will clear out the water, then you can take it all home and clean or not clean to your own personal specs.

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I've heard a good trick when firing corrosive ammo is to finish up the range session with a few rounds of non corrosive ammo. That or send a non corrosive round down the pipe every 100- 200 or so, it tends to help clear things out.

 

For a quick range clean before packing up or if you don't have time to really clean right now:

Warm or hot soapy water in a squirt bottle for rinsing out the barrel and bolt at the range when you are done shooting; quick dry off with T-shirt or whatever is handy, then spray the nooks and crannies with WD-40. I know WD-40 is not a great lubricant or gun product but it is a water displacer. (Water Displacement forumla #40). Soapy water will clear out the salts, WD-40 will clear out the water, then you can take it all home and clean or not clean to your own personal specs.

 

I was going to say spray it down with WD40 instead of letting it drip dry, but Tom would probably give me an earful!

 

I still like the idea of the garden hose, though....

 

"whatcha doin there"

 

"watering my AK"

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Ammonia can potentially damage the chrome lining of the barrel if not diluted enough or if left for too long. Luckily for those who use it, Windex contains very little ammonia and is mainly water. Try making your own concoction with more ammonia and you may not be so lucky. That said, ammonia does help with copper fouling and some bore cleaners do contain a little ammonia. The idea is to get the salts OUT of the barrel, not neutralize them in the barrel. I spray a generous amount of soapy water down the breech and I clean and oil as usual when I get home. YMMV

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+1 on the ammonia. Its all you need to remove the corrosive elements from the barrel, then clean as normal. No need to be scared of corrosive ammo, just dont leave your gun dirty for 2 weeks outside and you are golden! Thanks for the info Newbie!

Please use your brain and quit perpetuating this myth.

 

Ammonia does nothing for corrosive salts.

 

It's the 99% water Windex is made of that sluices out most of the salts left after firing. Folks use windex cuz it's convenient in the range bag.

 

 

Ammonia dissolves copper (and as noted, in sufficient strength - chrome).

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