Jump to content

Ukrainian 5.45x39 Ammo 69gr FMJ LCW Corrosive Test


Recommended Posts

This is my first post to the site and I've used it exclusively for my Saiga conversions. I've recently completed a Saiga 5.45 conversion and started searching for a reasonably priced plinking round. I've purchased Golden Tiger for my 7.62x39 and have had zero issues with it so I figured I would purchase a case in 5.45x39. It was my first purchase from a certain online ammo store so I only purchased one case to ensure I would receive it in a timely manner and not get ripped off. It arrived a couple of days after placing the order so I decided to order some more but found they had sold out of it. About a week and a half later this site had another brand of ammo listed as having a non-corrosive primer, Ukrainian 5.45x39, 69gr FMJ LCW. After having a good experience with my first order I decided to order a case of this ammo for review before I ordered more. While waiting for it to arrive, I found another site that had brought this particular ammo up in a thread and several users reported as having corrosive primers. I was unable to find anyone who had actually tested it so I decided to do a simple test for my own curiosity. My initial test involved three steel nails that I had sanded bright and shiney begging for the Florida humidity to react with them. After reviewing the initial test, I decided I needed I needed a larger test piece to ensure I wouldn't mistake the results. I've outlined the test as descibed below:

 

post-37529-0-99555300-1333585734_thumb.jpg

 

These are the two types of ammo I tested, both are listed as having non-corrosive primers and I didn't have a confirmed known corrosive primered round to compare.

 

post-37529-0-79619500-1333585832_thumb.jpg

 

Rounds removed with their respective powder displayed. The Golden Tiger has a tubular/extruded powder while the Ukrainian has a flake type powder.

 

post-37529-0-51597000-1333586001_thumb.jpg

 

This is my first test board showing the three stee nails, the first nail wasn't exposed to any primer residue as I wanted to see how it alone would react with the humidity.

 

post-37529-0-50776600-1333586090_thumb.jpg

 

This is how the nails were exposed to the two different primers.

 

post-37529-0-66406300-1333586222_thumb.jpg

 

After exposure to the two primers. The primer in the Golden Tiger had a much louder report than the primer in the Ukrainian round and there was a noticable difference in the color of the primer exposerures left on each nail. The nails were completely covered with the primer residue and there wasn't really any unexposed area to look at. I decided I needed a larger surface area to further my test.

 

post-37529-0-47249700-1333586451_thumb.jpg

 

I used three steel U-clip nuts that I grinded the flat side to a shiney finish. I then used an empty toilet paper roll which I cut in half to make a shield over the two test clips.

 

post-37529-0-10047600-1333586773_thumb.jpg

 

The primers were fired over the test clips with the Golden Tiger primer leaving a black mark at its exposure area whereas the Ukrainian primer left a brown mark at its exposure area. Both test pieces were placed out onto my back porch where they wouldn't be exposed to water than what was in the air. After two days of sitting on my porch I've reached a diffinitive conclusion that I'll post in the second part of this thread as I see I'm running out of space according to the global quota limit. I'm not sure how to make the pictures smaller so that I could have finished in this first post but I'm sure after reading the site more I'll be schooled on how to do so.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

post-37529-0-63058800-1333587898_thumb.jpg

 

I've attached the then current weather conditions at the time when I placed the two test pieces on my patio which was late Monday morning. The test pieces were brought back into my residence after 50 hours of exposure to the Florida humidity and the results speak for themselves.

 

post-37529-0-08633000-1333588171_thumb.jpg

post-37529-0-93828500-1333588203_thumb.jpg

 

Both pieces after primer exposure but before being placed outside.

 

post-37529-0-92619400-1333588432_thumb.jpg

post-37529-0-98209700-1333588525_thumb.jpg

 

Both test peices after approximately 50 hours of humidity exposure. Notice the impact area on the Golden Tiger test piece (left of center), there is no sign of rust being displayed anywhere in the clip. The initial primer impact area on the Ukrainian test piece was (center top), notice the entire piece is showing signs of corrosion below the impact point.

 

post-37529-0-60608100-1333588783_thumb.jpg

post-37529-0-69559200-1333588812_thumb.jpg

 

It's hard to see in the photos but the results are the same as evident on the nails. The Golden Tiger shows no sign of corrosion but the Ukrainian does again. The control nail and control u-clip didn't show any signs of corrosion.

 

As this isn't the most scientific test, I have no doubt the Ukrainian round has corrosive primers. Now you might say to yourself, "who cares", well I do care and I don't care. I thought I was paying for a non-corrosive primed round which is why I paid a little more for them versus purchasing some Russian 7n6 surplus. I have no doubt in my mind that if I shoot these rounds from my rifle and decided to leave it outside for two days that it too would show signs of corrosion from the Ukrainian rounds. Knowing this, after shooting them I will properly clean my rifle so that this doesn't happen. Thanks for your time in this seemingly never ending test.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

HELL of a first post!!!! :up::lol:

 

Cant wait for the results... post them in here and I will sticky it... :up:

 

 

 

:smoke:

 

Maybe you could also include pictures of the markings of the Ukrainian can/packaging the corrosive rounds came in for ease of future identification by the users??

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Indy.

 

post-37529-0-02979000-1333804513_thumb.jpg

 

post-37529-0-25550000-1333804602_thumb.jpg

 

Packaging of the Ukrainian rounds that I purchased.

 

post-37529-0-44334800-1333804714_thumb.jpg

This is what the head stamps look like, not my picture though as I couldn't get a clear image.

 

post-37529-0-21847400-1333804890_thumb.jpg

post-37529-0-95703400-1333804900_thumb.jpg

post-37529-0-77345500-1333804917_thumb.jpg

 

Test pieces after 4 days of humidity exposure on my covered patio. The control piece showed minor corrosion as expected from the elements. The Golden Tiger piece was identical in appearance to the control piece other than where I fired the primer on it. The Ukrainian piece showed advanced signs of corrosion from the initial post.

 

At this point, I guess the only thing I've confirmed is that the Ukrainian primers are corrosive to unprotected steel though I'm not sure how they will react to the chrome lined barrel in my Siaga. I will treat these rounds as being corrosive and after shooting them I will clean promptly and thoroughly.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have no doubt in my mind that if I shoot these rounds from my rifle and decided to leave it outside for two days that it too would show signs of corrosion from the Ukrainian rounds.

 

Why would you leave your rifle outside for two days?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have no doubt in my mind that if I shoot these rounds from my rifle and decided to leave it outside for two days that it too would show signs of corrosion from the Ukrainian rounds.

 

Why would you leave your rifle outside for two days?

 

Can't say I would, merely making a reference to the results of the test I conducted. I would expect the same results on a rifle the was not cleaned after firing these rounds and for whatever reason left exposed to the humidity for the same period of time.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I have no doubt in my mind that if I shoot these rounds from my rifle and decided to leave it outside for two days that it too would show signs of corrosion from the Ukrainian rounds.

 

Why would you leave your rifle outside for two days?

 

I've been outside with a weapon for much longer than 2 day stretches.

 

Good info to know, snake.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Chatbox

    Load More
    You don't have permission to chat.
×
×
  • Create New...