is it worth the hassles using corrosive ammo?

[Shadowrider]

Firing the corrosive ammo doesn't hurt the barrel. The damage comes afterward. Look at how many millions of rounds were fired in the WWII era guns alone. I think it's safe to say that every original Garand ever built had corrosive fired through it at one time or another. And there are some damn fine ones out there still.

Like others have said windex works. As does Ballistol. In a bolt gun I'd fire away.

 

[sumoj275]

And there were a lot of Garands with ruined brls too.

Another option you might look at is Ballistol. It was designed by the Germans before WWI to be used for a variety of uses including neutralizing the salts from corrosive smekeless powder. I am a true believer iin it.

 

[criticalbass]

Clean properly and promptly or watch the rust grow. It's that simple. CB

 

[_CY_]

WOW.. thanks.. this is exactly what I was looking for. what a detailed review!

seems soap and water came out on top. with Windex right behind.
he claims it's water in Windex that did the job, not ammonia

seems Barnes CR-10 Rifle & Handgun bore cleaning solvent, an an eye watering ammonia liquid solvent..... didn't do very well with steel rusting up.

Look at this. It is what your looking for I believe. It is meant to make clean your rifle afterward not avoid the ammo.http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/alittlesalt/index.asp

They are comparing results to solvents. Good article.

EDIT: errors

 

[Wizard]

I shoot it in my Mosin Nagant without another thought and just use Hoppes #9 to clean. So far so good, not even a hint of a problem.

As long as you throughly clean ur guns after every ranges session like I do then I dotn see a problem with it if its the only ammo u can get.

Plus a rifle without ammo is just a club.

 

[Spiff]

WOW.. thanks.. this is exactly what I was looking for. what a detailed review!

seems soap and water came out on top. with Windex right behind.
he claims it's water in Windex that did the job, not ammonia

Yep - ammonia has nothing to do with removing the corrosive salts, they're dissolved in the water. Hot, soapy water is your best bet if you want to shoot corrosive.

Always re-oil everything right after it dries back out! I think boiling water was used back in the day for everything corrosive.

 

[AKguy1985]

salt is dissolved by the water not the ammonia, ammonia will eat soft metal like copper though

 

[kd5rjz]

Just remember to clean it and I promise you'll be ok.

Ammonia FTW!

 

[dwkennedy]

5.45x39 corrosive was $100 (not long ago)
steel cased 5.56x45 was running about $250

I bought a LOAD of 5.45x39 Russian and a S&W 5.45 AR-type rifle.
The russian ammo and this rifle make a very accurate and cheap shooting combo.

The rust comes from salt compounds from the corrosive primers. Good old soap and hot water do a good job getting things clean. I dry things off and clean with CLP, relube, and put away. I check a day later to make sure I haven't missed anything. After the first couple of times I got pretty good at cleaning the AR. Reminds me of those old tablets that turn the plaque on your teeth colors.

The easiest places for rust to develop are the gas tube roll pin, and the inside of the flash suppressor. I haven't had any problems with the barrel/chamber (chrome lined!), the bolt carrier/bolt, or anything in the lower receiver. The corrosive compounds don't seem to make their way into the lower, looks like maybe they are all blown forward with the expanding gasses of the propellant, and little or nothing corrosive seems to make it back to the receiver via the gas system.

 

[waltham41]

I shoot corrosive in my mausers, my mosins, My CZ52 pistol and I even have 2000 rds of corrosive 5.45x39 that I am going to shoot through my Polish tantal when I get it.

Ballistol is good stuff, Hoppes #9 is too.

I have shot thousands of rds of corrosive surplus ammo though bolt actions and semi autos and a good cleaning is all it takes.