Quick Corrosive Primer/Ammo Question

[Venom1956]

Hey all,

I know most surplus ammo uses corrosive primers, and most US manufacturers primers have been good for quite awhile.

But a friend had some .38 wadcutter reloads that his uncle had made for target practice. They didn't look particularly current (brass looked a few years old) and I was wondering how common were corrosive primers for reloading? and when did they finally switch to non-corrosive?

He ran a cylinder of them through one of my guns and I didn't think much of it until now. I'm pretty positive they aren't corrosive since they were practice rounds for his uncles competition gun, who would shoot corrosive rounds out of that?

It just more of got me thinking, and since I didn't know the answer figured I would ask it here.

 

[jrothWA]

Generally, commercial ammo went non-corrosive..

about the late 20's(???), with the introduction of Remington "Kleen-bore" and Winchester "Stayn-less" trade names.

Military was a it different and used corrosive up til 1953 and being the general switch-over to NC ammo for the US, foriegn still used corrosive but followed along couple years after.

Exception exist, namely all US .30Cal CARBINE ammo was NC, again foreing was not.

SOME special lot of match ammo and experimental (US, Again) used corrosive.

Best way to handle any suspect is to clean the firearm in HOT soapy water and dry, then redo cleaning with over the counter solvents and oils.

Hope this helps.

Will look thru files MIGHT have a table of US Mil ammo data.

 

[Venom1956]

Yeah so unless this guys uncle was pushing 100 I doubt these reloads were corrosive... I might wash it out just to be safe.

 

[Venom1956]

A friend just told me to use windex to spray it down and clean it out? I really don't wanna get water/windex on my gun, and risk rust if I don't have to. Seems like its a slim chance these reloads were corrosive... opinions?

 

[chris in va]

They're not corrosive. The End.

 

[James K]

Just FWIW, the reason the U.S. (and other armed forces) stuck with corrosive primers through WWII and Korea was stability. The early non-corrosive primers (in the late 1920's and 1930's) were not stable and would deteriorate, especially in the heat.

It would have been just a bit embarrassing for the U.S. to find itself in the middle of a war with a few billion rounds of ammo that wouldn't go bang, so they opted to use the primers they knew would be OK and if the GIs had to clean their rifles, well so what? Soldiers had been cleaning rifles since there were rifles to clean and one war more or less wouldn't matter that much.

Jim

 

[medalguy]

Windex does work to dissolve and wash away the corrosive salts left behind by corrosive ammo. I use it all the time when I shoot corrosive Commblock ammo in my AK rifles. Shoot that crappy ammo all day long, and while the rifle is still hot, I remove the bolt, cover, and driving spring, t at all.and spray lots of Windex into the chamber, allowing it to wash out the muzzle. The hot barrel will dry very quickly and nothing will rust. Then when I get home I do the hot water bath and dry everything, then run oily patches down the bore and wipe off everything. No rust anywhere.

 

[Willie Lowman]

I really don't wanna get water/windex on my gun, and risk rust if I don't have to. Seems like its a slim chance these reloads were corrosive... opinions?

What are they teaching you kids in school these days?

Clean your gun thoroughly after shooting and you won't have anything to worry about. A good dose of Hoppe's 9 and some elbow grease gets all corrosive crud out of my 8mm Mauser. All the windex and hot water in the world is no replacement for a thorough cleaning.

If you don't want to use a chemical to prevent rust in the barrel of your gun because it might cause rust... I don't know what to tell you.

 

[warningshot]

Water-based...and oil-base cleaners, Yes there is a difference

You need a water-based cleaner/solvent to remove the harmful corrosive ingrediants in the Com-Bloc ammo.

The oil-based cleaners skim right over the top of the corrosive element(s) leaving them behind to rust. Water-based cleaners will mix with the corrosive elements so you can srub them out. Use an oil-based cleaner on com blom ammo and you can scrub all you want to, but your gun will still rust.

 

[Willie Lowman]

What you need to do is remove or neutralize the corrosive salts left in the barrel.

Water and Windex do this. Hoppe's 9 will do this.

http://www.hoppes.com/au_faq.html

Of course, they will tell you that because they want you to buy their product. I will tell you that because it has been working for me.

But I'm not talking about dribbling a little bit down the barrel to neutralize the salts. I'm talking about getting the gun clean, salts and all.

When I had my PSL, I would give it a bath in water and Balistol. I didn't stop after the first splash, I got the gun clean, salts and all.

There is nothing to fear from corrosive primers if you. Clean. Your. Gun. Properly, thoroughly, with cleaners that will take care of the salts.