Corrosive ammo

[Uku Pacha]

Just shot about 100 rounds of yugo surplus out of my Mosin Nagant...

I don't yet have my own cleaning supplies, so I use my brother's.

Problem is: He isn't home and I may have to wait a while before I can clean my rifle. Is this a big problem?

How long is too long to let those salts hang out in your rifle?

- I'll likely get a chance to clean it some time tonight.

- I've been home for about an hour, so it hasn't been too long yet.

thanks

[Peter.Steele]

Overnight is too long. You'll see rust in the bore in the morning.

For cleaning after using corrosive ammo, you want something with ammonia anyway. If you have ammonia in the house - like for cleaning or from the meth lab or something - get it out. Put a plastic bag over the muzzle, and rubber-band it down solid. Lean the barreled action (no stock for this!) muzzle-down in the corner of the bathtub and pour in some ammonia. Let it sit for at least a little while. That'll neutralize the corrosive salts. Maybe put the bolt in the bag, too.

Don't leave it toooooo long ... 10-15 minutes should be okay. Still, though, clean the rifle thoroughly as soon as possible.

[DaveInOroValley]

If you want a faster method, obtain a funnel that just fits in the bore from the chamber direction, pour boiling water down the barrel via the funnel, dry well and oil lightly afterwards. That and when you do get your cleaning supplies Hoppe's is designed to be used with corrosive ammo and that's even easier.

[gunboat]

Nothing is needed but plain old h2o -- as suggested, a small funnel at the chamber end to guide WATER down the bore -- Hot water is best, as it evaporates quicker, but plain old water will do the job.
Ammonia is not needed, and only works because household ammonia has a certain percentage of water in it.
It is simple high school chemistry, not nuclear science.

[Reductio]

If you want a faster method, obtain a funnel that just fits in the bore from the chamber direction, pour boiling water down the barrel via the funnel, dry well and oil lightly afterwards. That and when you do get your cleaning supplies Hoppe's is designed to be used with corrosive ammo and that's even easier.

Do this. Now. Scratch that, 5 minutes ago.

[Bigdaa]

Yes, boiling water, detergent too. Don't forget the bolt and especially the bolt face and firing pin. If you have the luxury of an air compressor, blow all parts dry.

After all that, you are ready for an ice cold barley pop and a slice of pizza.

[Quinc]

Just spray her down with some Windex.

[TRICKSTER]

It's a Mosin. The authentic method to clean out the corrosive salts is to pee down the barrel.

[smle-man]

Overnight is too long. You'll see rust in the bore in the morning.

For cleaning after using corrosive ammo, you want something with ammonia anyway. If you have ammonia in the house - like for cleaning or from the meth lab or something - get it out. Put a plastic bag over the muzzle, and rubber-band it down solid. Lean the barreled action (no stock for this!) muzzle-down in the corner of the bathtub and pour in some ammonia. Let it sit for at least a little while. That'll neutralize the corrosive salts. Maybe put the bolt in the bag, too.

Don't leave it toooooo long ... 10-15 minutes should be okay. Still, though, clean the rifle thoroughly as soon as possible.

Ammonia does nothing for the salts. You need water or a water based solution to flush the salts out. Be careful with a high concentration of ammonia - it can etch the metal of the barrel. Ammonia is great for removing copper fouling but not for flushing out corrosive salts.

[RudyN]

When I clean a rifle after shooting corrosive ammo, I clean it like I do after shooting black powder. Warm, make that hot, soapy water until the patches are clean, then dry it and oil it.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Ammonia does nothing for the salts. You need water or a water based solution to flush the salts out.

The household "ammonia" that most people use to clean corrosive residue actually does do a good job. But that's only because household ammonia is 95% water. Like you said, water is what gets the job done.

[paul0660]

I wonder how that ammonia/windex thing got started.

[Lucky Scott]

How do you not own a gun cleaning kit???

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I wonder how that ammonia/windex thing got started.

Ammonia has always been a popular ingredient for home made bore cleaning concoctions because of its ability to remove copper fouling. I think that as recipes got handed down over the years the chemistry/reasons behind the ingredients got lost in the fog of time. And since the only water included in most recipes probably came from a household ammonia solution, the myth kind of makes sense.

But for 99% of the internet gun owners, it probably got started by the Empire Arms website.

[paul0660]

HAHA.......you are probably right, I think that is the first place I read it!!!!!