Corrosive or non-corrosive

[Noel]

Ok guys... I want to pick some brains out there... Can someone tell me what make one ammo more corrosive then another?

[Shady]

the primers are either corrosive or not

[REH]

The corrosive primers will have mercury in them. Longer shelf life.

[knucklehead0202]

notice all the stuff that's bad for you works better? lead, asbestos, mercury, etc.

[J-cat]

leaded gasoline... mmmmmmmm

[gunboat]

All US commercial ammo made since about 1946 is non mercuric, non corrosive - with a few possible exceptions.
All US military small arms ammo made since about 1952 is non-mercuric, non-corrosive with the exception of a couple batches in about 1955-56 --
Most, if not all western european commercial ammo is NM-NC -- Military is often corrosive.
Earstern European, Asian, african, commercial and military ammo is a gamble as to being corrosive --
my ha-penny

[Noel]

The corrosive primers will have mercury in them. Longer shelf life.

So is this the only thing that makes it corrosive?

[Mssr. Eleganté]

The corrosive primers will have mercury in them. Longer shelf life.

Mercuric primers were phased out around the year 1900, decades before corrosive primers were phased out. Mercuric primers are a totally separate issue. Mercuric primers can be either corrosive or non-corrosive.

It's potassium chlorate and not mercury that makes corrosive primers corrosive.

[AAShooter]

Mercuric primers were phased out around the year 1900, decades before corrosive primers were phased out. Mercuric primers are a totally separate issue. Mercuric primers can be either corrosive or non-corrosive.

It's potassium chlorate and not mercury that makes corrosive primers corrosive.

The key is that if you are shooting corrosive ammo, you need to clean your firearm relatively soon after firing. Unlike modern ammo, leaving your gun uncleaned for days, weeks and months will produce undesirable results.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

The key is that if you are shooting corrosive ammo, you need to clean your firearm relatively soon after firing. Unlike modern ammo, leaving your gun uncleaned for days, weeks and months will produce undesirable results.

And the other key is that you need to clean your firearm bore with a water based cleaner. After combustion, the potassium chlorate in corrosive primers leaves a residue of potassium chloride (salt) in the bore. This salt is not dissolved by most modern bore cleaning solvents but it is very easily dissolved by plain water. Hot water is even better.

[Noel]

The key is that if you are shooting corrosive ammo, you need to clean your firearm relatively soon after firing. Unlike modern ammo, leaving your gun uncleaned for days, weeks and months will produce undesirable results.

I understand that you need to clean right after shooting but I wanted to know what makes it corrosive... So what I am hearing is it is potassium chlorate in the primer that causes the corrosion is this correct?

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I understand that you need to clean right after shooting but I wanted to know what makes it corrosive... So what I am hearing is it is potassium chlorate in the primer that causes the corrosion is this correct?

Yes. Technically it is the potassium chloride that causes the corrosion. But the potassium chloride is formed by the combustion of the potassium chlorate in the primers.