corrosive ammo

[VegasND]

In that case, rather than do as a prudent person would and just maintain your equipment: I suggest you run in circles-scream and shout-

Your original post is leading one to believe that one need not be concerned about corrosive ammo doing any damage

[Southpaw45]

I ran corrosive ammo through my Mauser and all I did is clean it a usual when I got back from the range with Bore Tech Eliminator. A bore cleaner that I use on all my rifles with copper bullets. No problems! Just get on your cleaning quickly.....

[Cowboy T]

The corrosive part is actually the primer residue. The reason it's corrosive is that after the primer goes off, potassium chloride is left in the barrel. What's potassium chloride? It's a type of salt! What does salt do to iron (and thus steel) in the presence of any moisture? It catalyzes an oxidation/reduction reaction...better known as corrosing, or rusting.

Fortunately, salts are easy to deal with. Like its brother sodium chloride (table salt), potassium chloride dissolves in water very easily. So, just flush out your bore with some water, along with anywhere else the primer residue would normally go (e. g. gas tubes in certain semi-autos, and the piston face). Takes maybe a minute or two. Then, just clean your firearm as normal.

For bolt guns like Mosins and Mausers, it's even simpler. The primer dust goes into the chamber and down the barrel; no gas tube to worry about. Just the bore and the chamber.

[Madpyro]

That would be chlorate, not chloride.

[Rider1k]

is it feasible to say that you could shoot corrosive ammo for a weekend and then clean your gun and its not going to go to hell?

[Vit_sfba]

Old Russian military manual says that when cleaning after corrosive ammo one has to use alkaline compound as a first stage. US analogs are Hoppes #9 (pH 7), Hoppes Semi Auto (pH 8) and/or Castrol Gun Stripper (pH 7-8).

[VegasND]

Take another look at the pH scale; 7 is neutral.

Old Russian military manual says that when cleaning after corrosive ammo one has to use alkaline compound as a first stage. US analogs are Hoppes #9 (pH 7), Hoppes Semi Auto (pH 8) and/or Castrol Gun Stripper (pH 7-8).

[rsrocket1]

From the Wiki place:

Frankford Arsenal FA-70 primers used potassium chlorate as an oxidizer for lead(II) thiocyanate, to increase the sensitivity of potassium chlorate, and antimony trisulfide, as an abrasive, with minor amounts of trinitrotoluene. These corrosive primers leave a residue of potassium chloride salt in the bore after a cartridge is fired. These hygroscopic salt crystals will hold moisture from a humid atmosphere and cause rusting. These corrosive primers can cause serious damage to the gun unless the barrel and action are cleaned carefully after firing.

If you are out in the desert (or in Sacramento in the summer) you would probably be OK to wait until you get home after a weekend of shooting. I personally pour about a pint of water through a funnel down the chamber of the Mosin Nagant. It is usually so hot that the first few ounces boil over so I do it very slowly. After the water is out, I run a couple of patches to ensure the bore/chamber is dry, then spray some CLP or Rem Oil down the bore and run another patch through. Clean as usual the next day or next weekend after going home.

[Divernhunter]

Here is my take.
I use windex (or some other glass cleaner) at the range because it removes alot of residue from the bore while the bore is warm. I spray it on a patch and run it down the bore followed by dry patches. I was surprised just how much stuff I got out of the bore even when only firing 5 shots. I like the windex as it is in a spray bottle and easy to carry/use. Yes plain water will remove the salts. However I look at it as I can wash my hands with plain water and get them clean or so-so. But if I use soap and water they get cleaner much faster. Same with the rifle barrel plus I remove other fouling besides the salts much faster and more completely.
When I forget the windex at the range I clean at home but have found it more work to get the barrel as clean as when I start with the windex at the range. Either way I then use regular bore cleaner and oil before storing the rifle.
I also have poured hot soapy water down the barrel followed by a patch then hot plain water to rinse just as I do my muzzle loaders. Then a regular gleaning procedure. This also works but I find the windex at the range works best for me.
Another thing to consider many of the mil surplus rifles had chromed bores which helps with the rust problem. Also many firearms over the years have had the barrels pitted etc with improper or no cleaning after using corrosive ammo or black powder. I just do not want to have that happen to mine when I own them.

[Riddler]

[Vit_sfba]

Take another look at the pH scale; 7 is neutral.

I didn't check that myself, that was written in the post in Russian military forum. OTOH, for Hoppes #9, it originally said "pH7-8", dunno how true it is.