corrosive ammo how do you clean after range time

[NRA]

I have found some info on cleaning with windex (amonia) followed by boiling hot water? sound about correct to yall?

[Guest TresOsos]

I believe the windex will nuetrilize the corrossive salts, then clean with hot as you can get it soap water.

Then rinse with as hot as you can get it clean water, dry and lube.

If for some reason you can't get to cleaning right away, soak the barrel,chamber and other parts directly exposed to the the corrosive ammo with the Windex. Then clean as soon as you can get to it.

[vontar]

I have found some info on cleaning with windex (amonia) followed by boiling hot water? sound about correct to yall?

Sounds about Right. Hot soapy water. Then just hot water. After hoppes and light oil to prevent rust.

I have been doing that to my Mosin. I take it apart down to the metal.

You know you don't want to get any of that on the wood or other finish of your gun.

When I first got my Mosin it took me a while to strip it down, now I do it in no time.

I am about to buy another one just to clean it and to see what I get. It is almost a game to see what model you get. Like putting a big quarter in a vending machine and seeing what falls out.

[greyofk]

Isopropyle alcohol known as HEET fuel line deicer clears corrosive residue. Hoppes clears alcohol in couple passes of the patch. No need for any water.

Important thing is not to expose a gun with corrosive residue to any humidity. I spray WD-40 at the range and clear as soon as possible.

[Jonnin]

The old way was water so hot it evaporated after flushing, followed by oil/cleaning. Chemistry works too, windex for sure will, if not prevent damage, slow the process if you need time before you can clean it properly.

[Tempest455]

At some point in the process you should use water or Windex. The reason is, the corrosive material in the primer (more than likely Potassium Chlorate) is much more soluble in water than alcohols. It would be insoluble in oil, hence cleaning with water or Windex.

[seez52]

All good suggestions. Then after you do all that, do it again about 3 days later!

[Mike.357]

Been using generic windex forever. Works great.

On the Mosin I wet patches with it and run them through the chamber and barrel a few times. Then use a few dry patches. Wipe off the bolt face with it. Then lightly oil like on any other rifle.

Have never seen any ill affects.

[NRA]

All good suggestions. Then after you do all that, do it again about 3 days later!

Thanks all... but do it again? I love the range part but all this cleaning is for the birds.

[vontar]

Thanks all... but do it again? I love the range part but all this cleaning is for the birds.

Shoot the cheap ammo and pay for it later.

Take care of your guns and get years of joy out of them. Just better ammo and a little less cleaning.

I only have corrosive ammo for my Mosin. 17 cents a round. not bad.

[DWARREN123]

If available use hot water, maybe soapy hot water. If water is not available then one of the best ways is Ballistol. For range cleaning mix one part Ballistol and 9 parts water and the best way I have is use a spray bottle. Spray down the inside of the chamber and bore, wet a patch and clean the bore. Use the wetted patch to wipe down the bolt face. Dry and clean as with any firearm.

The Ballistol and water mix lifts and removes the corrosive salts that makes the primer, not ammo per se, corrosive.

I have used this method for many years and it works well for me.

[extremescene]

I use a few patches of Windex followed by normal cleaning/oiling... as Mike said above, I've never had any ill effects either. Don't over-think it. I clean as soon as I get home, within an hour or two, not at the range. Never had any rust on my patches.

[Caster]

The corrosive compounds that create these woes are salts. This is all basic chemistry. As extremescene said, don't over think this. The salts are very hydroscopic and they will draw in moisture from the air. That's why people in Arizona could go for a long time without cleaning and see no rust while we might see it as soon as later that day. There is no fancy concoction to remove the salts. No solvents or ammonia, that's all farce. It's Water. The corrosive salts are water soluble. The reason windex works is it's mostly water. Hot water works best. Look at countries like Turkey. Long history of making very good guns. They used corrosive stuff for years. A very novel piece of Turkish surplus is a brass cup that locked onto the bayonet lugs, made for pouring hot (preferably boiling) water down the bore. The way I used to do it when I shot a lot of 7,92x57; I had a foot long piece of rubber hose that fit the chamber and on the other end a plastic funnel. Put a tupperware tub full of water in the microwave and get it to a good boil. Pour from the breech end and the boiling water won't mess with your stock. The water dries almost instantly once the metal gets good and hot, then clean as normal. I use roughly a half gallon of boiling water, then clean like any other gun. Oil well, and forget it. Zero rust.

[Handsome Rob]

All you guys that use red hot or boiling water, don't you every worry about flash rust? I shoot a LOT of black powder and clean my muzzleloaders with windex, as you suggest, but use warm not hot water. Dry well with 5 or 6 patches on a jag & then lube really well with Hoppes. Whenever I've tried hot water, hot enough that it dries itself, I can stand back & watch the rust form!

[JeffL]

I put hot water down the barrel and then clean as normal with Hoppes. Hasn't been an issue yet.

[Caster]

All you guys that use red hot or boiling water, don't you every worry about flash rust? I shoot a LOT of black powder and clean my muzzleloaders with windex, as you suggest, but use warm not hot water. Dry well with 5 or 6 patches on a jag & then lube really well with Hoppes. Whenever I've tried hot water, hot enough that it dries itself, I can stand back & watch the rust form!

Even if it did, when you clean it like normal after the hot water, the bore brush would knock it right off.

[Mike.357]

All you guys that use red hot or boiling water, don't you every worry about flash rust? I shoot a LOT of black powder and clean my muzzleloaders with windex, as you suggest, but use warm not hot water. Dry well with 5 or 6 patches on a jag & then lube really well with Hoppes. Whenever I've tried hot water, hot enough that it dries itself, I can stand back & watch the rust form!

I have had this happen before on my BP revolvers. Was hard to believe what I was seeing at first. Instarust, LOL I learned from trial and error to just use warm water. And basically warm water is just to help the soap do it's thing better.

As for salts in corrosive ammo I hear people say ammonia takes care of it, and others say it is the water. I just stick to what I have been doing for years. If for no other reason ther windex dispensor makes it all real easy to do.

[Jonnin]

I have not seen the flash rust, but only shot corrosive a few times, its too much trouble for me. The primer salts vary a little (there are 3 or 4 salts formed from various types, I think?) but all dissolve in any water of any temprature. If super hot water flash rusts your gun, use warm or even cold water, any of it will dissolve the salts so the important thing is to get it flushed and dry ASAP. I do not think soap helps with the corrosion, but it will help with the soot and other compounds that need to be cleaned out and unless you over-soap it does not hurt the water's ability to dissolve and flush the salts out. If shooting BP, if the powder contains sulpher (home-made powder may??), it makes acid which is a different issue than the salts. Water still works for this. Pretty sure modern BP does not have this problem but the recipes to make it often do.

[netmindr]

I've only had my Mosin out once and I just dragged a bore snake with Hoppes through it twice at the range, then cleaned it again at home with no obvious ill affects. Probly put around 40 rounds through it.

The Hoppes advertises that it works with corrosive primers so I would think it should work just fine. Maybe not as cheap as Windex, but I should have zero concern for rust.

[NRA]

all great info ......thanks