WARNING: Polish .308 ammo advertized as "non-corrosive" is in fact corrosive

[Suck My Glock]

PUBLIC NOTICE:
THE RED BOX POLISH 7.62X51 NATO HAS CORROSIVE PRIMERS
This ammo has been falsely claimed as non-corrosive across several websites within the last several months. Check your rifles if you have shot this ammo!

[GunNut]

The primers are an extreme small amount in size and thus extreme small amount of corrosiveness overall. Shoot, clean, what's the issue?
If all the powder was corrosive, then that's another issue

[Suck My Glock]

The primers are an extreme small amount in size and thus extreme small amount of corrosiveness overall. Shoot, clean, what's the issue?
If all the powder was corrosive, then that's another issue

Unfortunately, all corrosive ammo has been corrosive specifically because of the primers. Smokeless powders have never been the culprit for corrosiveness. It has to do with the remnant salts (microscopic in size) left over from the combustion of the primer compound. They are hydroscopic, which means they readily attract and absorb ambient moisture in the air (even here in dry Arizona), causing that moisture to line the bore where those remnant salts are. IT HAS NEVER BEEN THE POWDER.

So yes,...as long as you clean your weapon,...there should be no problem.

HOWEVER, how many guys do you know who (believing they have consumed non-corrosive ammo) have not bothered to clean that gun because they only fired a few rounds through it and it isn't actually "dirty" yet? Quite a few. But if the ammo was actually corrosive and you didn't know,...well,...sucks to be you.

That's the whole point of pointing this out;...so in case someone here used some of this stuff, believing it was non-corrosive,...they can go check their rifle to see if they have a problem.

[GunNut]

Your point is well taken, you have valid points and have done good by alerting others
For the record I am one of those who will clean after all older ammo shooting dirty or clean looking or not. Always been my habit

[792mauser]

It's the primers. And cleaning with modern solvents has little effect.

The older cleaning solvents had a amount of water integrated into it that would dissolve and wash the salt physically out of your bore.

Shooters in the early 20thcentury were complaining about rusted and ruined barrels after throughly being cleaned since the solvents were not removing the salt.

Flushing out the bore with water and wiping insides and bolt with a damp cloth should do the trick.

[Suck My Glock]

There are lots of techniques. I personally enjoy and use Ballistol. It was developed by the Germans prior to WW1 and used and issued by the Wehrmacht up through WW2. Part of the reason so many German weapons survived in usable condition to this day is their use of Ballistol during those years when all ammo was corrosive. As a bonus, it is non-toxic. Soldiers even used it on minor wounds!

Some people say use Windex to flush the bore. Others say plain water works well. Others douche it out using WD40 (which is what I used to do before discovering Ballistol). It all works to one degree or another. They key is just do it. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because we have low humidity you have hours or days before you need to clean the bore YOU DON'T!! I ruined a Chinese SKS back in the 90s because I thought it could wait til the end of the day. 12 hours later, when I finally sat down to swab the bore, the rust had already taken hold.

[pcmacd]

There are lots of techniques. I personally enjoy and use Ballistol. It was developed by the Germans prior to WW1 and used and issued by the Wehrmacht up through WW2. Part of the reason so many German weapons survived in usable condition to this day is their use of Ballistol during those years when all ammo was corrosive. As a bonus, it is non-toxic. Soldiers even used it on minor wounds!

Some people say use Windex to flush the bore. Others say plain water works well. Others douche it out using WD40 (which is what I used to do before discovering Ballistol). It all works to one degree or another. They key is just do it. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because we have low humidity you have hours or days before you need to clean the bore YOU DON'T!! I ruined a Chinese SKS back in the 90s because I thought it could wait til the end of the day. 12 hours later, when I finally sat down to swab the bore, the rust had already taken hold.

Ballistol is TOXIC. I downloaded the MSDS last week.

[Suck My Glock]

There are lots of techniques. I personally enjoy and use Ballistol. It was developed by the Germans prior to WW1 and used and issued by the Wehrmacht up through WW2. Part of the reason so many German weapons survived in usable condition to this day is their use of Ballistol during those years when all ammo was corrosive. As a bonus, it is non-toxic. Soldiers even used it on minor wounds!

Some people say use Windex to flush the bore. Others say plain water works well. Others douche it out using WD40 (which is what I used to do before discovering Ballistol). It all works to one degree or another. They key is just do it. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because we have low humidity you have hours or days before you need to clean the bore YOU DON'T!! I ruined a Chinese SKS back in the 90s because I thought it could wait til the end of the day. 12 hours later, when I finally sat down to swab the bore, the rust had already taken hold.

Ballistol is TOXIC. I downloaded the MSDS last week.

Interesting;...from Ballistol's FAQ page;

IS BALLISTOL NON-TOXIC?
Ballistol does not contain ingredients considered hazardous by the FDA. It does not contain any ingredients which may be harmful for warm-blooded organisms, reptiles or aquatic organisms (if used as directed). If swallowed, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING, ASPIRATION CAN OCCUR. CONSULT A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY.


So I suppose we should stipulate that as long as Ballistol is not ingested,...it is non-toxic.

[brandyspaw]

Back in the day, when surplus ammo was plentiful, a bunch of the surplus ammo for AK's was corrosive. One quick thing a lot of AK shooters did immediately after shooting was to fire just a few more rounds of known good non-corrosive ammo through the rifle after shooting the corrosive stuff. That helps you put off cleaning the rifle right away before any damage sets in.

Then when you get a chance to clean the rifle, use a mix of one half water and one half Windex brand window cleaner with Vinegar. Do a few swabs down the bore with that stuff and you'll be set. Do the same with soaked patches to wipe off the piston/carrier and any other surfaces such as the inside of the gas tube and receiver. Then lube everything after cleaning and you're all set but shooting some known non-corrosive when finishing shooting helps buy some time.