Cleaning Corrosive Primers

[jimmyj]

Hi:
Hopefully this question is in the correct subject area ?

Is there a current commercial brand bore cleaner that will clean a rifle bore after using military ammo containing corrosive primers ?

I would like to get away from the hot soapy water pumped though the bore, followed by clear water, followed by dry patches, and then oily patches.

Thanks,
Jimmy

 

[Arik]

No.

Everyone has their own "way" and claims theirs is best!

Some claim ammonia from Windex destroys the salts. Others use hot water to wash away the salts and it dries faster.

I simply use CLP and clean like I would any other gun.

Everyone's way seems to work and the only thing they all have in common is that the rifle was cleaned

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Steve912]

I've just used a couple of water-dampened patches thru
the bore, at the range. Wipe down breech/bolt face, dry
patches, then oiled patch. It doesn't take much to remove
the tiny residue.

Has worked fine with a Mosin and Tokarev, with Russian
and Romanian corrosive primed ammo.

 

[Rule3]

Ballistol mixed with water

 

[jack the toad]

I've used the old GI white and watery bore cleaner before with good results, but honestly don't know if it was something in the liquid that neutralizes the salts or just copious amounts washing it away. I was told it was originally for cleaning after shooting corrosive ammo. I still have a few small cans left and knew a guy that had a gallon can of it that swore by it. On an old 2-1/4" bore muzzle-loading cannon I once had, I used a generic windex. It had ammonia but once again not sure if washing stuff away or it was neutralized.
I've been told I could have done the same thing using water. Which is what youre wanting away from and what I use on an old Hawken type rifle and various MG's after shooting corrosive ammo. One good thing is that a lot of the old foreign corrosive surplus ammo seems to be drying up. That stuff was cheap but also you knew that after an hour of shooting, you would spend the next several hours cleaning guns, depending on how many you brought.

 

[OKFC05]

Chemically, the hygroscopic salts from the corrosive ammo have to be removed from the gun; there is no magic "neutralizer" that makes it safe to leave them in the gun. Anything you do that removes them is fine. Soap and water is as effecting as anything, but so are many aqueous cleaners.
The salts attract water and catalyze oxidation of any ferrous metal surprisingly quickly if left in contact. Ever watch a military salt spray test?

 

[dfariswheel]

If hot water makes you nervous, most any black powder bore cleaner will work just fine.
Most contain lubricants to prevent rust.
These will dissolve and flush off the residue and leave a rust preventing coating.

As above, you cannot "neutralize" salt.
All you can do is dissolve it into suspension and flush it off the metal.

Ammonia has no effect on corrosive salts.
The only reason it works is because all the commercially available ammonia is mostly water, and it's the water that does the work.

Windex simply serves as a wetting agent and does have some effect on fouling.
The touted Windex with Ammonia D contains no ammonia. "Ammonia D" is actually a form of alcohol.
Again, Windex is mostly water which is why it works.
Plain water mixed with a little kitchen soap will work just as well.

Hoppe's #9 used to be an effective corrosive ammo cleaner, but the EPA forced them to change the formula and it no longer works.

CLP Breakfree, like almost all lubricants has NO effect on corrosive salts fouling.
You can prove this yourself..........

To determine if a product will clean corrosive salts residue, just pour some in a small glass jar or beaker.
Add a little ordinary table salt.
If the salt dissolves and disappears into suspension, it's good to go.
If the salt just lays there it's no good.

About the only lubricant I know of that will work is Ballistol, and ONLY when you mix it with water. The water does the cleaning, the Ballistol leaves a protective coating to prevent rust.

 

[S.B.]

Hoppe's was designed for this and still works well. Lacking that try hot soapy water? My ROA(with wood grips removed) is put into the dish washer after a range trip.
"Hoppe's #9 used to be an effective corrosive ammo cleaner, but the EPA forced them to change the formula and it no longer works."
I can't find anything on the web to substantiate this?
Steve

 

[dfariswheel]

Check Hoppe's web sit for Hoppe's #9.
It used to say that it was good for cleaning corrosive primer residue.
It no longer says this.

A year ago I emailed them to ask what happened and they told me the formula had to be changed due to the EPA.

 

[MichiganScott]

Check Hoppe's web sit for Hoppe's #9.
It used to say that it was good for cleaning corrosive primer residue.
It no longer says this.

A year ago I emailed them to ask what happened and they told me the formula had to be changed due to the EPA.

EPA or not, benzene is carcinogenic. It also happens to be what gave the old Hoppe's the smell all of us remember.

 

[WR Moore]

If you use water that's close to boiling, and swab away until the barrel is very hot to the touch, you don't have to bother with drying it out. The heat will evaporate any remaining water. After it's cool, swab with lubed patch.

I've found Dawn or other detergent in the water helps the cleaning.

I first started the hot water thing waaaaaay back in the last century and after using the GI bore cleaner. After I saw what came out of the bore after it was "clean" I kept at it.

 

[S.B.]

I've heard also that Isopropl alcohol will work not the lower percent but, the high percent? I've used it on my MLs.
Steve

 

[Ray1970]

Back when I owned a lot of surplus rifles and fed them mostly old surplus ammo, my favorite method was a mixture of simple green and warm water. When I had everything washed and had thoroughly swabbed the bore and chamber I would rinse it with hot water. I live where there is practically zero humidity so the hot water just evaporated off quickly and then I would follow up with a conventional cleaning and lubrication before storing. If you live in a humid area you can dry the metal parts in the oven if they'll fit. Just use the lowest setting.