Years go someone gave me a beautiful 03A3 barreled action and a bunch of WW 2 military loads. I've just finished a stock and ready to go to the range.

Someone told me that after shooting the mil brass the rifle needs to be cleaned with water before being cleaned the normal way because of corrosive primers, pretty much the way you would clean a muzzleloader, I guess. If I follow up the military loads with a couple of handloads using modern materials, is this still true? I'll use the military stuff just to get the scope close but might want to use it for coyotes sometime.

Assuming it shoot it's going with me to Africa next month!

Thanks.

If it is truly corrosive ammo. Using the date on the head stamp.

One should be able to find out if it is.

Any good bore cleaner should work.

There are still cans of the old military's bore cleaner out there that was designed to take care of it.

If you can to9 find and use it.

p dog- Do you know how to identify the date? most of the loads say STW4, not necessarily in that order. Could it be that they were made in 1944? Or 34? Do you know which year the corrosive stuff was discontinued?

Not a big deal, just curious.

Try this site…

http://ammo.freetzi.com/index.htm

STW4 is not listed here,

https://www.cartridgecollector...age=headstampcodes#A

When in doubt, consider it corrosive.

Corrosive was on the way out in the early 50s, in 1955 non corrosive became NATO standard.

Just a guess! Not American made?


Hip

Not American for sure.

Can't fine any reference for it.

Just mop it out with warm, soapy water. Dry patch and then clean as usual. Make sure you wipe the bolthead with the soapy water as well.

The steel box that they came in (to me, not necessarily original) is marked 280 CAL .30 CARTRIDGES, below that BALL M2, below that IN 8 RD CLIPS, below that LOT TW-41260.

I looked this up, and TW is Twin cities Ord. Plant, in Minneapolis. So after really cleaning up some of the bases, I think they say TW54. If you put the T at 12;oo, the W is at 3, the 5 is at 9, and the 4 is at 6. This makes more sense; maybe they were made at Twin Cities in 1954, and it looks to me that the shells might be from the box that they came to me in. They're much younger than me! I was just starting to chase girls in 54, usually with not many results.

Thanks for the help.

Just found some cartridges in the box stamped DEN 42. Sounds like they're all wartime.

Presume they are corrosive primed.

Best way to clean is a water-based foaming bore cleaner. Which are great cleaners anyways.

quote:

Originally posted by jerrymontgomery:
Just found some cartridges in the box stamped DEN 42. Sounds like they're all wartime.

Denver arsenal 1942 yes they are corrosive

Yes all cal 30 ammo from WW2 is corrosive; up to the mid 50s. Use either RBC, or water to clean it, then oil. Do Not oil first or use any other type of cleaner; it will lock the salts in the steel pores and will after rust. Also shooting some modern ammo after corrosive helps too.
If you had an unaltered A3 barreled action you should have restored it to original configuration; worth much more that way.

It came to me sporterized with very good work, and had a Buehler safety and Timney trigger, bolt handle, '03 bottom metal, etc, and begging for a nice piece of wood so it could go hunting. I aim to please.

I'm not wealthy, but I really don't care what it's worth.

Another question, just out of curiosity- Does a stainless barrel need the same type of cleaning, or is it impervious to the primers?

It’s not just the barrel to worry about. Corrosive salts will migrate to the bolt face and lugs. Corrosive primers can’t be good for stainless barrels, though it may give you sone minor protection. I’d still wash it out after shooting it.

The easiest solution is-----DON'T SHOOT THE AMMO!

Break it down for components!

Hip

That's probably the best solution; pull the bullets throw away the powder and primers and go from there. I've got all kinds of partial cans of powder that would work that I haven't used for years so a perfect way to get rid of it.

Oh please, stop with the hysteria. I've been shooting corrosive and black powder for 50 years. We won WW2 shooting corrosive. Warm, soapy water and a water rinse. Hardly worth pulling down and reloading hundreds of rounds.

Hemingway said you had to get water down the barrel the same day you shot with corrosive ammo, and that if no other water was available in Africa, pee would do.

I had some French military .30-06 ammo of similar age and half would not fire - a worry in case it's just taking its time. So, l'd be inclined to junk it if any fails to fire.

Do what I said above; on any barrel. Even stainless steel barrels will rust. Do not use pee. It comes with it's own issues on steel.
And if it doesn't fire, then you can pull the bullets.

I have a case of South American '06 ammo - military. It is Berdan primed and, I assume, corrosive. About 1/3 of it fails to fire. Need to bury it or something. Pure junk.

We can hand ours in to a police station or gunshop for disposal - one good thing from the nanny state

quote:

We can hand ours in to a police station or gunshop for disposal

Sounds amazing.....