When shooting rounds with corrosive primers, should the rifle be cleaned as soon as possible after shooting the rifle to avoid corroding the barrel? Also, can the barrel be cleaned with regular solvent like hoppes 9 or is it supposed to be cleaned with hot soapy water. I've heard different things from different people, please help

Yes, the barrel should be cleaned soon (same day)

My understanding of corrosive ammo is that a compound used in the primers is like a salt and absorbs moisture out of the air, which leads to quick rusting.

I've been told that the best way to clean a barrel is with something water based. I use a little warm water and some household ammonia (about 4 parts water to 1 part ammonia) I've also used windex with ammonia also. After cleaning with the water based I then clean the bore normally with Hoppe's and lube lightly with some Kroil.

Be careful not to cross-contaminate, i.e., use brushes that have corrosive primer residue on them to your other rifles.

Like Matt said "the barrel should be cleaned soon (same day)"

He is also correct that a "salt" is the real problem. I've read and been told that the best cleaner is hot water. I don't use it due to the safety hazard. I use windex followed by Hoppes #9.

I use a similar cleaning technique to the ones above.

I remove the bolts, mount the rifles muzzle down ..... and spray generic window cleaner with ammonia down the chamber and barrel (flushing out the majority of corrosive salts). I then run a mop loaded with window cleaner down the barrel. That's all I do at the range.

I then clean them with Shooters Choice/Kroil 1:4 mixture at home.

There may be an easier/cheaper way to do it..... but my barrels are kept pristine with my method!

With the price of good quality (but corrosive) ammo, .... I think the extra steps required in clean-up are worth it!

Soap and water, Then dry and clean as always.
It is worth the extra effort.
Gene

If you're shooting it in a semi-auto be sure to pay attention to the gas system too. I made that mistake on an SKS a long time ago. A week later it took a half hour to free up the op rod and another to clean everything.

Thanks for the respones guys. I was talking to the guy at the gun show who I bought the ammo from and he said the guns only need to be cleaned every few months when shooting corrosive ammo. I knew this didn't sound right from what I've heard. Thanks again.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe 45:
Thanks for the respones guys. I was talking to the guy at the gun show who I bought the ammo from and he said the guns only need to be cleaned every few months when shooting corrosive ammo. I knew this didn't sound right from what I've heard. Thanks again.

Joe
that guy wants to sell you another rifle in the not to distant future.

If you live in a very dry state like Arizona, rust from corrosive ammo isn't that big a worry- but cleaning the same day is ALWAYS recommended.

We used boiling water and a little soap, scrubbed the bore with bronze brushes then dried thoroughly and oiled afterwards in my old shooting group for years and never had a problem.
Some of the surplus ammo we shot was 11mm mannlicher made in the 1870s- it stunk horribly, but the primers fired reliably and the fouling was easy to remove by the above mentioned technique.

-Badger-