7.62X39 corrosive ammo???

[burntpowder]

I've been reading the Greybeard  forums for a while now and I know you folks will give me straight info. I'm in the process of buying an SKS rifle and have been shopping for ammo. I need to know how to tell if a lot is corrosive or not, (if the retailer doesn't say) and what cleaning measures I need to take if I use that type of ammo.  Thanks

[Badnews Bob]

I havn't seen any corrosive 7.62x39 on the market for awhile, all current production Wolf, Silver bear, Brown bear, Winchester, etc etc is non corrosive I think it would have to be some pretty old stock to be such.

[burntpowder]

I've found a few places on the web that have Yugo material they say has corrosive primers. Can't recall offhand if they mentioned manufacture date. Thanks for the response. I guess I'll try to stay with the Barnual or Wolf stuff. 

[cbxboy]

Burndtpowder,

I will personally attest to the fact that Yugo is CORROSIVE, although I knew htat ahead of time.  I get sick and tired of SOME retailers showing Yugo as non corrosive or Moldly corrosive or whatever BS they put down there.

If you stick to Wolf, Brnaul, Golden tiger Wolf Classic etc you should be fine.  Of course all new commercial production will be fine. 

My rule of thumb is this and followed with ALL calibers....if its Comblock issue its corrosive.   So OLD Yugo is corrosive, 8mm, x39, .308 etc.  All should be treated as corrosive.

I have about 2 cases of the x39 corrosive Yugo and LOVE it.  Great ammo and 1979 headstamped on both cases.  To clean I disassemble COMPLETELY and wash with water, water removes salt.
I do run a patch down the bore with a spray of windex with Ammonia as well then clean again IMMEDIATELY with water (that ammonia can be bad in too large a quantity--Windex is fine)  Dry all parts and lube with light oil of your choice.

If your shooting corrosive make sure to clean gas port, AND op rod as well, not just gas piston (roll rear site ALL the way up)  I suppose biggest area besides bore is the gas port hole and gas piston.  You can drop these into a bucket of water you know!  They don't break or rust away because of water.  Dry and oil.    I am a cleaning freak but NEVER one issue in thousands and thousands of corrosive rounds.

My regime is to treat most ALL ammo as corrosive.  So if I shoot Rossi single and need to clean after firing what is different?  Use bore cleaner, brush, bore cleaner, brush WATER patch, brush, water patch, dry patch, Oil.  Done.  No big deal.  It is a touch more work on SKS, AK, FN-49 etc but its well worth it IMHO.

Buy the Yugo if its a deal, great ammo.  Just be ready to disassemble your entire SKS when done to clean.

WHICH SKS by the way?  Chrome lined bores are more resistant:)  yugo rilfes are clean on contact

[burntpowder]

Thanks for the info. I'm looking at a Norinco Mil-issue piece that has an after market stock set and 4X scope mounted on it. This one is not set up to fire granades. As far as being a cleaning freak, I was brought up to never let the sun set on a dirty gun! Some of my firearms were my Dad's and after being carried on duty by him and me are still in 95 percent plus condition!!! I think if its worth spending money on in the first place its worth maintaining. I've seen dirty guns malfunction and that never happens at an opportune moment. I'll take your advise and use the high price stuff most of the time and keep the bargain ammo for emergency back-up. Guiess I better get shopping for a manual for the SKS!!

[Castaway]

As stated, if you are shooting corrosive ammo, clean your rifle with hot soapy water.  Oils and solvents won't dissolve the salts.  The hot water will heat the barrel and allow it to dry quickly.  Follow up with a few dry patches to mop out any residual water, then a light coat of oil is all you need.

[cbxboy]

The Norinco will be chrome lined barrel.....so it would allow a "slacker" to overlook the gas port and op rod areas.  I know you will not do that.

SKS Manual??  What for?  There are a million disassembly instructions online or I (we) can walk you through it.....its not hard.  Its a military design, designed for the dumbest of soldiers

This does NOT work for SKS too well but I took a plastic Ketchup bottle with a long nozzle and 1/4 tubing.  Attach tubing to ketchup nozzle with a little Super Glue to hold it on the nozzle.  Then next time at the doc office steal the large Ear inspecting cap "funnel" right after the nurse leaves and prior to doc entering.   Grap 2 or 3....

Trim the "funnel" on the ear spy tool to fit just around the 1/4 inch tubing.  Fill ketchup bottle with Warm water (I don't use soap) put the top on and then remove bolt from rifle (mauser/Mosin etc) and place front of barrel in bucket.   Inset funnel/nozzle into chamber and lift ketchup bottle higher than the nozzle.  You have anice "bath" of hot water down the tube.  Scrub with patch only....repeat water bath....do once or twice more to your liking. 

Dry and oil.

Easy and fits into the chamber wonderfly!!  You COULD do with SKS but it will not clean the top side and that is a necessity.  Your gas piston is important and CAN seize up...and your right it will not be when your all alone doing nothing but plinking for fun

Buy surplus ammo all you want, just clean appropriately.  THOUSANDS (and I'm not exaggerating) of rounds and no corrosion yet!

[burntpowder]

Thanks again. Good thing they're made for the dumb soldiers, I can qualify for that. I'll check some of the stuff on the web after the piece gets here and start setting up a cleaning station for it.

[1911crazy]

What ever ammo i shoot i just use the orginal G.I. Rifle Bore Cleaner every time.  I run wet patches thru the bore until there clean, then two dry patches to wipe it out and then oil it up(bore).  If it has a gas system(semi auto) i disassembly it and wash it, dry it and moly it up again. I've done this since the beginning of my surplus days and never had any problems yet.
Like cbxboy says i treat every ammo the same no matter if its corrosive or not i go thru the same ritual everytime just to besafe and sure.

I forgot about one gun not being cleaned after shooting corrosive ammo for a year it sat in the safe until i remembered.  I did the same cleaning and the bore was fine.  This proves to me its also the enviroment were the gun is in too that can make the corrosive start to happen.  My gun was in a dry controlled area in a safe.  If its in a moist / humid area it can cause it to happen. I got lucky but at the sametime got some info/education.  The salts need moisture to corrode the steel so it needs two things to make it happen.