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Steel jacketed ammo


V8 Beast

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The problem with surplus ammo isn't so much that it's dirty, it's that the majority of the time the primers contain potassium chloride salts which deposit everywhere upon firing, and thus draw in moisture, causing corrosion. You have to stay on top of cleaning or you risk your shit rotting to hell and back. You can pour an ammonia based product such as Windex down your barrel to neutralize the salts, which will buy you some time.

 

You got the right idea.

 

It's actually potassium chlorate that is used as the oxidizer in the primer compound and it forms potassium chloride salts when it burns. It's very hygroscopic (readily absorbs moisture) and will quickly pull moisture out of the air and can accelerate corrosion where ever combustion gases travel. The salts are water soluble, and while you can't 'neutralize' a salt, you can dissolve it in water and wipe it and/or wash it away. Ammonia only helps deal with the copper fouling that can make it more difficult to get to the salts.

 

With the AK rifle, you will need to clean the gas tube as well as the bore. All 5.45x39 surplus ammo is corrosively primed. It's really no big deal as you should clean it anyway, corrosive ammo or not. even regular powder residue can absorb moisture and cause corrosion problems.

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since we're on the topic of corrosive surplus ammo, there is plenty of brass-cased corrosive surplus ammo as well. So don't assume that because it's brass, it's okay. Taking the gas tube off an AK isn't hard, but I'd be curious how all those 5.45mm ARs are doing after a couple cases through them.
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