What is Your Favorite Solvent for Cleaning Corrosive Ammo

[Mike 56]

For years i used a few patches with windex and then finished with Hopes #9 it worked good but it took forever. I shoot a lot of black powder and started using Ballistol for making patch lube and oiling my guns after cleaning. Then i read on the can you can mix it with water to clean black powder and corrosive ammo fouling. So i made up a batch half water and half Ballistol. It worked great for black powder fouling. Then i tried it for cleaning up after shooting corrosive ammo it worked great cut my work in half. When i am done cleaning i run one nice clean down the bore. As a bonus i get a little copper out of the barrel when i dry it out before shooting.I like that the Ballistol does not dry out in the barrel.

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice tips Mike.

I also use Windex when at the range. Buy the version that has Vinegar in the formula as that helps neutralize the salts of BP or corrosive ammo better than the formulae without it.

At home I generally just mix hot water and dish detergent and scrub with a bore brush to further remove the salts if it looks to be an issue. After that I use a copper solvent if necessary. If you use a strong copper solvent with ammonia, you can follow that with a few patches soaked in wood alcohol (medical alcohol) as that will neutralize the ammonia. I then use Sheath to protect the bore in storage.

I'll give the Ballistol a try. The company's web page gives lots of uses for it. Here's a link to the site:

http://www.ballistol.com/

[Outpost75]

When I was a kid I was brought up on the M1 Garand, 03A3 Springfield and M1911 pistol using WW2 era ammo having chlorate primers. Cleaning after corrosive is no big deal. If done properly there is no worry about after-rusting. A good thing is that older US military primers are VERY stable and have a great shelf life. I am still using WW2-era .30-'06 and .45 ammunition. I grab every round of it that I can find at garage and estate sales.

US military primers produced prior to about 1953 caused rusting in humid climates because potassium chlorate is used as an oxidizer. Upon combustion this converts to potassium chloride, which attracts ambient moisture from the atmosphere in the same manner as ordinary table salt. Chlorate salts are water soluable, but not oil soluable. To quickly remove the salts the best thing is to use boiling hot soapy water. Boiling water is best because it evaporates quickly of its own heat, simplifying drying. If you don't have a means to heat the water, cold water will do. So will leftover tea or coffee or standing water soaked up on a patch left in a hoof print!

I was taught by a WW2 vet to bend a wire cage to hang a metal canteen near the exhaust manifold of your farm tractor, pickup, Jeep, M151, etc. Lacking that use your Natick cooker or build a small "Indian fire." Leave the canteen lid slightly loose so that steam can escape while it heats as you drive to the range or back and forth between the pits and firing line. When ready to clean your weapons, snug the lid and lift the hot canteen out of its cage by the cap chain, then pour out 1/2 a canteen cup full of hot water. Use your pocket knife or K-bar to scrape about about 1/2 teaspoon of flakes from your bar of green GI soap, Calgon or Fels Naptha into the hot water. If your bore is rough and tends to metal foul, use cake Bon Ami wiped and worked to a lather on your hot, wet patch.

Put your "soap patch" through the loop tip of your M10 cleaning rod and stir the hot water vigorously until it is nice and sudsy.

Do not use your "oil patch" or your "inspection patch" for this purpose, because your platoon sergeant will chew you out and not issue you any new patches for being a *******! You be the daily Gomer. You are issued only three patches at a time because "War is hell! Some poor seasick merchant mariner braved Atlantic storms and U-boats, barfing his guts out to bring those precious patches to you! Treat them with the same reverence as you would your girl friend's panties! " Replacements will be issued only after rifle inspection, if you pass !

1. Field strip your M1, .45 pistol or Springfield on your folded shelter half spread across your vehicle hood or bunk. Rest the barreled action with the sights down, so that water running out of the chamber does not run into the action.

2. Wipe the bore with your wet "soap patch" of hot soapy water, passing through the bore both ways, TEN times. Remove your dirty "soap patch" but DO NOT throw it away! Place it back into the soapy water for washing and repeated re-use until you are done.

3. Now change to your bristle brush. Wet the brush in the soapy water and pass it back and forth through the bore TEN times.

4. Now lather up, squeeze and wring out your used "soap patch" squeezing out as much of the water as you can. Put it back on the loop tip, run once through the bore, remove, wash, wring out again and repeat! If you still see carbon on your "soap patch" go back to #3 and repeat. If bore and patch appear clean, then use washed and wrung out "soap patch" on your combination tool to clean the chamber, gas cylinder, gas cylinder plug, operating rod piston and bolt face. Then again wash and rinse soap patch, wring out and put carefully away for later inspection by your platoon sergeant.

5. Now take "oil patch" and apply VVL800 weapons oil in a stream making an "X" crossing corner to corner, in the form of St Andrews cross. If you don't know who St. Andrew, was GySgt. Humphrey will repeat the history lesson for you (*see below). If you don't have military weapons oil, ordinary Hoppes or Outers Gun Oil is OK, but a "water displacing" dewaxed, polarized oil is best. Roll the patch tightly lengthwise to the diameter of a cigarette, squeezing and twisting tightly to evenly distribute the oil. Now insert "oil patch" into your loop tip and pass through bore back and forth TEN times, then remove the patch from the loop tip and use to wipe chamber, bolt face, gas cylinder, gas cylinder plug and operating rod piston.

6. Inspect "oil patch." If it has more than trace amounts of carbon, rinse out in the soapy water, get it as clean as you can, wring out and go back to step 2 and repeat all again!

7. If "oil patch" has only slight traces of carbon, you are allowed to break silence and now may respectfully hum the Marine Corps Hymn as you then use "oil patch to wipe operating rod track in receiver, bolt lugs, bolt face, hammer hooks of trigger group, sights and exposed metal.

8. Apply ONE DROP of weapons oil to your paint brush, brush out the operating rod track in the receiver then brush away all loose dust and dirt from metal parts.

9. Take your Popsicle stick and dip one half pea sized dab of grease from your grease pot. LIGHTLY lubricate the operating rod cam pocket, rear surface of locking lugs, hammer hooks and shiny spot under barrel where operating rod rubs as it reciprocates.

10. Reassemble your rifle, wiping all excess oil from its exterior with the "back forty" end of your baby diaper not used for shining brass or shoes, then dry and remove excess oil from the bore with the "Inspection Patch."

Now lay out "Soap Patch", "Oil Patch" and "Inspection Patch" across the footrail of your bunk, prepare for inspection by Platoon Sergeant and pray quietly.

*[Andrew was a Galilean fisherman working in the Black Sea before he and his brother Simon Peter became disciples of Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the Romans on an X-shaped cross at Patras in Greece. Hundreds of years later, his remains were moved to Constantinople and then, in the 13th century, to Amalfi in southern Italy where they remain to this day. Legend has it that the Greek monk known as St Regulus was ordered in a vision to take a few relics of Andrew to the ‘ends of the earth’ for safe keeping. He set off on a sea journey and eventually came ashore on the coast of Fife at a settlement which is now the modern town of St Andrews, Scotland. In 832 AD Andrew is said to have appeared in a vision to a Pictish king the night before a battle against the Northumbrians in what is now the village of Athelstaneford in East Lothian. On the day of battle a Saltire, or X-shaped cross, appeared in the sky above the battlefield and the Picts were victorious. The Saltire, or Saint Andrew’s Cross, was subsequently adopted as the national emblem and flag of the Scots, against a deep blue field symbolizing the waters of the North Sea. 100 years later it would appear also on the flag of the Confederate States of America, against a scarlet field symbolizing the spilled blood of martyred patriots of Scots-Irish descent, who comprised the majority of Confederate forces].

[ukrifleman]

WATER! followed by WD40, followed by Ballistol.
ukrifleman.

[offshore44]

Loved the post Outpost75!

Hot water (if available - cold if not), then clean as usual.

[tomme boy]

The first thing you need to do to help the cleaning is to run a brush up and down a couple of times. Then a couple of DRY patches. This will cut the cleaning in half. Run a couple of patches with ONLY water. Then patch it out dry. Then oil with whatever you like.

The Windex thing is the biggest old wives tale out there for cleaning the salts out. The ammonia in it might help to start to remove the copper in the bore, but that is it. The water is doing the cleaning. I don't do the cleaning at the range as it can cause the gun to flash rust if the gun is still hot. Just run a couple of dry patches is all you need to do to get it home.

[TNsailorman]

I still have a few cans of the old WW II cleaner left. I use it or just do the hot water, dry patch, until the bore is clean. Then I go about removing the copper fouling, oil and done. Been doing that for 65+ years and never had rust --yet. james

[Outpost75]

I still have a few cans of the old WW II cleaner left. I use it or just do the hot water, dry patch, until the bore is clean. Then I go about removing the copper fouling, oil and done. Been doing that for 65+ years and never had rust --yet. james

Mil-C-372B is still great if you have it.

But after firing with chlorate primers using WATER is key.

[Andrew Mason]

windex

[Cosmiceyes]

water just water,and never ammonia.
watch video
http://youtu.be/OcFKCTfKENc

[Stonecrusher]

Water. Best and cheapest. I pour about a pint or quart or whatever of warm water through the barrel followed by a a brush to bust things up. I then use couple wet patches then dry ones. You can then oil or use copper solvent to finish cleaning. No need to make things harder than they need to be. All my bores are rust free.

The same goes for black powder, water then dry it out and oil.

[twotoescharlie]

windshield washer fluid,cheaper than windex
TTC

[bob208]

i still have about 2 gal. of the gi bore cleaner. i use that while the rifle is still hot. then i use hoppes benchrest to get the copper. then dry and oil. it works good on .303 and 8m/m too.

[Mike 56]

Great responses. I was at the range this morning and read outpost75 post so i broke out my canteen cup and gave it a try. The only soap i had was Irish Spring. It was working on my old 91/30 but i finally gave up and finished up with some moose it is Ballistol, water and splish of pinesol. I was out of my Ballistol, water mix. A few patches and i was done. Like everyone is saying it is the water that does the trick. One thing about using water soluble oil mixed with water you never have to worry about flash rusting the metal is never striped of oil.

[Zymurgy50]

In my BP muzzleloader I use equal parts Murphys Oil Soap, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol. 1 wet patch followed by 2 dry patches gets 99% of the crud out.

[Mike 56]

In my BP muzzleloader I use equal parts Murphys Oil Soap, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol. 1 wet patch followed by 2 dry patches gets 99% of the crud out.

I used your cleaner before to clean a full stock black powder rifle i got flash rust in a hurry with it. It did clean real fast but i think it is pretty harsh.

[Multigunner]

When I did use Corrosive ammo many years ago I swabbed the bore with windex immediately after shooting, since that was in the instruction booklet from the importer of the rifle. I would then clean thoroughly with whatever solvent I had available when I got home.
Most of the rifles I was using or cleaning up for friends had a ridiculous amount of carbon fouling baked hard on the bore surfaces. These I cleaned with gasoline or kerosene before using regular gun cleaning solvents. I used a plastic jug half full of gasoline and pushed the brush through into gas with muzzle submerged then drew it back full length and repeated. Dad's Blue Jacket Manual had stated to use Aviation gasoline for cleaning heavily fouled small arms, so I did so. The gasoline turned brownish black and thickened in no time.

Now days I use Balistol to swab out the bore in the field, then clean with Sweets 7.62 Solvent at home and swab out again with balistol as a preservative. I bought two brands of foaming bore cleaner, but I can't see that they are all that effective.

[waksupi]

I used your cleaner before to clean a full stock black powder rifle i got flash rust in a hurry with it. It did clean real fast but i think it is pretty harsh.

Yep, I have been telling people for years that hydrogen peroxide is an aggressive corrosive, and has no place in a gun.

[30calflash]

Lots of good info here.

I've used T/C blackpowder solvent when there was no hot water available, then clean as usual with Hoppes, shooter's choice, etc. Clean again 3 days later.

[3006guns]

All good advice.....just remember that you have salt in your bore after using corrosive primers. Plain old water, even cold, will dissolve and remove it. Dry and oil afterwards.

The elderly gentleman that taught me about military rifles had one other "emergency" method. He stated that every man has the ability to clean his rifle in the field....after shooting, remove the bolt and take a whizz down the bore. No, he wasn't kidding.......there's less salt in your urine than in the primers. Clean later with water and oil at the first opportunity.

Uh, no......I've never had to resort to such a process........................:)

[higgins]

50/50 Ballistol and water. I like the idea of using something that has soaking and rust preventive properties. Don't forget to clean the bolt face, firing pin tip, and around the muzzle of the gun.

[TNsailorman]

The WW II bore cleaner that I have is made specifically for corrosive ammunition that was being produced during that war and later. It is Spec. RIXS-205 (Rev. 1) made by The Curran Corporation in Malden, Mass.. It is marked POISON. It has a P.O. No. (28-024) 44-40700.2 . There is no date on it unless that 44 is a date code. I bought this at a sale of WW II surplus items in the early 1960's. I think I paid something like .05 a can for it. I had some surplus WW II corrosive ammo I needed/wanted some of the original cleaner to take care of my barrels for me. There is no need for water or anything else once you use this stuff. It smells bad, really bad, but it does the job. I just checked my supply and I am very low on it. I thought I still had plenty left but found I only have 3 cans left. I think I will set the remainder aside and keep it for old times sake.

[Fly]

What makes the guy in the video a exspert?I get sooooo tired of these talking heads claiming to know
it all.I agree with the water for sure.But I do use windex with ammonia.Why.Well I shoot & make black
powder.Alot of it.The wife get's so tired of my black finger tips on her white doors.NOTHING but NOTHING
could clean in off.Then one day I tried windex with ammonia.WOW in melted the black powder from the
door.

I figured real fast, if it took it off the door like that, it would do the same in my rifles.Try this, clean your
gun till you think it is clean.Then run a patch down it with ammonia.You will know what I,m saying.But
I do agree to go back with water, so to not leave ammonia in the barrel & then oil.JMOHOP!

Fly

[Multigunner]

Yep, I have been telling people for years that hydrogen peroxide is an aggressive corrosive, and has no place in a gun.

Corrosive salts dissolve in H2O but H2O2 has that extra oxygen atom that corrosive salts residue sucks from moist air up to cause rust.
I've used Hydrogen peroxide to clean and card successive applications of cold blue when distilled water was not available, the result is a much darker and more even finish.

[PAT303]

I've been shooting corrosive 303 ammo for years without issue by doing nothing more than a wipe out with Ballistol or Lanotec Lanolin spray when hot,you guys think too much.My Lithgow H barrel on my Mk111 has fired almost 7000 cast boolits primed with mercury primers and they have polished it better than it was when new. Pat

[Multigunner]

The WW II bore cleaner that I have is made specifically for corrosive ammunition that was being produced during that war and later. It is Spec. RIXS-205 (Rev. 1) made by The Curran Corporation in Malden, Mass.. It is marked POISON. It has a P.O. No. (28-024) 44-40700.2 . There is no date on it unless that 44 is a date code. I bought this at a sale of WW II surplus items in the early 1960's. I think I paid something like .05 a can for it. I had some surplus WW II corrosive ammo I needed/wanted some of the original cleaner to take care of my barrels for me. There is no need for water or anything else once you use this stuff. It smells bad, really bad, but it does the job. I just checked my supply and I am very low on it. I thought I still had plenty left but found I only have 3 cans left. I think I will set the remainder aside and keep it for old times sake.
I had a can of WW2 era bore cleaner. When I first opened it I found a thick layer of liquid mercury hanging onto the inside of the cap.

[zuke]

The WW II bore cleaner that I have is made specifically for corrosive ammunition that was being produced during that war and later. It is Spec. RIXS-205 (Rev. 1) made by The Curran Corporation in Malden, Mass.. It is marked POISON. It has a P.O. No. (28-024) 44-40700.2 . There is no date on it unless that 44 is a date code. I bought this at a sale of WW II surplus items in the early 1960's. I think I paid something like .05 a can for it. I had some surplus WW II corrosive ammo I needed/wanted some of the original cleaner to take care of my barrels for me. There is no need for water or anything else once you use this stuff. It smells bad, really bad, but it does the job. I just checked my supply and I am very low on it. I thought I still had plenty left but found I only have 3 cans left. I think I will set the remainder aside and keep it for old times sake.

Same stuff I have/use.

[zuke]

I had a can of WW2 era bore cleaner. When I first opened it I found a thick layer of liquid mercury hanging onto the inside of the cap.

That was the aluminum seal.

[1Shirt]

Hot soapy water! Hotter the better, and lots of soap, like Dove dishwashing liquid. Gallon jug/jar (whatever) shake it up, let it sit until it is cold, pour it out, rinse brass thoroughly with hot water.
1Shirt!

[nicholst55]

Water; hot if available, cold/ambient temp if not. Follow up with standard bore cleaner and oil.

[Donor8x56r]

I always used ketlle of boiling water down the bore, #9 and gun oil afterwards.

I have nice 3/4L electric kettle in clubhouse with nice skinny spout for just that :)

[MGD]

Hot water with Ballistol in it, followed later by a patch wet with Ballistol. Never had a problem.

[8mmFan]

Hot water with Ballistol in it, followed later by a patch wet with Ballistol. Never had a problem.

Had no idea when I joined this site it was an unofficial gathering place for the Ballistol field sales force! Ha ha.

I have shot a lot of corrosive ammo, and will be the first to admit that in spite of cleaning I have at times had rust, or gunk, appear in my bores days or weeks later.

[Janoosh]

+1 TNsailorman. I use hot water, cold wate, any water..... first. Then the same military bore cleaner as TNsailorman. That stuff smells awful..... but it works!

[Mike 56]

Had no idea when I joined this site it was an unofficial gathering place for the Ballistol field sales force! Ha ha.

I have shot a lot of corrosive ammo, and will be the first to admit that in spite of cleaning I have at times had rust, or gunk, appear in my bores days or weeks later.

I buy it here http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/560/1

[fouronesix]

Ballistol and water (moose milk) right after shooting or at the range. At end of day- hot soapy water. Then hot rinse water. While hot, dry with paper towel patches. Then lots of oil.

[MtGun44]

Windex with vinegar, which is a product, not a homebrew mix. Two or three wet patches,
one dry and one with Hoppes.

Folks seem to ejnoy making this a lot harder than it needs to be.

Bill

PS- wipe off the bolt face, too - primers leak.

[Mike 56]

I think it is a no big deal to clean up after shooting corrosive ammo and everyone has their own way of doing things. All the methods people replied with will all will work. I have never used the surplus bore cleaner but anything that smells as bad as that stuff has to work good. I posted about my Ballistol and water mix i was surprised on how fast it cleaned. I thought there would be people posting about just using Sweets, Hopes or Breakfree there supposed to clean up corrosive ammo fouling.

[flint_knapper]

Same stuff I have/use.

I use this also, picked up a case (12) a few years ago for like 25 shipped. sold afew cans to some buds at work.
I had used just hot water before.

[Multigunner]

That was the aluminum seal.

That's what I had thought at first but it was definitely a room temperature liquid metal not a metal foil.

This was an old can and had been opened long ago. Its possible that the solvent was contaminated by mercury by someone salvaging the solvent after using it to soak a bore after having used mercury in that bore to remove leading.

[Dale in Louisiana]

That's what I had thought at first but it was definitely a room temperature liquid metal not a metal foil.

This was an old can and had been opened long ago. Its possible that the solvent was contaminated by mercury by someone salvaging the solvent after using it to soak a bore after having used mercury in that bore to remove leading.

I personally would like to see the liquid that mercury floats on.

Worked in a plant that had a 'mercury cell' electrolyzer. Mercury that leaked from the system (and we had TONS!) ran on a concrete slab to collect in sumps under water. It sank to be bottom of any lubricating oils we had. Liquid mercury is about 13.5 times as dense as water.

dale in Louisiana