Can anyone identify this 8 mm ammo?

[JWFilips]

Can anyone identify this 8 mm ammo? and if so would you know if it is corrosive I can figure out by the label it is from 11 / 1955
103979

[WILCO]

Looks to be Russian "cold war" stuff. I'd just assume it's corrosive.

[tomme boy]

Yugo from 1955

[Janoosh]

I treat all eastern block ammo as corrosive...just rinse bore and clean well. It's the salts that are the problem.

[zuke]

ALL foreign ammo is corrosive. Believe that and clean accordingly and your rifle's will love you for it!

[JWFilips]

Thanks ! OK, can I ask "what is the cleaning procedure for Corrosive Mil Ammo"? Is this more of a water base salt like BP? or do standard Chemical cleaners do the job? Got about 30 rounds & was hoping to shoot to to get the cases ( unless they are berdan primed?)

[Dale in Louisiana]

The general thing is that the primers are chlorate, which embeds a moisture-attracting salt in your bore. Hot water with a tad of detergent will get it out. I use boiling water in a two-quart pot, use a rod and patch to sluice the water through the barrel until the barrel is hot to the touch, and then run a dry patch. The stored heat in the barrel will dry it, then you can run an oily patch through before you put it away.

I've heard that using Windex as a cleaner works, as odes the OLD GI bore cleaner, but on the GI stuff, there's a requirement that the bore be swabbed on the second and third days after firing.

dale in Louisiana

[UBER7MM]

Dale's advise is good. The idea is to get corrosive salts out of the bore. To neutralize the salts, I squirt ammonia (the main ingredient in Windex) from a misting bottle down the breach and let it drip out the muzzle. This is after I've fired my last shot and the barrel still warm. Then I clean normally after the barrel cools. It might be a good idea to wipe the bolt face off with the solution as well. I've seen quite a few surplus rifles with corrosion rings where primers leaked.
.
I hope this helps,

[Dan Cash]

Follow the admonition of clean the bore day of firing and 2 consecutive days thereafter regardles of the cleaning material. Any of the above will work; I prefer the scalding water routine. Oil bore well after it is dry. Break Free will not protect the bore against corrosive primer residue.

[Scharfschuetze]

Try the Windex formula with vinegar. The acidic vinegar will help neutralize the base pH of the salts. I use this at the range after shooting and then when I get home I give the barrel a cleaning with the above mentioned hot water and detergent.

[bruce drake]

Nearly all European surplus is Berdan primed. Especially Russian.
US ammo made prior to WWII 30 Carbine ammunition is corrosive as well. The US didn't move to non-corrosive primers in their ammo stocks until during The Korean War when they used up most of the WWI/WWII ammunition stockpiles.
The next cartridge after the 30 Carbine to go non-corrosive for the US was the 30-06 starting in 1951 and finishing rollover to the NC Primers by 1954 in most of the ammunition the stockages.

[zuke]

You can also use WWII GI bore cleaner for corrosive ammo. I personally like the black,stinky stuff. That smell bring's back a lotta fond memories of shooting day's gone buy.

[Janoosh]

+1 on the " black stinky stuff ". Ive got a can, in a jar so it doesnt leak, for my troublesome rifles. HOT water first, then a good cleaning product.

[JWFilips]

You can also use WWII GI bore cleaner for corrosive ammo. I personally like the black,stinky stuff. That smell bring's back a lotta fond memories of shooting day's gone buy.

What is GI bore cleaner composed of? Is it a water base for cleaning out the corrosive salts or is it high ammonia compound?

[wrench]

Like the other poster said, Yugoslav from 1955, definitely corrosive, berdan primed. I've shot lots of it, though, and it's been pretty good ammo in a variety of mausers. I have had an occasional split case on firing, so safety glasses are a must with this stuff!
You don't need ammonia in any form to clean corrosive ammo residue, water is fine. I use hot water from the tap, with about one drop of dish soap. Squirt some through the bore, swab with a few wet patches, then clean as normal. Takes about an extra minute.

[tomme boy]

Run a couple of dry patches to get most of the stuff out of the bore before you put anything else in it. You wouldn't believe how much less it takes to clean the bore that way.

[Larry Gibson]

Small correction Bruce; all US made 30 Carbine ammunition has always had non corrosive primers from day one. Some French and Chinese made 30 Carbine ammunition has had corrosive primers.

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

What is GI bore cleaner composed of? Is it a water base for cleaning out the corrosive salts or is it high ammonia compound?

Hoppe's #9 is essentially the same thing. A patch soaked with Hoppe's down the bore does it for me at the range with the full cleaning (same day) done at the work bench at home. No real difference in cleaning that way except I take care to get the metal fouling out if corrosive ammo, especially with cupro-nickel jacketed bullets, has been fired. The corrosive salts are still under the metal fouling which the hot soap and water won't get out. Thus my own cleaning regimen is the same for either kind of ammo. I found a long time ago that, contrary to product hype, there is no real short cut to properly cleaning a rifle.

As we see there are numerous methods and none are essentially better than the others if the corrosive salts are all removed.....that is the trick.

Larry Gibson

[higgins]

I have had an occasional split case on firing, so safety glasses are a must with this stuff!

Me too! Don't even think of firing this ammo without good eye protection. I bought a case of it several years ago, and fired most of it without problems. I knew from internet postings that the 50s Yugo (55 in particular) experienced more than the usual number of severe case splits and it finally happened to me. A case split from about the lower third of the body across the head to the primer pocket. I felt the gas and particulates on my face and had a small skin break on my forehead. I wear prescription safety eyewear, so it's always on, shooting or not.

The '98 Mauser did what a '98 is supposed to do and protected me pretty well. It scared me enough that I broke the rest of it down and fired the bullets and a slightly reduced (and standardized) charge of the original powder in a commercial case with a LR primer.

You may not have a single problem, but be aware that what you will read on the internet about case splits with this ammo is true.

[bruce drake]

Thanks for the catch Larry, what I meant to say was prior to the US developing the 30 carbine ammo with NC primers, every ammunition type the US made had corrosive primers and it was a staged rollover to the new type as old stocks were expended.


Small correction Bruce; all US made 30 Carbine ammunition has always had non corrosive primers from day one. Some French and Chinese made 30 Carbine ammunition has had corrosive primers.

Larry Gibson

[Char-Gar]

What is GI bore cleaner composed of? Is it a water base for cleaning out the corrosive salts or is it high ammonia compound?

Water....

[ukrifleman]

104198
I have had an occasional split case on firing, so safety glasses are a must with this stuff!

Me too! Don't even think of firing this ammo without good eye protection. I bought a case of it several years ago, and fired most of it without problems. I knew from internet postings that the 50s Yugo (55 in particular) experienced more than the usual number of severe case splits and it finally happened to me. A case split from about the lower third of the body across the head to the primer pocket. I felt the gas and particulates on my face and had a small skin break on my forehead. I wear prescription safety eyewear, so it's always on, shooting or not.

The '98 Mauser did what a '98 is supposed to do and protected me pretty well. It scared me enough that I broke the rest of it down and fired the bullets and a slightly reduced (and standardized) charge of the original powder in a commercial case with a LR primer.

You may not have a single problem, but be aware that what you will read on the internet about case splits with this ammo is true.

VERY good advice! Higgins experiences with '55 Yugo 7.92x57 ammo exactly mirrors my own.

Here is a photo of the offending ammo and the case that split on me. Like him, I always wear safety glasses and was glad I was wearing on this occasion.

The gasses blew back into my face causing small puncture wounds, but the glasses saved my eyes from damage.

I carry that case with me on the range and if I see anyone using this ammo without eye protection I show it to them, that normally does the trick!

I should also mention that the force of the gasses from the split case, cut a groove into the bolt face of my K98.

So guys, if you use this ammo, WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

ukrifleman.

[bruce drake]

Now that is a great post of what some surplus ammo can do if its been improperly stored in its past.

[zuke]

What is GI bore cleaner composed of? Is it a water base for cleaning out the corrosive salts or is it high ammonia compound?

I don't know what's in it,I bought 48 can's from Ruvel's when I was in high school for $0.50 a can.I've alway's used it with corrosive ammo.

[JWFilips]

I don't know what's in it,I bought 48 can's from Ruvel's when I was in high school for $0.50 a can.I've alway's used it with corrosive ammo.
So we can say it is the "SPAM" of bore cleaners!:razz:

[zuke]

So we can say it is the "SPAM" of bore cleaners!:razz:

I guess you could!
But it work's. I see the empty can's on EBAY going for $10 each.

[Ed in North Texas]

My favorite metal fouling cleaner works very well on corrosive salts too - Sweet's 7.62 (an ammonia bearing cleaner). I've not found the need to clean for 3 days to prevent corrosion or get the bore clean.

[MtGun44]

Two patches wet with Windex with Vinegar, then a dry patch and a patch wet with
Hoppes #9, wipe the bolt face with a windex patch and the dry and wipe with Hoppes
and you are good to go. The bolt face is because primers leak.

All the amazingly complex cleaning methods for corrosive ammo that many folks use are
not really necessary.

Bill

[JWFilips]

Makes you wonder "How did they clean in the field"!? Did the grunts have any idea what a clean bore as in reality? or was it just "just get me through this day"! It amazes me these guns survived! ( Please note speaking from non combat experience!) Please I would love to hear from the real life GI! How did you treat your weapon to Survive! you are the true Lord & Masters of the field: you can tell us more then we ever can comprehend!

[jonk]

The usual **** about home brews with windex, ammonia, vinegar, etc. are flying thick.

Water. Plain and simple. Little soap added.

The ammo is corrosive because it leaves behind potassium chlorate, which is a salt and attracts water. Yielding pitting. Windex, ammonia, etc. work because they are mostly water. Same with GI bore cleaner (which also has a water soluble oil for preservation). One should note: there are 2 USGI WW2 vintage bore cleaners. The milky white stuff is the water base, the black stuff is oil based.

Water dissolves the salt, washes it away.

You can't 'neutralize' salt. It's one of the most stable compounds out there.

Pour a pint of hot water through the barrel, dry, clean as normal. Wash the bolt face with hot water. Lightly oil to finish.

Anything else is just people's homemade concoctions that they THINK do something better (but don't). Though to be fair, ammonia does help with metal fouling.