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Proper Cleaning

ffems210
I just shot my first rounds of corrosive ammo through my .303 british, and I wanted to make sure that I clean it right. The steps I had been taking are:
Before I leave the range I run a 50/50 ammonia/water semi-soaked patch through the bore once and then a run one clean patch through the bore. When I get home I do the same again and then clean as I normaly would with hoppes 9 and lube. I have been told that this is the proper way to clean after using corrosive ammo. If anyone sees anything that I am doing wrong or that I could change to do a better job please let me know.
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4 comments

Date Votes
  • jonk
    Ask 10 guys on this, get 10 answers. I will attach forthwith my standard response to the matter.

    While ammonia is useful for removing copper fouling, it does nothing for corrosvie primers. Water is what you need, and it does the job better than anything else. Salt is not something to be neutralized; it is a very neutral compound. It needs to be washed away. Ergo, I pour a pint of boiling water down each bore after I get home. (At the range i ussually use one patch of oil as a stopgap). So hot, soapy water. Ammonia is good stuff for removing copper, it is true, but I hesitate to use it as it can harm bluing and stock finishes. Then dry, then use your hoppes and what not as usual. Voila.

    I did, in fact, once work out the chemical reaction of salt/water and ammonia/salt. Suffice to say that if I did my work right, while salt is soluble in water, it isn't in ammonia, and in fact, under certain cases, you MIGHT be able to form ammonia chloride, a salt in and of itself.....

    Incidentally, Hoppes maintains that their mix neutralizes corrosive primers, though I wouldn't trust it.

    All that said, keep doing what you are doing and I doubt you'll have any trouble.

    Jon

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
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  • mrbruce
    The only other thing that I would suggest to do is to run a oiled patch down the bore before heading home, just as a safe guard to prevent rust from forming in the bore.

    Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.
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  • king999
    Squirt some WD-40 down the bore. This will hold for quite a while. Clean propperly at home where you have convenience at hand. I have been using corrossive ammo (it's cheap)and black powder for 40 years, and with this technique I have NEVER had any bbl rust,pitting or any other defect.
    Morty
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  • 11b6r
    Oiled patch down bore at range. When I get home, padded vise in shop- remove bolt, rifle in vise barrel down above a bucket. Use a funnel to pour a quart of HOT water down bore. Follow up with bore brush with a little dishwashing soap. Another quart of HOT water down the bore (Gee, would you look at the crud running out into the bucket???) let it set for a minute, dry the bore, light coat of oil- then go explain to Mom why you had her funnel in the shop. And get your[:p] own funnel from the dollar store to keep the peace. Hoppes #9 if you are getting copper fouling, but soap and water for corrosive primers. British soldiers used to "brew up" for cleaning rifles- heat water, make tea, clean rifle.

    Friends help you move. REAL friends help you move BODIES!
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