Cleaning corroded sks?

[sharp21]

So I put some corrosive rounds through my sks then got an emergency call to work. Its been sitting for a while without being cleaned.

What extra cleaning should I look at doing when I get home? Soak it in brake cleaner?

S.

 

[sunray]

Hi. It's not going to instantly rust. Nothing more than flushing the whole thing(including the gas system) with plain hot water is all you need to do. Plain hot water will flush out the primer salts. Near boiling dries faster. Followed by regular cleaning.
Some guys think you need Windex with ammonia, but it's the water content that cleans out the salts.
Brake cleaner is a degreaser. Doesn't do anything to clean out the primer salts.

 

[Grouse Man]

I concur.

 

[sharp21]

Thanks. I just got it apart & there is a bit of surface rust in the barrel. I'll start with the hot water flush followed by a full cleaning.

This is the first time I've had this gun totally apart. With the trigger group removed the stock is pretty loose. I suppose this is normal? I'm going to refinish the stock while I'm at it & am wondering if it is worth bedding the action. I've never done it before but I've got the kit sitting in the shop...

S.

 

[bobdbldr]

I had my sks and mosin out on the weekend and used corrosive ,I sprayed it with windex (a lot) to keep it till I got home and rust was still forming (surfce rust) by the time I got to cleaning it approx. 3 hours ,the reciever lip and gas tube had a bit on the sks barrel was dirty but ok ,1954 tula has chrome barrel is why I guess,The mosin was filthy and fom the last time I shot (about 3 weeks ago) I had cleaned it with windex and when I got home just did a normal cleaning (barrel cleaner swabs ,wet brushes,wet swabs,dry swabs and oil swab,it was clean)and when I got to the range this week there was a film of surface rust/crud in the barrel. I had my gear with me so did a cleaning right there and it took a lot to get it back.The only thing I did not do was the hot water when I got home 3 weeks ago .So I guess the windex does not take the place of hot water and really did not do anything for mine ,even to get it home.I guarentee you I used lots of hot water this time. I also did a complete cleaning after this trip and actually am going to check the barrels as we speak to see if anything has formed.
I enjoy cleaning and maintaining my firearms,but not in such a panic,don't like seeing rust on the firearms. I am considering biting the bullet ,so to speak and getting some non corrosive rounds and loading my own.
Anyone got any better Ideas on what to do,I live on the east coast with high humidity and ocean air ,not sure if that makes that much of a difference.
Cheers

 

[Dsiwy]

I had my sks and mosin out on the weekend and used corrosive ,I sprayed it with windex (a lot) to keep it till I got home and rust was still forming (surfce rust) by the time I got to cleaning it approx. 3 hours ,the reciever lip and gas tube had a bit on the sks barrel was dirty but ok ,1954 tula has chrome barrel is why I guess,The mosin was filthy and fom the last time I shot (about 3 weeks ago) I had cleaned it with windex and when I got home just did a normal cleaning (barrel cleaner swabs ,wet brushes,wet swabs,dry swabs and oil swab,it was clean)and when I got to the range this week there was a film of surface rust/crud in the barrel. I had my gear with me so did a cleaning right there and it took a lot to get it back.The only thing I did not do was the hot water when I got home 3 weeks ago .So I guess the windex does not take the place of hot water and really did not do anything for mine ,even to get it home.I guarentee you I used lots of hot water this time. I also did a complete cleaning after this trip and actually am going to check the barrels as we speak to see if anything has formed.
I enjoy cleaning and maintaining my firearms,but not in such a panic,don't like seeing rust on the firearms. I am considering biting the bullet ,so to speak and getting some non corrosive rounds and loading my own.
Anyone got any better Ideas on what to do,I live on the east coast with high humidity and ocean air ,not sure if that makes that much of a difference.
Cheers

Windex is water base, so you just soaked your bore in salt water for 3 hours lol

Use WD40 the next time and when you get home clean it

 

[fiddler]

You must use a water based solution. Oil and spirit base solutions will not absorb salt. Water, windex, or even urine will remove the corrosive salts. WD-40 will not remove salts, however, it will displace and remove salt water solutions left in the barrel after after rinsing.



Experiment for WD40 Users: take a small glass jar, spray in a tablespoon of WD40, then add a small amount of salt. It will not dissolve. This is the same for most oil based cleaning solutions. This takes 60 seconds of your time to test your own personal theories.





I clean corrosive ammo by pouring water down the barrel with a funnel, then I use Ed's Red, that I make myself by the gallon. Its so cheap to make and use that I have a half liter just about everywhere i go and in every vehicle. If you're in a hurry, just douse your rifle with it, both in and out of the barrel to displace water and prevent it from rusting.


WD40 also works following the water based treatment.

 

[Flying Beaver]

Ed's Red

I clean corrosive ammo by pouring water down the barrel with a funnel, then I use Ed's Red, that I make myself by the gallon. Its so cheap to make and use that I have a half liter just about everywhere i go and in every vehicle. If you're in a hurry, just douse your rifle with it, both in and out of the barrel to displace water and prevent it from rusting.

Thank you for the tip about Ed's Red cleaning solution. In many years of shooting I have never run across this before. The link to the recipe for Ed's Red is here:
ht tp://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5882595&highlight=Ed%27s+Red#post5882595

for those who are curious as I was.

 

[Rocket Surgery]

Windex is fast drying blue water, it really doesn't do anything different than water. Some people like to put it on patches and scrub their bore, whatever, if it works go for it. Hot boiling water has always worked for me. I use 2L per gun, mostly so I can make sure the metal is hot enough to evaporate anything I miss while dry patching.

I will admit that Hoppes #9 does not work. It says on the side of my bottle that it will sort out corrosive salts, which it does not. I found this out the hard way with an SKS. I must have put 20 wet patches down the barrel that day, and when I was checking all my guns like I do every month, I couldn't believe how rusty it was. It took me forever to get the rust out of that thing with a brush.

 

[.30/06 FTW]

I had my sks and mosin out on the weekend and used corrosive ,I sprayed it with windex (a lot) to keep it till I got home and rust was still forming (surfce rust) by the time I got to cleaning it approx. 3 hours ,the reciever lip and gas tube had a bit on the sks barrel was dirty but ok ,1954 tula has chrome barrel is why I guess,The mosin was filthy and fom the last time I shot (about 3 weeks ago) I had cleaned it with windex and when I got home just did a normal cleaning (barrel cleaner swabs ,wet brushes,wet swabs,dry swabs and oil swab,it was clean)and when I got to the range this week there was a film of surface rust/crud in the barrel. I had my gear with me so did a cleaning right there and it took a lot to get it back.The only thing I did not do was the hot water when I got home 3 weeks ago .So I guess the windex does not take the place of hot water and really did not do anything for mine ,even to get it home.I guarentee you I used lots of hot water this time. I also did a complete cleaning after this trip and actually am going to check the barrels as we speak to see if anything has formed.
I enjoy cleaning and maintaining my firearms,but not in such a panic,don't like seeing rust on the firearms. I am considering biting the bullet ,so to speak and getting some non corrosive rounds and loading my own.
Anyone got any better Ideas on what to do,I live on the east coast with high humidity and ocean air ,not sure if that makes that much of a difference.
Cheers

What year was your 7.62x39? I've heard the 1990s production ammo gets a lot dirtier than the 1970s stuff.

 

[Greenbasterd58]

i've left mine for day after firing about 100 rounds. it was fine althought its a newer chinese with chromed barrel .. older metal with soem wear might start to corrode faster. but i never get to it for at least 5 or 6 hours after shooting.. not a spec of rust so far

 

[goldenbb]

I use nothing but Gunzilla. Never had rust.

 

[bobdbldr]

What year was your 7.62x39? I've heard the 1990s production ammo gets a lot dirtier than the 1970s stuff.

I believe it was the 1990 stuff from tradeex,the mosin was the worst but I know now my mistake was thinking that the windex and then a regular cleaning would be ok.The ed's red site says that if you use his stuff ,you don't need to use water but to clean again in 2 days to make sure you get all the corrosive salts out.I will be using boiling water and checking in 2 days.I like the idea of the ed's red.Has anyone one this site used it regularly? If so ,how is it performing?

 

[fiddler]

What year was your 7.62x39? I've heard the 1990s production ammo gets a lot dirtier than the 1970s stuff.

I've heard/read this from several sources, yet don't find any evidence of this in my own shooting with the above mentioned vintages. How does one measure this to say that one is "dirtier" than the other?

I generally take a hundred rounds with me to the range to shoot when allowing other rifles to cool down. A hundred rounds of one vintage seems equally as dirty as the other.

 

[gerard]

I have a Chinese SKS with the chrome lined barrel. All I ever use is boiling hot water and followed by a good cleaning. I shoot corrosive ammo all the time and never had a problem.

 

[fiddler]

The ed's red site says that if you use his stuff ,you don't need to use water but to clean again in 2 days to make sure you get all the corrosive salts out.I will be using boiling water and checking in 2 days.I like the idea of the ed's red.Has anyone one this site used it regularly? If so ,how is it performing?

I use Ed's Red by the gallon. It will not dissolve salt. Try it yourself. It will displace and remove salty solutions, remove grease and dirt, and it will leave a very fine layer of lubricant on said gun parts.


Ed's Red is also great for everyday cleaning, but does not have the penetrating power of a Bore Solvent or stronger solvents for years of old and built up bore crud. However, if the rifle starts clean, it will keep it clean.

Ed's Red has more cleaning properties than lubricating properties. If you want to store your rifles, you may choose to use a heavier oil than ATF, or one that does not wipe off as easily.

 

[sarge]

I wonder if after a day of shooting corrosive ammo , would it help to shoot some non-corrosive? Anybody ever try this?

 

[fiddler]

I suspect that one type of dirt may eventually displace the other in parts such as the barrel, but in other parts such as the receiver, the gas system, and the bolt and so on, the salts will just collect and build up.

All in all, the SKS is not hard to clean and can be done in less time than it takes to consume a beer.

 

[bobdbldr]

I suspect that one type of dirt may eventually displace the other in parts such as the barrel, but in other parts such as the receiver, the gas system, and the bolt and so on, the salts will just collect and build up.

All in all, the SKS is not hard to clean and can be done in less time than it takes to consume a beer.

Not so,,It takes me at least 2 beer,or a double scotch,and the mosin is about the same IF I have a montecristo # 2 with it!;0)

 

[bobdbldr]

# of beers required diminished ability to focus
---------------------- / -------------- x desire to drink more beer
# of guns to clean # of beers consumed

= Shag it we will clean the rest tomorrow!