Whenever I shoot my SKS using surplus ammo I always get droplets of moisture hitting my face and glasses, it doesn't appear to be water because I just cleaned my sunglasses off that I was wearing a few days ago and it was still wet. I don't think it is oil either since it doesn't happen when I use modern ammo. What is the cause of this?
Moisture From Surplus
- Thread starter Joe549
- Start date
Redlight35
Regular
- Location
- Further East than I thought I'd be
Just a guess and I'm sure some guys on here can correct me but it might be the salts in the primer collecting moisture. Is the humidity high when you're shooting?
Many salts are hydrophilic and draw water to themselves. This might be the reason for the moisture.
Any other thoughts?
Many salts are hydrophilic and draw water to themselves. This might be the reason for the moisture.
Any other thoughts?
The humidity wasn't high, but it happens all the time, no matter what the conditions or season. And as I said, it doesn't dry, which you would expect to happen with water. I last shot it on Thursday and the stuff on my glasses was still wet today, 4 days later. There was also no oil in the gun since I didn't oil it after the last time I cleaned it.
That would make sense, the heat generated from the discharge melts the coating and it sprays out when the bolt flies back. But it still leaves the question as to why it doesn't dry after the fact....
Redlight35
Regular
- Location
- Further East than I thought I'd be
The reason I was leaning towards salt is that it doesn't dry. Lacquer is a possibility as well. I don't know a lot about it though. It would be interesting to find out temperatures that would be needed to melt it but not burn it up and if it needs a special procedure to harden it after it was melted...
Some really good food for thought here.
Some really good food for thought here.
I used to think that also, except the last time out there was no oil in the gun.
ghostntheshell
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- GTA ONTARIO
I experience this too.
Bill Dauterive
New member
- Location
- Southeastern Ontario
Last time I was out shooting with my M14 I used 2 boxes (40 rounds) from one of those 1060 round green surplus crates. You know the Czech S&B with .308W at 12 o'clock, 82 at 6 o'clock and 'o o' at 9 and 3 on the headstamp.
When I first unpacked it I noticed that it looked as if it had spent a few years in a pretty damp place. Although the boxes were plastic wrapped inside the crate, the paper/cardboard of the boxes varied in colour and texture depending on where and which way it was facing in the crate.
The BRASS cartridges themselves show corrosion, but especially on one side of the cartridges. The corrosion is iron oxide rust, and after cleaning the cartridge it's obvious that it is heavy brass and not steel; it does not attract a magnet. Even after cleaning the surface doesn't look like a regular brass cartridge, it's a very different; heavier, duller looking kind of brass that still doesn't attract a magnet.
The bullet attracts a magnet. It's copper on the outside; no green corrosion on the bullet. It's either copper plated steel jacketed or copper jacket, steel core.
All in all it doesn't look like it was stored underwater, but it sure wasn't stored in the desert either.
One thing about this $0.50/round .308 FMJ, 147 brass case, berdan primed is that it fires hot. In the same Norinco M14, American Eagle 150 FMJ, doesn't kick as hard.
Also, when this surplus ammo fires, the bolt slams back hard and big cloud of gunpowder gas fills the area around the receiver. The report is also much louder than normal, my uncle who lives down the road and knows what gun I use most (it's our biggest besides shotties) asked what the heck I was firing.
After the 40 rounds there was some of that rust building up in the chamber, so I'm definitely going to be cleaning all the rounds before taking them out. Also I worry about the op-rod and how hard the bolt comes back. I'm going to turn the gas off and rack each shot until I figure this stuff out. I was planning on trying it with the gas off anyways; higher MV and I save my brass. I shoot in a field and the cases can be hard to find sometimes.
Although I am very happy besides having to clean cases, I like having good, powerful loads; while I was shooting these hot things, my eyes were watering like crazy. I've never had this happen to me before. To be honest, I don't use glasses (I'm going to start), the powder cloud (which doesn't happen with domestic, new ammo), irritates and makes my eyes water.
This powder cloud can come from lots of sources, but I think moisture in the cases can exacerbate it. You would think moisture would weaken the explosion from a load, but water can actually make fire more powerful (I know, gimme a sec.).
If you look up a 'wood-gas generator' there are design plans that purposely introduce water to the system that gets vaporized by heat before entering, and gets catalytically transformed into H2 and O2 gasses in the charchoal bed it passes through.
It's possible in the extreme blaze of gunpowder that H20 splits into the explosive gases making it more powerful, or years of moisture contacting whatever is in the cartridge produced H2 and O2 separately. I'm just saying that moisture can make something more powerful.
One thing is for sure, the rounds are powerful and smokey. Other than having to clean the little bit of rust off each case; I love the stuff.
When I first unpacked it I noticed that it looked as if it had spent a few years in a pretty damp place. Although the boxes were plastic wrapped inside the crate, the paper/cardboard of the boxes varied in colour and texture depending on where and which way it was facing in the crate.
The BRASS cartridges themselves show corrosion, but especially on one side of the cartridges. The corrosion is iron oxide rust, and after cleaning the cartridge it's obvious that it is heavy brass and not steel; it does not attract a magnet. Even after cleaning the surface doesn't look like a regular brass cartridge, it's a very different; heavier, duller looking kind of brass that still doesn't attract a magnet.
The bullet attracts a magnet. It's copper on the outside; no green corrosion on the bullet. It's either copper plated steel jacketed or copper jacket, steel core.
All in all it doesn't look like it was stored underwater, but it sure wasn't stored in the desert either.
One thing about this $0.50/round .308 FMJ, 147 brass case, berdan primed is that it fires hot. In the same Norinco M14, American Eagle 150 FMJ, doesn't kick as hard.
Also, when this surplus ammo fires, the bolt slams back hard and big cloud of gunpowder gas fills the area around the receiver. The report is also much louder than normal, my uncle who lives down the road and knows what gun I use most (it's our biggest besides shotties) asked what the heck I was firing.
After the 40 rounds there was some of that rust building up in the chamber, so I'm definitely going to be cleaning all the rounds before taking them out. Also I worry about the op-rod and how hard the bolt comes back. I'm going to turn the gas off and rack each shot until I figure this stuff out. I was planning on trying it with the gas off anyways; higher MV and I save my brass. I shoot in a field and the cases can be hard to find sometimes.
Although I am very happy besides having to clean cases, I like having good, powerful loads; while I was shooting these hot things, my eyes were watering like crazy. I've never had this happen to me before. To be honest, I don't use glasses (I'm going to start), the powder cloud (which doesn't happen with domestic, new ammo), irritates and makes my eyes water.
This powder cloud can come from lots of sources, but I think moisture in the cases can exacerbate it. You would think moisture would weaken the explosion from a load, but water can actually make fire more powerful (I know, gimme a sec.).
If you look up a 'wood-gas generator' there are design plans that purposely introduce water to the system that gets vaporized by heat before entering, and gets catalytically transformed into H2 and O2 gasses in the charchoal bed it passes through.
It's possible in the extreme blaze of gunpowder that H20 splits into the explosive gases making it more powerful, or years of moisture contacting whatever is in the cartridge produced H2 and O2 separately. I'm just saying that moisture can make something more powerful.
One thing is for sure, the rounds are powerful and smokey. Other than having to clean the little bit of rust off each case; I love the stuff.
It's likely jiz...
It's self-inflicted and it happens when you get wood from shooting large amounts of cheap surplus ammo in your non-restricted centerfire rifle without "Big Brother" watching your every move.
Safety glasses prevent eye injury, and just wipe the rest of the splatter off with a napkin!
It's self-inflicted and it happens when you get wood from shooting large amounts of cheap surplus ammo in your non-restricted centerfire rifle without "Big Brother" watching your every move.
Safety glasses prevent eye injury, and just wipe the rest of the splatter off with a napkin!
Bill Dauterive
New member
- Location
- Southeastern Ontario
Commie jiz to poison the eyes of those western imperialists.
As for the second part. I actually don't have my RPAL and one of the biggest reasons I don't have a drive to get it is that I don't have any gun ranges close by, if I did I don't want to have to pay fees beyond gun/ammo, I'd rather just 4-wheeler the rifle to my rural shooting spot in our field. Of course restricted firearms are only allowed to be fired at registered ranges, need ATT's, and a whole bunch of garbage. Guns and ammo is getting expensive these days, range fees and gas to get to a range would take the cake. I like my little shooting alley on my Dad's old spread; why an RPAL is of no use to me.
I don't have any real desire for a handgun anyway, but I really, really want an AR-15. Just a plain 18-20 inch AR-15 would suit me just fine, but no, it's an 'assault weapon'.
I've been looking at kel-tek's .223 offering, but it's not the same, the AR has the modular design, the plethora of aftermarket and replacement parts that are all compatible. Remington's R-15 and especially R-25 look lovely and would make wonderful sporting arms, but no, even their full length barrel design is restricted because the receiver is based on the evil AR-15. I wonder if there's any milsurp de-full-auto'd M16s out there. Even gen 1 from Vietnam days. Does NATO just fill warehouses while the East is selling all their surplus and offering the west, neat, inexpensive offerings?
I'd love to see that damn AR rule lifted.
Back on topic though; anyone else been shooting Henry's Czech .308? I'd love to hear your experiences.
I.ve fired about a thousand rounds of a variety of different country's manufactured mil surp ammo.
Ive enjoyed shooting my sks with the various rounds, but the rifle or I have never got so excited. I shoot mine from the shoulder..
Shooting from the hip may cause other reactions?.. not sure on that one.
Ive enjoyed shooting my sks with the various rounds, but the rifle or I have never got so excited. I shoot mine from the shoulder..
Shooting from the hip may cause other reactions?.. not sure on that one.
