Painfully simple 7.62x39mm question....
- Thread starter cyclone
- Start date
Just the primer. The compounds in corrosive primers are thought to last longer and be more stable with long term storage. The primer residue left behind isn't directly corrosive but add any moisture and rust is just around the corner. Some guys can get away with several days before cleaning while some seem to not be able to make it home.
The salts left behind, after the primer fires are very hygroscopic, IE they absorb moisture from the air, if it's available, making a very corrosive salty water-mix. How fast this happens depends on how damp the air is.
Vancouver winter... it probably happens between rounds in a rapid-fire string.
Summer in the Alberta Badlands... you probably can go a week or more without fear.
Darn you and your fast fingers 762shooter!
Vancouver winter... it probably happens between rounds in a rapid-fire string.
Summer in the Alberta Badlands... you probably can go a week or more without fear.
Darn you and your fast fingers 762shooter!
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That's the point I was trying to make. If you live in desert conditions you are unlikely to have to worry. On the coast you might have issues pretty quick.
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Humidity
, not smilies , causing the latter symptom....So I should be ok pulling the "powder" from the 7.62x39mm and dumping it into .303 cases
, no corrosion concerns? 
Yup, done it many dozens of times, also .308, works fine.
I did the first 20-or-so with a hammer type puller... Is possible; but you better have some serious time on your hands. I bought a Forster-type collet puller and I pulled-down the rest of the case over about a week.
Using my Lee turret press to mount the puller, it was easy-peezee. (I had to mod the turret mount to lock the turret and keep it from turning when I was opening/closing the collet).
Using my Lee turret press to mount the puller, it was easy-peezee. (I had to mod the turret mount to lock the turret and keep it from turning when I was opening/closing the collet).
Humidity
So I should be ok pulling the "powder" from the 7.62x39mm and dumping it into .303 cases
Corrosion concerns, no. Concerns about the loading, perhaps. Are you just using it 1 case=1 case of powder? That'd likely be fine, I assume you're using the same bullet as well. Make a nice light reduced load. If you were just using the powder, it'd be kind of silly (1 round 7.62x39 costs more than buying 1 round worth of powder), but it starts to make ecomonic sense if you use the bullet too.
Also the hammer puller works well, and even better, if you use the press to push the bullet in just a smidge to break the lacquer seal.
- Location
- Georgetown Ontario
I remember reading something quite some time ago that the Chinese use to use a mildly corrosive powder. If I can remember where I saw it I will quote it. But I think most surplus ammo has only corrosive primer so powder should be OK to use as non corrosive.
Since the soviet bloc tended to use laquered steel cases, they could afford to skimp a little when washing the residual acid from the nitrocellulouse. While the primary concern about corrosive ammo is the primer salts, the powder is not immune from suspicion. There have been guys here on CGN reporting some batches of the S&B ammo having rust inside the cases when they have pulled bullets.
Just a point to ponder. I wouldn't hesitate to do as you suggest to make cheap plinker ammo for a .303. I wouldn't store that ammo for long however without testing the powder on some polished carbon steel.
Just a point to ponder. I wouldn't hesitate to do as you suggest to make cheap plinker ammo for a .303. I wouldn't store that ammo for long however without testing the powder on some polished carbon steel.
Hey !! My case of Czech ammo was like that. I got a deal on it because out of the first couple boxes there were several fail-to-fires. I just assumed that there had been excessive moisture in the powder, and that's what caused the f-2-f's and the rust!
I dropped several packets of silica gel into the powder jug and everything seems fine; but I will keep an eye on it for sure.
I've had some loaded up in .303Br for about a year now, I'll pull a couple tomorrow and have a look.
Thanx
I think all this "corrosive" is overrated. I have a Mosin-Nagant rifle dated 1898, it fought in 4 wars at least shooting corrosive ammo... but still, it has good bore (not perfect, but the gun is over 100 years old!).
