SKS and corrosive ammo question

ColKurtz

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Picked up a SKS from my local cambodian tire back in november on sale for 2 brown ones, couldn't say no.

Figured its time to clean the cosmo and try it out. (Shot sks lots before but first one owned)

How long can i realistically get away without cleaning it after shooting corrosive ammo?

Im thinking i might just spend a little more on non-corrosive, most times i dont have time to clean until the following weekend.

Thanks!
 
If you shoot corrosive ammo, you should clean it the same day. If you don't have the time to clean it, then either shoot non corrosive or don't shoot the sks at all that day.

I know there are schools of thought that say that in war times, soldiers shot corrosive only and didn't always clean their rifles right away, and that it will only be surface rust that can be cleaned afterwards. But I still wouldn't do it.

Now if your barrel is chrone lined, then you may buy yourself some extra time.
 
Depends on the ammo you shoot.

I have shot some ammo, by the time I left the range and arrived home, rust had appeared

It depends also how humid it is where you live... The first time I shot "so called" non-corrosive ammo, the piston was stuck in the tube due to rust after only 2 days. It is best to plan to clean as soon as you make it back home from the range.
 
Clean same day or shoot noncorrosive.

I shoot non corrosive in the winter and in the warmer months corrosive is just fine once I can stand breaking out the hose.
 
I recommend having both on hand.
One day you may want to methodically practice groups or test long range proficiency, thus only shooting 20-40 rounds. So NC or a higher quality commercial round is good here.

Most days, like with myself, I just go trigger happy with the SKS and shoot 200-300+ rounds. This is were corrosive comes in. That's slot of rounds in a relatively short period so I'm going want to clean that gun ASAP regardless.
 
i have more respect for the history for what i have acquired especially with the history that this model comes with
this is not a disposable you and me see history quite differently

All good - WBer is joking. We all treat our SKSs like sacred cows.
 
Can't you just strip it down and hose it down with ballistal...leave all the parts on an old towel and soak the bore real good and leave it muzzle down on the towel? Leave it until you have time to get to it in a day or two? That's all I do and it's yet to fail me...

Please edu-mi-cate me if that's a no-no! And I'm sure the cgn police will. Lol I joke
 
I've went through a couple hundred rounds of corrosive then finished the day off with a box of non corrosive. Then left the gun for 4-5 days. It's been fine. Maybe a spot or two of surface rust. Add to that a 10 second spray of some g96 in the action and on the bolt/ down the barrel, you should be fine. Individual results may vary...
 
i have more respect for the history for what i have acquired especially with the history that this model comes with
this is not a disposable you and me see history quite differently

I was kidding , I clean mine after every use. no time to clean, no shoot. I have heard you can spray the gun down with windex , the amona in it counters the corrosive nature of the ammo. I want to test this for a shtf senerieo.
 
I've went through a couple hundred rounds of corrosive then finished the day off with a box of non corrosive. Then left the gun for 4-5 days. It's been fine.
I have done similar to this a number of times, specially when we are out shooting in the bush. Because once we are done shooting, we get into the Rum and there is no time for cleaning back at camp.
I give them a good clean when I get back home at the end of the weekend.
Has worked fine for me!
 
I have personally used SKS rifles under stressful conditions and there were time when it wasn't possible to clean the rifle. The ammo used then was all corrosive without question.

The humidity went from very low to very high on a regular basis. This made a huge difference when it came to rust. Hot and bone dry = very little rust. Warm and humid = lots of rust.

Ammonia does nothing to counteract rusting. Might even promote it. Windex is mostly water and when it's sprayed down the bore the water in it dilutes the salts from the corrosive primers which is mixed in with the carbon residue from the powder. This helps reduce the rusting but doesn't stop it.

Ballistol will hold rust off for a while but it isn't something you want to leave for an extended time. I found a rusty P35 Browning HP barrel and soaked it in Ballistol for a week while I went on vacation. The barrel turned black and took a lot of work to get it back to it's original finish.

OP, the advice given about if you don't have time to clean, DON'T shoot is very good advice.

Range shooting is much different from shooting in the field, especially under stressful conditions. If you're out plinking and get a stoppage or the rifle becomes a bolt action things can go from worse to a disaster very quickly. You nor I don't have to worry about this and it's nothing more than an avoidable nuisance. So either clean after shooting corrosive or shoot non corrosive.

I have seen quite literally thousands of milsurps that had rusted out bores that otherwise looked to be in excellent condition. Many of these were battlefield pick ups that were left out in the open after battles and after WWII ended. They were all eventually picked up if they could be found and many of them ended up in Soviet satellite nations where they were stripped to their components, cleaned, refinished and reassembled without any concern to match up numbers. Many here have purchased some of those rifles in the form of Mauser rifles as well as other side arms. Those rusty bores came from corrosive ammo.

Even a lot of the Allied weapons were in similar condition. Again, combination or harsh propellants and corrosive priming.

Take care of your SKSs and they will last a long time giving good service. Fine rifles for what they were intended for and in a pinch will do yeoman's service as a hunting rifle.

There is an old saying about firearms. "Take care of your rifle and it will take care of you."
 
Simple method for corrosive in warm weather.... or cold if you like frostbite

Before packing your gear squirting water down your barrel

Take in garage (requires a garage, sorry apartment dwellers )

Disasemble

Throw small parts in bucket of water (or hose)

Use water hose on barrel (or large bucket, apartment dwellers that hate their landlords can use the shower/tub)

Towel/Air dry parts thoroughly (Air Compressor, recommended. No nicer way to meet your neighbors)

Oil part's (yes oil your parts)

Assemble gun

Patch solvent down barrel then a oil patch done.



If your shooting corrosive on a fancy new model gun see if there as tough as your Russians?
 
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