Range Report WARNING-New Red Army ammo is CORROSIVE

[knc1105]

I don't know exactly where to post this but I just wanted to warn all of you so you don't ruin your rifles like I just did. I just got in several New production Red Army Standard Range Packs that is advertised by everybody as NON-corrosive, it's not, it's VERY corrosive. We shot Sunday afternoon and being swamped I cleaned my rifles this afternoon. If it were non-corrosive and if you waited 48 hours to clean your rifles you should be OK. All 4-rifles are ruined the inside of the barrels are solid rust and the bolt face has a blackened ring on it that I can't get off with anything. That was (3) Rare Unissued M39 Sneak rifles and a Unissued 1932 Laminated Hex Tula 91/30. If anybody sues them or their suppliers for Deceptive Trade practices, I'm in.

 

[redirt78]

That's awful man, hate to hear that about your rifles. I hope you save some folks from the same fate by posting this.

 

[VJJPunisher]

even with corrosive ammo, 3-4 days should not be a ruined barrel yet, that must be some mutant shit. Maybe i'm wrong though and some corrisive stuff can start eating shit that soon?

 

[rideHPD]

even with corrosive ammo, 3-4 days should not be a ruined barrel yet, that must be some mutant shit. Maybe i'm wrong though and some corrisive stuff can start eating shit that soon?

I used to shoot 5.45 surplus in my Arsenal until I had the same experience after leaving the guns uncleaned for only a few hours. I live very close to the coast, and with the salt air everything corrodes absurdly fast if you don't apply a liberal protective coating. I was able to get the rust out, and it might just be my paranoia, but the rifle just doesn't seem to shoot like it did before.I only shoot the brown/silver bear non-corrosive stuff out of my nice ruskies, and clean the rifle at the range immediately after shooting with corrosive.

For the record, Ballistol is the best thing I've found to clean/protect against corrosion and is the only solvent/lube/clp I put in my corrosive ammo rifles.

 

[knc1105]

Thanks for the tip on Ballistol, I'll see if our local gun shop has it or can get it. We're North of Austin so we're not on the coast and the salt air. I'm going to try Tubbs Final Finish system and then some JB bore bright to see if I can save them. If anybody has any experience on saving them I would really appreciate it. I have recently got on an open sight milsurp gun kick and have been having lots of fun shooting long with irons and not having to stay up all night reloading. I was really proud of those rare rifles. Best Of The West rifle range goes all the way to a 1,000 yards and has different size steel plates they repaint every hour or so at 250, 500, 750 and a 1,000. Their Top Gun 3-gun matches gives extra points if you shoot irons and of course all their Service Rifle Matches are iron sights only. They have a bolt gun and semi class and I usually shoot my M1A with after market sights but wanted to shoot one of the Finn's in the bolt gun class till this happened.

 

[303_enfield]

Run boiling water down your tubes. Your shooting rifle types that went years without cleaning shooting corrosive. Your rifles will clean up. Good luck!

 

[TiroFijo]

I wonder how all the east block managed to save their rifles, because I don't think the average recruit or soldier cleaned their rifles in the very first hour after every shooting.

 

[knc1105]

I got a RECALL notice by Certified Mail from Century International Arms today that they are recalling the ammo and giving 120% credit toward other Century merchandise or ammo. I am glad they are doing something before someone else ruins their rifles.

 

[Mayhem52]

I've shot a lot of corrosive 7.62x54r through eastern bloc barrels and never experienced the speed of corrosion you have. Every time out saw 100 or more rounds of corrosive primer (Berdan) ammo through the guns. OTH, I knew in advance the ammo had corrosive primers and shot some ammonia laced Windex through the barrel after every day's shooting to neutralize the salts. Only a couple of time did the rifle go more than a couple of days before cleaning after a session, with those occasions noting only the initial signs of salt corrosion. Those barrels were chromed which may have had an impact on delay of corrosive effects, but the pistons and other action parts were not chromed and exhibited no ill effects.

Truly sorry to hear about the damage. With any luck they will clean up and still be gtg.

 

[Kilmore]

China's finest.

 

[wilecoyote]

to knc1105: really sad for your rifles_
to Tiro Fijo: east block can be named for producing huge quantities of something, not for caring about them_
to Mayhem52: ammonia IS corrosive,in or out "windex", "ballistol robia",or plain alone_be warned, even if this sh't will touch some blued part_
ammonia can work to remove copper,maybe, but must be immediately followed from water and Ballistol_
You can trust in Ballistol, the plain bottle (better than the spray can) : the smell can be awful, but here it was the Holy Grail even on scuba rifles _
Keep the Ballistol away from aluminium and copper parts; said that,it's the only gun oil that never betrayed me_
in my book, I NEVER trust on ANYTHING coming from actual or former comblock, nor in the "wind of change"_ period_

 

[shooter.dm]

Yup windex is my go to cleaner after shooting my 91/30 with the 5.00 box ammo that goes snap bang

 

[wilecoyote]

cleaning is one thing, and if windex work ok, nothing wrong with it;
after that, the barrel need some protection, and ballistol can work quite well_

 

[Greg Langelius *]

My 91/30's get shot every week with spamcan ammo (Light Ball, plant 188, dated 1970's). I use the same cleaner (Outer's Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner) as my other rifles; I just followup with a soak using Windex, patch them out dry and leave them with a bore coating of Hoppe's Gun Oil. This Surplus ammo leaves a lot of powder fouling behind, but it cleans up with a bit of extra soaking. I typically clean the next morning.

I have yet to see anything resembling rust on my patches after the first cleaning. I think the soft steel bullet jackets help strip out any 'fossil' rust that may have lingered while these rifles were in storage for over a half century.

As time progresses, things are tightening up, latest results are just under 2MOA at 200yd.

Looks like the scope mounting and cheek support are just about perfected. For my personal needs, about 1" of firm support under the stock pack works just about right. This scout mounting gets the scope down to where the scope cap clears the upper handguard by less than 1/16", and stripper clip feeding remains unimpeded. The rings mount directly to the 91/30's barrel dovetail after the rear sight and rear sight mount are removed.

My stock is modified with a 2" butt extender and a slip-on recoil pad. This extra length, when combined with the stock pack, allows the bolt to be removed without disturbing the stock pack. Fired about 60 rounds yesterday, and while the shoulder has a little stiffness, there is no discomfort or bruising. You just hold on firm and ride out the recoil.

Greg

 

[Strykervet]

Well, I suppose if they used corrosive materials in manufacture and didn't neutralize it well enough (say acidic gun cotton?) because they were in a hurry to sell it ASAP, perhaps...

Got any rounds to take apart? Including some that aren't corrosive to compare to? You could do a little chemistry experiment and get right to the bottom of it. Then maybe you could sue, but I think you're limited on what you get out of firearms lawsuits simply due to the nature of them. But misrepresentation of a product, isn't that illegal?

Also, if you had high humidity and temperatures, that'll just speed along any corrosive action. I've seen a SAW firing M855 rust in the field because the guy didn't keep it clean and it rained for days. It was just surface rust and it all came off, but still.

 

[former naval person]

The primers are the corrosive part. USA used them till 1954. They were/are more reliable. I suspect that is why the Red Blok still uses them. Soap and water or Windex gets the potassium chlorate salts out. Bye the way...that is why Hoppe's and USA armory solvents were developed...they had a water soluable oil in the mix that protected the bore after the H2O in the solvent cleaned the corrosive salts out. You have probably noticed the Berdan type primer...they hold more priming mix than Boxer, leaving more residue than Boxer types. If you have ever wondered why the cheap Bloc guns went to the expense of chrome plating the bore...there is your answer.