Test for Corrosive

H

Hutch

New member
Hello, new friends. I'm still overwhelmed by the quality of the discourse on these boards. Easily the best I've found. I have question for the group. Is it possible to conclusively test ammunition for its corrosive properties? I have in mind either pulling bullets and trying to test the components seperately, or firing the ammunition in a carefully cleaned firearm and then testing the fouling. I understand, perhaps incorrectly, that in any ammunition one is likely to encounter in the foreign surplus market, that the source of the corrosiveness is the chlorate-based primer. Is this always and forever true? Are any powders considered to be corrosive? How about the residue from tracers?

Ideally this testing would be done at home. If it involves buying modest test equipment or chemicals, so be it. I'd rather not have to ship anything off to a lab. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to offer them.

Thanks again for letting me join.
 
Hey, Hutch! Welcome to TFL! I agree with your comments - this place is great.

And, your question is terrific - I wonder the same. Seems as though it usually is a matter of trusting retailers that certain ammo is not corrosive, and then learning otherwise due to damage. Not a great method - heard too many sad stories. Can't help you, but I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Take care. Regards from AZ
 
I take a steel plate and clean it and degrease it good,then pull the bullets from the ammo and fire the primer at near point blank range at the plate, then let it sit for a couple of days if the plate rust at the primer marks the ammo is corrosive.If you are testing more than one type of ammo you need to clean the bore after each type.
 
Is it only the primers that are corrosive or is the poweder also?

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John/az

"The middle of the road between the extremes of good and evil, is evil. When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
 
I can't think of any corrosive powders other than black and Pyrodex (they both absorb
moisture). One thing about corrosive primers, they will last forever while non-corrosive primers can go bad over time.

I think that tracer residue could be corrosive as I have had barrels rust after firing .30-06 tracer but that could have been the result of corrosive primers as well as the tracer compound. Vector ammo does not have corrosive tracer compounds.

Another way to test for corrosive primers is to pop one over a well cleaned and un-oiled steel nail, if it rusts, corrosive primers.

For cleaning barrels that you have fired corrosive ammo through, good hot soapy water seems to work rather well.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
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