Is It OK To Shoot Corrosive Ammo?

There are some misconceptions about corrosive ammo. Some might think corrosive ammunition is to shooters as asbestos is to homeowners or lead gasoline is to drivers. In reality, it's actually not that bad. In fact, experts tested non-corrosive ammo and corrosive ammo side by side and found that they performed comparably on the range. So, why does corrosive ammo have such a bad reputation?

Many people say that you shouldn't ever use corrosive ammunition in modern firearms as the corrosive residue left behind can cause damage to the barrel and other metal parts of the gun if not cleaned properly. If you do shoot corrosive ammunition, it is important to clean your firearm thoroughly and as soon as possible after shooting to prevent damage.

What Is Corrosive Ammo?

When shooters talk about corrosive ammo, they're referring to ammunition manufactured with corrosive primers. You know, the part that gets pierced by the firing pin and then ignites the gunpowder inside the casing.

More than a century ago, ammo makers used potassium chlorate primers to make cartridges. When ignited, these primers leave behind a corrosive salt that absorbs moisture and causes metal to rust. So, the more you shot, the more likely your chamber and barrel would rust.

But over time, ammunition technology and manufacturing got better. Civilian ammo makers made the switch to non-corrosive primers, but militaries around the world continued to use corrosive primers because it wasn't cost-effective for them to change. The ammo stored fine and any problem was alleviated by basic gun maintenance.

By the 1950s, though, the U.S. Army phased out corrosive primers, but eastern militaries like the Soviet Union or Red China did not. In fact, they continued using corrosive ammunition for a few more decades. And then during the Cold War, communist countries, in an arms race with the U.S. and other pro-democracy countries, created a surplus of military goods like ammunition.

Today, almost all ammo is made with non-corrosive primers, but there are still tons of surplus ammo in circulation with corrosive primers. When people think of corrosive ammo, they often think of military surplus ammo and firearms like the AK, SKS, Mosin-Nagant, or Mauser. While corrosive ammo includes Russian calibers like 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, and 7.62x54R, you can also find it in old surplus U.S. military calibers, such as .45 ACP or 5.56 NATO. Genreally, the easiest way to spot corrosive ammo for Russian calibers is when you purchase steel-cased surplus, such as SPAM cans.

Clean Up After Shooting Corrosive Ammunition

If you're worried that your rifle or handgun will corrode after shooting corrosive ammo, you should immediately clean it after the range. And, the clean up doesn't involve much more than a regular cleaning plus an extra step. Regular maintenance almost completely eliminates any risk associated with shooting corrosive ammo, so if you're diligent about cleaning, you can save a lot of money by shooting corrosive surplus ammo.

What you'll need is a gun cleaning kit with the right-sized gun cleaning rods, eyelets, gun brushes, cleaning patches, and gun oil and lubricant, like CLP for cleaning and protecting metal. To specifically address the corrosive salts, you'll need a solvent. Some recommend Ballistol, which is special gun lube, but you can also use ammonia (like Windex), soapy water, or even just hot water.

How To Clean Corrosive Salts Off Your Gun

1. Start by field stripping your firearm. Disassemble the firearm as much as possible, removing the bolt and any other parts that can be easily removed.
2. Spray any part exposed to the corrosive salt, especially the chamber and barrel, with your water-based solvent. Soak all parts of the firearm including internal parts like the bolt, bolt carrier, or guide rod in hot soapy water for at least 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize and remove the corrosive primer residue.
3. Once the rust is softened, dry all the parts. Use a brass or nylon brush (like an old toothbrush) and a bore cleaner down the barrel, so you remove all the dirt and carbon build-up on all parts of the firearm, paying special attention to the barrel and chamber.
4. Rinse all parts of the firearm thoroughly with hot water to remove any remaining residue.
5. Dry all parts of the firearm thoroughly again with a clean cloth or air dry.
6. Lastly, lubricate all metal parts, especially areas where metal touches metal, and then reassemble your firearm. Apply a light coat of oil to all metal parts of the firearm to protect them from rust and corrosion.

Parting Shots

Don't let the idea of using corrosive ammo eat away at you. It's fine ammo. It's just a little older and made using dated components. If you'd like to learn more about ammo, reloading, or gun cleaning, check out our library of How-To Guides. And if you have any questions, send them our way through our Contact Us Page.