7.62x39 Corrosive or not?

[Calum]

I got a couple of little red boxes of ammo from the former Yugos, brass cases, FMJ, very nice stuff to shoot, but sadly it is also Berdan primed (two little holes visible inside). Not sure if it corrosive or not. But I'm treating it as if it is.

Labeled New generation.
Head stamp:
91
14

Anyone know more about this stuff?

I can post a pic later if you guys want.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[sdh1911]

If your not 100% positive it is not corrosive, get out the windex and clean well. I have replaced many barrels for fella's that were shooting "non-corrosive" ammo only to find out the primers were indeed corrosive and the barrels were ruined. Windex is pretty cheap when compared to a new barrel, F.W.I.W.-SDH

[Claven2]

I agree. I treat all 7.62x39 as corrosive except for the chinese silver box and commercial made American ammo.

[Calum]

Yah I clean my SKS pretty good afterwards, and if I can smell it on the parts, then she is not clean, and gets another scrub.

BTW the brass cases are quite nice, can they be reloaded with non-corrosive box primers?

[Claven2]

Depends if they are boxer or Berdan. Shine a light into an empty. If there are 2 flash holes, chuck it. If one centered hole, it's reloadable.

If you reload corrosive primed brass, wash the cases in ater before reloading or else you'll still get corrosive salts in the bore when you fire your reloads

[ww2gunlover]

so its true windex removes the corosive salts

[Calum]

Turns out the little red boxes where from South Africa, and yes they are corrosive in spite of being modern made.

As for Windex, it is a poor substitute IMHO to a good hot soapy water clean out.
I'd only use it as a temporary measure, until I could get access to hot water.

[Stevo]

so its true windex removes the corosive salts

It's the water in the Windex that does that.

Turns out the little red boxes where from South Africa, and yes they are corrosive in spite of being modern made.

As for Windex, it is a poor substitute IMHO to a good hot soapy water clean out.
I'd only use it as a temporary measure, until I could get access to hot water.

I wouldn't call it a poor substitute, just not the best option. I never use hot water (oh, the horror!) and thorough use of Windex has always done the job for me.

[Calum]

I also have it on good authority that during WW1, and WW2 horse or human urine was also used when fresh water was being saved for drinking... Necessity is the mother of invention.