I just shot CORROSIVE AMMO. Will my rifle barrel implode?

[Parashooter]

Says so right on the box !! Factory handloaded w 200 gr FMJ and corrosive mercury primers. I'd post a photo but all I have is my cell phone and have no idea of how to transfer a photo to here.

Something's screwed up. First off, mercury fulminate, if present, isn't corrosive. It's chlorate that generates the corrosive salt (chloride). Second, if the primers are mercuric, the cases are toast from elemental mercury amalgamating with the brass on firing and there's nothing that can be done to clean it out before the damage occurs.

If the priming mixture contains both mercury and chlorate, fired cases are scrap and the rifle needs a good cleaning with water before sundown.

[Gun Surfer]

exterior ballistics

Click link above and scroll down to "Primer Composition". If someone used primers with fulminate of mercury, they were likely pretty old / pretty rare primers.

http://www.ashlandlakegunclub.org/do...rimerRedux.pdf

Here's a good treatment of the topic including the corrosive 7.62.

[Will]

The ammo I have was made by Winchester-Western Division. The back fo the 20 round box states," Loaded with smokeless powder, full metal case boat tail Lubaloy bullets, and special mercuric, corrosive primers for finest match accuracy. Adapted to Winchester Model 70, and other arms chambered for this cartridge."
Inside flap has stamped LOT WCC6008, 47PG12C BPH

All I know is that the cases are exact in weight and the FMC projectiles are as close in weight as anything I have ever seen.

[Parashooter]

The Western 8½G primer, discontinued around 1960, contained both potassium chlorate and mercury fulminate. This primer was both corrosive and mercuric - but the corrosive character derives from the chlorate, not the mercury. It was used in some match ammunition loaded by Winchester-Western.

Although the proportion of fulminate was apparently quite small, cases fired with the 8½G were not recommended for reloading.

[Will]

TY ParaShooter, that is why I have been carefully pulling & depriming these cases.

[Sarge1998]

Just for kicks I took apart the bolt and cleaned it, though everything seemed pretty clean already.

This is the one that almost got me my first time with WWII M2 ammo in my 1917, the firing pin was crusting with rust when I checked about 5 days after I shot, everything else was cleaned approriate, but I'd forgot the inside of the bolt, it cleaned up fine so I'm lucky I checked.

[Bruce McAskill]

Parashooter, Something still doesn't sound right here. First of all I do not remember any one loading the 7.62x51 with a 200 gr. bullet let alone one with any type of corrosive primer. Other then the one lot made by Frankford in the late 50's or very early 60's in 30-06 for National Matches. That lot was just corrosive primed using chlorate primers and had no mercury fulminate in it. I don't think anyone has used corrosive primers in the US since the government switched over in the early 1950's. The other thing I don't under stand is the hand loaded by Western Cartridge Company. The only way they would be doing something like that is for in house testing and not for sale to the public in anyway. Too much liability with that. I wish Will could post a picture or at least describe the box the ammo was in like colors and how many rounds the box holds and any info like patent dates on it.

[Parashooter]

I have no idea if Will's description is accurate - but have no reason to doubt it. I'm just offering some clarification on the Western 8½G primer. My information comes from the NRA "Handloading" book, which mentions this primer being used in .30/06 and .300H&H match ammunition. I'm sure the major ammunition manufacturers used to occasionally hand-assemble small batches of special ammunition for high-level teams and events. The ammo described by Will sounds like a plausible late-1950's load for serious competition.