Greek 303 ammo - Corrosive or Not?

[cprher]

A few months ago I purchased two cases of Greek 303 British ammo, being told at the time that it was non-corrosive. It's packed very well and looks brand new. I have not shot it yet but before I do how can I make sure it is not corrosive?
Keith

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Bit of advice dished out to and by real Armourers since the world began. TREAT ALL AMMUNITION AS CORROSIVE AND EROSIVE. That way you can shoot anything - just so long as you clean the rifle properly afterwards

[jonnyc]

Good advice.................but in this case, the Greek is non-corrosive.

[Mk VII]

But you can also find WW2 British-made rounds mixed in at random intervals.

[Peter Laidler]

Once you tell the crunchies that the ammo is non corrosive they start to think that they needn't get back the next day - and the next couple of days to pull the rifle through and oil it. Treat it all as corrosive and erosive and you won't EVER go wrong. Just my learning based on nothing more than having been there!!!!!

[cprher]

Once you tell the crunchies that the ammo is non corrosive they start to think that they needn't get back the next day - and the next couple of days to pull the rifle through and oil it. Treat it all as corrosive and erosive and you won't EVER go wrong. Just my learning based on nothing more than having been there!!!!!

I clean all my guns immediately upon returning from the range, sometimes at the range. But to be clear, what is your cleaning regimen if you know it's corrosive? How does it differ from what you do for corrosive? My go-to cleaning product is Hoppe's No. 9.
Keith

[browningautorifle]

they needn't get back the next day

That's why we call it daily cleaning...

[enscien]

A sample HXP 1983 ball round I examined was non-corrosive. A useful indication can be obtained by carefully decapping a live round (preferably hydraulically) and exposing the cap composition under water. If it gives a distinct yellow tint to the water that is a sign that the composition probably contains Lead Styphnate, and is non-corrosive.
British military .303" Mk 7 and 7z ball normally has mercuric and corrosive primers. The corrosive element is Potassium Chlorate, which leaves a residue of Potassium Chloride in the barrel: similar in effect to common salt. The proper way to remove this is to wash it out of the pores of the steel with water, not just powder solvent. For this reason the cleaning routine specified in the British Army 'Small Arms Training Manual, Volume I, Pamphlet 3 'Rifle' was as follows:
1. Pull through with dry flannelette.
2. Pour 5 or 6 pints of boiling water through bore from breech end, using a funnel. Avoid spilling water between barrel and forend.
3. Dry bore with flannelette and oil it. This helps subsequent removal of fouling.
4. Clean remainder of rifle, including chamber and inside of magazine.
5. Pull through with dry flannelette until it comes out clean, and oil barrel.

In the absence of water step 2 was replaced by 'oil bore' and step 3 by 'Pull through with wire gauze'.
It should be noted though that this would not remove all of the chloride and barrels could still be liable to rust even if lightly oiled.

Bisley shooters used to clean with 3 or 4 pints of warm water as it was considered that excess heat might warp the woodwork. An alternative was to use a mixture of one part of soluble oil to three parts of water.

[browningautorifle]

It should be noted though that this would not remove all of the chloride and barrels could still be liable to rust even if lightly oiled.

That's good info to cast out here as it's not commonly known I think.

[Ridolpho]

I've seen threads on other forums where individuals pull bullets, dump powder and put the primed case over a non-galvanized nail, fire the primer with a hammer and punch and then watch the nail for rust. Actually about to try this with a big lot of Chinese 7.62x54 I've purchased (goggles and earmuffs, of course). When shooting corrosive I've found it handy at the range to put a few inches of water in the bottom of a bucket and, with a cleaning rod, pull wet patches up to the chamber a few times with the tip of barrel dipped in the water. Fast and neat.

Ridolpho