I made a huge mistake. I put some corrosive ammo in my safe without even thinking about it. Now after a few months some of my guns, ammo, and magazines have rusted. The guns only have rust (pits) on the outside of the barrels but some of the ammo looks pretty sad. Brass is green and some of the slugs have whitish powder on them. Is there a way to clean the barrels and bullets that won't take forever? Also there were what looked like large rust crystals on a couple of the magazines. When I took some of the boxes of ammo out, the box felt like it was slightly damp. Any advise would be appreciated. A couple of the guns were my Dads' before he passed and it makes me sick to see them.
After corrosion clean up
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Corrosive ammo is called that due to the salts in the primer mix. You firearm is exposed when the ammunition is fired. Not while it's stored.
Sounds an awful lot like a lot of humidity in your safe. The white stuff is probably mold, the green stuff is verdigris. Get an absorbent cannister for the safe, when the absorbent turns a certain color (read directions) put it in the oven or plug it in to help control moisture.
3 or 4 O steel wool used gently with a lot of WD40 should allow you to rescue what you can. Stored firearms still need periodic care.
Sounds an awful lot like a lot of humidity in your safe. The white stuff is probably mold, the green stuff is verdigris. Get an absorbent cannister for the safe, when the absorbent turns a certain color (read directions) put it in the oven or plug it in to help control moisture.
3 or 4 O steel wool used gently with a lot of WD40 should allow you to rescue what you can. Stored firearms still need periodic care.
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Or use a Golden Rod.
Thank You Gentlemen. I had cleaned and oiled the guns before putting them in there. The chrome guns had no issues with them. I have brushed as much rust off of the safe itself as I could. There was a small amount around inside and on the shelf holders. If I put a dehumidifier inside it will be ok to put everything back in correct?
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Just putting corrosive ammo in the safe shouldn't cause a problem but you shot it in the gun it will. But I am unclear about where you had corrosion.
Corrosive ammo leaves rust in the bore so I'm wondering what you "scared off."
In the old days GI bore cleaning for coerrosive ammo would you want to only use it outside and shooters often used hot running water with a good scrubbing and oil.
Today most corrosive ammo will be of foreign origin or WWII vintage. The most troublesome was the old steel case .45ACP with an EC headstamp (Evansville ordnance often EC43). In the "NRA Firearms Fact book" there is a table showing where non-corrosive ammo began with each ordnance plant. In my youth...not long after the invention of dirt...surplus GI ammo was common and I had to replace a couple of barrels because of carelessness .
A picture of your damaged gun would help.
Corrosive ammo leaves rust in the bore so I'm wondering what you "scared off."
In the old days GI bore cleaning for coerrosive ammo would you want to only use it outside and shooters often used hot running water with a good scrubbing and oil.
Today most corrosive ammo will be of foreign origin or WWII vintage. The most troublesome was the old steel case .45ACP with an EC headstamp (Evansville ordnance often EC43). In the "NRA Firearms Fact book" there is a table showing where non-corrosive ammo began with each ordnance plant. In my youth...not long after the invention of dirt...surplus GI ammo was common and I had to replace a couple of barrels because of carelessness .
A picture of your damaged gun would help.
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LOL!
I had my troops take their weapons into the showers and break them into two main groups wash them down after a session with the corrosive ammo. They then field stripped and oiled heavily. Next day field stripped again, oil per normal. repeated again for two more days. FYI, I f**ked up a 1911 barrel because I failed to clean it for 3 days after firing. The corrosive crud set in quicker than I had expected.
I had my troops take their weapons into the showers and break them into two main groups wash them down after a session with the corrosive ammo. They then field stripped and oiled heavily. Next day field stripped again, oil per normal. repeated again for two more days. FYI, I f**ked up a 1911 barrel because I failed to clean it for 3 days after firing. The corrosive crud set in quicker than I had expected.
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