SKS Cleaning?

[CZguy]

Can anyone tell me the best way to clean an (Yugo) SKS after it has been

fired with corrosive ammunition?

 

[HSMITH]

Thoroughly, or it will be a rusted mess.

On a serious note, hot soapy water is a good start, clean it good and then when it dries clean it again as you would if you had shot non-corrosive ammo. Don't worry about rust from the soapy water, the metal will get hot from the hot water and it will dry quickly.

Windex is another cheap way to neutralize the corrosive residue, the ammonia does the netralizing.

The real key here is you HAVE to clean it at least one more time a day later, if you missed anything or didn't get it completely clean it WILL rust and it will rust BAD if you don't clean again. You MUST clean it at least twice and three times is better.

 

[gunslinger308]

what ammo do you shoot? I shoot almost all surplus and a little winchester soft points but I haven't seen any corrosive.

 

[CZguy]

I had some very old surplus ammo given to me. I don't know the origin, but I

noticed a lot of rust after firing it.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Corrosive primers will leave salt crystals in the barrel and gas cylinder after shooting. Humidity will cause moisture to collect with the salt, which can cause pitting. But this all takes time, so if you see rust after shooting, it probably isn't the ammo.

Cleaning with water is a good first step, followed by normal cleaning, as HSMITH said. Just like the blackpowder guns. Be sure to take the gas system apart, too, including the valve that switches from semi-auto to single-shot (grenade launcher) mode.

I'd advise shooting up all that old corrosive stuff ASAP and buying new non-corrosive ammo. Corrosive is a PITA in gas-operated guns, so much to clean. I shoot it in bolt guns, and carry a little bottle of windshield washer fluid for initial cleaning at the range. That stuff won't freeze.

Regards.