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View Full Version : I though AKs didnt require frequent cleaning?



bigbore
08-21-06, 18:51
I last shot my 74 about 3 weeks ago. Maybe 1K rounds, all suppressed. I came home, tossed it in the closet in my air conditioned house and forgot about it.

I grabbed it today to get to a case for another rifle and noticed rust.
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/ak-74_1.jpg
No big deal, so I threw it back in the closet.

Today I grabbed it to take care fo the rust. I attempt to make sure it clear, and it wont budge. I flip it over and look in the magwell.
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/ak-74_2.jpg
interesting

I took it outside and slammed the charging handle on a fence post until it bent.
It opened up about 1/2".
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/ak-74_3.jpg
I just soaked it down with WD-40, and will try getting it open tomorrow.


So much for requiring less care than AR. I've left ARs sit for a few weeks and never had this problem.

Wonder if the ammo was corrosive?

Pat_Rogers
08-21-06, 18:57
Steve- that is classic corrosive ammo syndrome (Like that? CCAS. I just made it up).
Good luck with that. Don't forget the gas tube too!

Jay Cunningham
08-21-06, 19:12
Were you shooting this stuff?

http://www.k-var.com/shop/images//d_733.jpg

Russian Manufactured 5.45x39mm 53Grain FMJBT Ball Mil-Spec. Corrosive 7N6 PS Projectile. The ammunition is headstamped 539, Tula Cartridge Works.

Like Pat said.

VA_Dinger
08-21-06, 19:12
Damn thats ugly!

TOrrock
08-21-06, 19:45
If you shoot corrosive ammo.....yeah, you gotta clean it if you just let it sit.

Hopefully you're bore will be OK.

RyanS
08-21-06, 20:20
I know that you've said this before Templar, but when shooting corrosive ammo, how soon after shooting do you have to clean the rifle? I mean, if I shoot a 1K over the course of the day and then let it sit for 2 or 3 hours or even the next day, will I be okay? If I don't have any Ballistol, what else can I use? I don't know, maybe I'm letting this whole corrosive thing get to me.

TOrrock
08-21-06, 20:29
I know that you've said this before Templar, but when shooting corrosive ammo, how soon after shooting do you have to clean the rifle? I mean, if I shoot a 1K over the course of the day and then let it sit for 2 or 3 hours or even the next day, will I be okay? If I don't have any Ballistol, what else can I use? I don't know, maybe I'm letting this whole corrosive thing get to me.


The old saw about never letting the sun go down on a dirty gun isn't a bad one, but you don't need to get too anal about it.

I've shot literally thousands of rounds of corrosive ammo through AK's and surplus military bolt actions and semi auto's. As long as you clean them a couple of days after shooting you should be ok. This is also dependent on climate. The more humid an area is, the sooner you need to clean.

Ballistol is great stuff, you can use a mixture of 10% Ballistol to 90% water for most corrosive or black powder cleaning, but realistically, you can just go through your regular cleaning regimen, whether you're using CLP, Hoppe's, Shooter's Choice, etc...it should be fine, just clean the weapon, then go back the next day and clean it again.

If you go to a class and shoot 1K of corrosive ammo, try to clean it as soon as you can, but you shouldn't have a problem leaving it a day or two if you have to.


I think bigbore's problem was exascerbated by the use of a suppressor, which probably pushed the propellent gasses back into the chamber and around the bolt a lot more than if it had just been shot without a suppressor.

Heavy Metal
08-21-06, 20:42
Wonder if the ammo was corrosive?

Nooooooo...............


Balistol is good stuff. I keep a M-44 Mosin Nagant in my Jeep as a trunk gun.

I shoot about 40 rounds (absolutely corrosive) thru it about once a month(my shoulder is usually properly tenderized by that point, yes I am a wuss), quickie clean it at the range/farm with 90/10 H2O/Balistol and put it in a gunsock and stick it in the back of my damp, humid jeep.

Never a spot of rust.

Balistol is da bomb for corrosive ammo. Basically, it is as close to an idiot proof corrosive ammo antidote you will find in this life and it is cheap too.

But man, it stinks like gym socks from 10 million BC............

bigbore
08-21-06, 20:54
I'll get it cleaned up...

http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/ak-74_4.jpg

I got my SRB AK74 receiver last week for my Krink build. This one was the "how does this go together" and what does corrosive ammo really do rifle.

Nitrox
08-21-06, 20:56
That picture is proof that even a boat anchor will rust.

Heavy Metal
08-21-06, 21:00
Make sure the firing pin isn't frozen forward.

ArchAngel
08-21-06, 21:12
Well that answered a few questions at once - the ammo and the cleaning on the 74.

Thanks for sharing and the pics.

I had just been in the 5.45 thread and noticed the links went to corrosive ammo.

TOrrock
08-21-06, 21:16
Corrosive ammo thread.......

http://www.akforum.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4038

M4arc
08-21-06, 21:31
Steve is that a WASR?

TOrrock
08-21-06, 21:40
If it is a WASR or a SAR....the finish on those rifles is black oxide...not parked....and it does tend to rust fairly easily.

Heavy Metal
08-21-06, 21:53
The text in the top pic show it is a SAR/WASR.

M4arc
08-21-06, 21:57
Between this thread and being all jazzed up over the Vickers AK class I just cleaned my Romy G/Chris Butler AK :D

Business_Casual
08-22-06, 14:58
Bigbore,

I was just curious if any real damage was done or if it was surface rust?

M_P

SuicideHz
08-22-06, 15:47
Well, I USED to want that AK Steve!

bigbore
08-22-06, 19:25
Pounded it apart
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-1.jpg
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-2.jpg
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-3.jpg
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-4.jpg
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-5.jpg

If this doesnt work, nothing will
http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-6.jpg

TOrrock
08-22-06, 19:32
That'll wipe right off! :eek:


Look's like you're ok on the chamber, I couldn't tell on the barrel.


I'll betcha it'll work alright once you've gotten most of the crap off. Won't be pretty, but it'll work.

ArchAngel
08-22-06, 19:34
That is just gruesome.

Can't wait to see the after pics.

KevinB
08-22-06, 19:39
Look better than some AK's I had to use overseas...

Pat_Rogers
08-22-06, 19:58
While i have always enjoyed reading the rants of posters as to the utter reliability of the AK, the fact that anyone, even BEM's can use it etc, this is not always true.
I have had the opportunity to see a lot of AK's in different places, and a lot wouldn't work because of poor maintenance.
Coprrosive primers are still around, and even AK's rust,

bigbore
08-23-06, 19:02
Its starting to look promising

http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-a.jpg

http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/akapart-b.jpg


The chamber and bore look fine, I'm going to attempt to clean up the receiver tonight and get it all back together.

JC_
08-23-06, 19:06
What does the inside of the suppressor look like after this?

TOrrock
08-23-06, 19:10
Good deal!

bigbore
08-23-06, 19:24
What does the inside of the suppressor look like after this?


The suppressor looks fine

Boom
08-23-06, 19:24
Not bad, looks like it will clean up well after all.

Heavy Metal
08-23-06, 19:56
Look on the bright side, you can't make it no uglier so you will never have to worry about that rifle again.

A 'Volunteer' beater!:D

Nathan_Bell
09-04-06, 16:23
The last picture of Steve's , the Evapo-Rust, made me crack up. I started having Jack Black selling VapooRize running through my head.

Hmm Maybe I should turn the exhaust fan on when I am using bore cleaner in the basement:D

Hydguy
09-07-06, 16:46
Clean that hammer while you are at it!!!

WisP35
01-01-07, 10:33
Thats a damn shame!

Recoil-felt
01-01-07, 19:17
Wow, that was crazy. I am glad you go tit cleaned up.

Obiwan
01-02-07, 16:27
I use Slip2000 on all my weapons (thanks Pat)

It takes care of the corrosive salts as well

I do nothing special.....except that I make sure to clean them the same day

Or at least pull a patch through and wipe them down