I am taking the 5.45x39mm plunge! updated 09-23-09

[Jay Cunningham]

10 rounds, 100 yards, prone position, Russian surplus 5.45mm, S&W upper with Aimpoint CompML2. All rounds in black, eight in 10-ring.




Smith & Wesson M&P15R upper receiver assembly on Sabre Defense lower. Aimpoint CompML2 in QRP mount, DD Omega 7.0, TD short VFG, BFG Redi-Mag, upgraded CProducts magazines, MagPul MOE grip, LMT SOPMOD stock, Padded QD Vickers sling. Awaiting MOE rear sight.

[m4fun]

Kater - you firing any corrosive ammo? Wondering what your cleaning regiment is if so.

[Jay Cunningham]

Russian surplus 5.45mm is corrosive. I cleaned my gun tonight after I shot it. You don't need to do any magic voodoo - just field strip and clean the gun after you shoot.

[decodeddiesel]

Kater - you firing any corrosive ammo? Wondering what your cleaning regiment is if so.

I am a big believer in the boiling water flush, with the WD-40 purge.

Page 1, Post 9.

[m4fun]

Roger that - standard practice with AK74 - looking for any potential nuances with an AR.

Thanks guys!

[bsf]

I participated in the ACTS Combat Rifle Championship in MI over the weekend with my M&P 5.45 upper to push my round count over 3k. Still, I have used mostly Bulgarian. With CP 5.45 mags, I have only had 2 malfunctions that were probably not operator caused. Both did occur w/ the same mag.

BTW, if you get a .223 in your mag you will probably be mortar clearing it. Ask me how I know. That one cost me dearly while engaging threats from a moving vehicle.

[Jay Cunningham]

Page 1, Post 9.

I have come to the conclusion that all of that stuff with the water and the WD-40 or the Ballistol mixture is unnecessary. Just clean your gun like your pappy taught you. Eventually the gas tube might get crapped up but you can swap that out for about $10 including a new roll pin.

[ranger216]

Hi i thought i would chime in, a friend of mine bought a 5.45 upper to run at our local match, but soon sold it due of the fact it ran so dirty, if hes like me and hates to clean any more than necessary. I received an interesting call from one of my distributors the other day, and he told me that the Osprey gas piston had been approved for the 6.5, 6.8, and the 5.45X39. So i was wondering if this simple retrofit would fix the corrosion issues that plague this caliber, since its a self cleaning system? An AR running 5.56 only needs cleaning approximately every 6600 rds i wonder how long you could get from it running 5.45?

[Iraqgunz]

There is (was) an article in Small Arms Review either the June or July issue concerning corrosive ammo. From what I read it is the primers that are actually corrosive. IIRC the corrosion is actually caused by moisture that is attracted by the chemical residue. Maybe I missed something but from what I can tell if you practice good maintenance procedures then you shouldn't have any issues.

[Jay Cunningham]

There is (was) an article in Small Arms Review either the June or July issue concerning corrosive ammo. From what I read it is the primers that are actually corrosive. IIRC the corrosion is actually caused by moisture that is attracted by the chemical residue. Maybe I missed something but from what I can tell if you practice good maintenance procedures then you shouldn't have an issues.

Everything that you've stated is true, however everyone seems to have their own magical secret recipe about how to take care of these corrosive salt deposits left by the primers... this mostly comes from AK enthusiasts who seem to have a penchant for the exotic... I got sucked into it as well for a while - ultimately if you just go through normal cleaning procedures that should take care of mechanically removing all of the stuff that people are trying to dissolve away.