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Honestly, how much of a pain is it to clean a Vickers after corrosive


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I recently just started the transfer to me of an Argentine 24" short barrel Vickers. I am very excited about it, and really enjoy all of the caliber conversions. I'm buying a couple additional parts from a couple people, but all told, should be able to run, 7.65 Argentine, 303, 7.62x54R, and 308 in it.

 

I have a lot of 303 and 308, so those will both be fun, but I also have a lot of 7.62x54R ammo in the surplus wooden crates, but I just have never shot it in anything. I have always worried about not cleaning my guns properly, and them rusting. With a Vickers I feel like it is so much more likely because of how complicated they are and because of the water being near them, maybe leaking, etc.

 

My question is, how bad is it really? What are the steps of cleaning the gun after shooting? I only shoot one gun with corrosive ammo, and it's my PPSh-41. I actually prefer the Romanian surplus in it because it has a really nice high rate of fire and it's a super simple gun anyways, and that ammo seems very mildly corrosive. I honestly just barely rinse a couple parts and oil it well and have yet to have a single spot of rust form. I feel like with the Vickers Gun that will not be the case, plus I have heard the 7.62x54R Russian and Bulgarian ammo is very corrosive.

 

Anyways, I'm not sure if I'm going to have the balls to use it, but what are you guy's thoughts? How do you deal with it and clean it? Also, any tips?

 

Thanks,

Mike

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I'll say it's one of the easiest. I take a can or brake cleaner and WD40 to the range with me. When I'm done shooting I point the muzzle at the ground to let the coolant drain. At the same time I remove the lock and hose it down with brake cleaner and when the grime is gone I hose it down with WD40. Then I spray out the inside of the receiver with brake cleaner. Vickers have an open bottom so all the cleaner and gunk pour right out. Then rinse with WD40. Spin off the muzzle booster and hose down with brake cleaner and WD40 as well. Run a patch or two of WD through the bore and done. When you get home, clean everything as normal and apply an actual oil.

With the gun stripped, I plug the muzzle, remove the drain plug and stick an air compressor nozzle in the trunnion for about 10 minutes to dry out the waterjacket.

But seriously, with Wolf 303 being non corrosive and pretty cheap, why shoot corrosive ammo?

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I'll say it's one of the easiest. I take a can or brake cleaner and WD40 to the range with me. When I'm done shooting I point the muzzle at the ground to let the coolant drain. At the same time I remove the lock and hose it down with brake cleaner and when the grime is gone I hose it down with WD40. Then I spray out the inside of the receiver with brake cleaner. Vickers have an open bottom so all the cleaner and gunk pour right out. Then rinse with WD40. Spin off the muzzle booster and hose down with brake cleaner and WD40 as well. Run a patch or two of WD through the bore and done. When you get home, clean everything as normal and apply an actual oil.

 

With the gun stripped, I plug the muzzle, remove the drain plug and stick an air compressor nozzle in the trunnion for about 10 minutes to dry out the waterjacket.

 

But seriously, with Wolf 303 being non corrosive and pretty cheap, why shoot corrosive ammo?

 

This is exactly why I don't. Still I have so much, and it comes with the conversion, so I had to ask. I may just be shooting 308 and 303. maybe I'll just sell the crates of 7.62x54R one day. Thanks a lot for the reply!

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Corrosive salts are water soluble. Have shot corrosive ammo, some extremely corrosive such as vintage Jap 7.7, in many different belt guns for many, many years. I disassemble any multiple piece parts and soak in a pot of boiling water all parts that have been exposed to combustion gases. Some ammonia and detergent are added to the boiling water. After a few minutes at boil, they are removed and air dry very quickly. Fiber brush off the carbon when cool enough to handle, lightly oil.

Barrels are placed muzzle down in boiling water and a patched cleaning rod used to pump the water up into the bore about fifteen cycles or until the barrel is too hot to touch. Patch clean and dry the bore and oil.

Never had a problem with rust or corrosion.

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Corrosive salts are water soluble. Have shot corrosive ammo, some extremely corrosive such as vintage Jap 7.7, in many different belt guns for many, many years. I disassemble any multiple piece parts and soak in a pot of boiling water all parts that have been exposed to combustion gases. Some ammonia and detergent are added to the boiling water. After a few minutes at boil, they are removed and air dry very quickly. Fiber brush off the carbon when cool enough to handle, lightly oil.

Barrels are placed muzzle down in boiling water and a patched cleaning rod used to pump the water up into the bore about fifteen cycles or until the barrel is too hot to touch. Patch clean and dry the bore and oil.

Never had a problem with rust or corrosion.

 

Ok....an even bigger question. I know you are married Bob. How the f*** do you get away with that?? I'll shoot my non corrosive German surplus 303 to avoid the wrath that will come from me cooking machine gun parts and Ammonia at the house..

Edited by michaelkih
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  • 2 months later...

I have shot my vickers for years with 7.62 x 54 corrosive ammo. Cleaning at the range with carb cleaner and oil as above. Light spray oil everything at range to prevent rust. This takes about 10 to 20 minutes.

 

The next day clean gun with hoppes #9 and GI bore cleaner, Hoppes is good for corrosive ammo. WW2 GI bore cleaner for the bore. I disassemble the lock every time I shoot the gun. This takes about 2 hours for the whole gun. Clean guns run better and if you do not clean the gun, the dirt builds up and hurts the guns performance.

 

Side note: Bulgarian 7.62 x 25 is some of the nastiest corrosive ammo that I have shot. Clean the gun three times for the next three days and you might be OK.

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Corrosive salts are water soluble. Have shot corrosive ammo, some extremely corrosive such as vintage Jap 7.7, in many different belt guns for many, many years. I disassemble any multiple piece parts and soak in a pot of boiling water all parts that have been exposed to combustion gases. Some ammonia and detergent are added to the boiling water. After a few minutes at boil, they are removed and air dry very quickly. Fiber brush off the carbon when cool enough to handle, lightly oil.

Barrels are placed muzzle down in boiling water and a patched cleaning rod used to pump the water up into the bore about fifteen cycles or until the barrel is too hot to touch. Patch clean and dry the bore and oil.

Never had a problem with rust or corrosion.

 

Note to self, never taste the "soup" boiling on the stove at Bob's house!

 

Richard

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