Thread: HXP 303 ammo corrosive? found rust in my barrel

The residue of burning gun powder is hydroscopic so attracts moisture. The air is high in moisture at this time of the year. Your cleaning and post-clean care is inadequate.

Originally Posted by No.3

So you're going to try to convince me that your what, 100 year old .303 has never shot corrosive ammo before?

Clean accordingly, hot water...

It's 1940s so not quite 100 years old! But yes, it's bound to have had tons of corrosive ammo go through it.
Anyway when I had the barrel installed, I gave it a good scrub up and down with the brush and hoppes no9 cleaner, then put patches through until they came out clean. It's a good barrel with 1 inch groupings, so I hope it hasn't done any damage.
Should I be cleaning with hot water after every use, even if it's not corrosive primed?

Originally Posted by winchesterM69A

The residue of burning gun powder is hydroscopic so attracts moisture. The air is high in moisture at this time of the year. Your cleaning and post-clean care is inadequate.

I had put a light bulb in my safe which has helped with dampness immensely.
Anyway, I never realised that powder residue attracts moisture.
So is a cleaning patch not enough after each use? How often are you supposed go clean/oil the barrel?

Originally Posted by Old_School

It's 1940s so not quite 100 years old! But yes, it's bound to have had tons of corrosive ammo go through it.
Anyway when I had the barrel installed, I gave it a good scrub up and down with the brush and hoppes no9 cleaner, then put patches through until they came out clean. It's a good barrel with 1 inch groupings, so I hope it hasn't done any damage.
Should I be cleaning with hot water after every use, even if it's not corrosive primed?




I had put a light bulb in my safe which has helped with dampness immensely.
Anyway, I never realised that powder residue attracts moisture.
So is a cleaning patch not enough after each use? How often are you supposed go clean/oil the barrel?

The Greek is non corrosive and is effectively Winchester ammo as it was made on a complete plant sent to Greece by the USA as part of a nato agreement. I suspect it’s simply powder residue and the dampness we are currently experiencing. Powder fouling will attract moisture….

Originally Posted by Old_School

It's 1940s so not quite 100 years old! But yes, it's bound to have had tons of corrosive ammo go through it.
Anyway when I had the barrel installed, I gave it a good scrub up and down with the brush and hoppes no9 cleaner, then put patches through until they came out clean. It's a good barrel with 1 inch groupings, so I hope it hasn't done any damage.
Should I be cleaning with hot water after every use, even if it's not corrosive primed?




I had put a light bulb in my safe which has helped with dampness immensely.
Anyway, I never realised that powder residue attracts moisture.
So is a cleaning patch not enough after each use? How often are you supposed go clean/oil the barrel?

FFS have a look on forum at different threads...Trout started on in last week or two about pull through cleaning..... at very LEAST you need to put through a couple or 4 oily patches..then couple of clean patches..then an oily patch to coat bore while its in storage
if you put a heavy oil..or car motor oil through on last patch,you need to put a clean rag through BEFORE the next usage to remove said oil.
this isnt new thing..this information has been around for a hundred years and more..... use rifle,must clean rifle..... hells bells Batman even the knights of Crusades knew after running through a musselman to whipe blade of sword off properly before putting back in scabbard.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

FFS have a look on forum at different threads...Trout started on in last week or two about pull through cleaning..... at very LEAST you need to put through a couple or 4 oily patches..then couple of clean patches..then an oily patch to coat bore while its in storage
if you put a heavy oil..or car motor oil through on last patch,you need to put a clean rag through BEFORE the next usage to remove said oil.
this isnt new thing..this information has been around for a hundred years and more..... use rifle,must clean rifle..... hells bells Batman even the knights of Crusades knew after running through a musselman to whipe blade of sword off properly before putting back in scabbard.

I am still pretty new to all of this and learning alot, but didn't realize cleaning had to be done so thoroughly.
I thought that black powder was the stuff that needed a decent clean.
But anyway I will know for next time.
Interestingly, I've got other guns I've shot and not cleaned and can't see any rust in the barrels at all so go figure!