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Headstamp question - corrosive or not?

Started by Matt, August 08, 2009, 05:25:01 PM

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Matt

August 08, 2009, 05:25:01 PM
God bless the CMP, they delivered my order (102 days from order received by them to order received by me, btw). I went looking through the ammo stash today to see what I had on hand to shoot through the new M1s (one for me, one for wifey), and realized I had some KA 70-something (the corrosive Korean stuff) and various other ammo. Most of it checks out as non-corrosive according to multiple sources.

The one I can't identify is headstamped "K 69 30". I think it means [manufacturer], 1969, .30 caliber, but I'm not sure. So, questions:

1) Does anyone know what "K 69 30" is, specifically. is it corrosive?
2) Can I tear down the corrosive Korean ammo, replace the primers, and fire it safely? If so, how do I get the primer out without spreading corrosive schmutz everywhere?
Liberty is my father, and he shall be my son.

Old Dog

#1
August 08, 2009, 05:37:54 PM
one reference site   http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes.htm

seems there are multiple possibilities for "K"

between the foreign manufacturers and the year I'd expect it to be corrosive but someone with actual experience with these shells may say otherwise.

I've shot corrosive ammo in my M1A before.  Shoot it, have fun, clean it real well afterwards (same day) and again the next day (to make sure you didn't miss any spots, then inspect it again a couple of days later to (once again) make sure you didn't miss any spots.

I used a black powder cleaning solvent from WalMart called "Black Off" followed by carb cleaner (to blow all the loose crud/cleaner off/out of the parts) when dry (the carb cleaner dries quick and removes all the oil, too) I sprayed the parts off with Rem-Oil, lubed up what needed heavier lube and put it all back together.  I shot right at 1,000 rounds of corrosive ammo through my M1A with no issues.

If that brass is berdan primed you may not be able to reload it anyway.  If its boxer primed I'd try boiling it first to remove all traces of the corrosive crud after firing, drain it, let it dry in the sun, then resize it and go.
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles."

—Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle

hawkeye

#2
August 08, 2009, 05:44:37 PM
Reloading the KA is too much trouble, shoot it and clean that day using a little dish soap and you'll be fine. KA is boxer primed and reloads almost as easy as HXP. If I remember right the KA is a bit smokey. Oh and like Old Dog said clean again the next.
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of crap by the clean end." Texas A&M student
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