Corrosive Primers

[Contenderizer]

You reloading pros may be able to help me with this question. I have some Lellier & Bellot (Czech Republic) factory loads in 303 British. The boxes say that the primers are 5.3 mm Boxer. What is the likelyhood these primers are corrosive? If they turn-out to be non-corrosive this will make my wife very happy ... as I won't have to put the gun in the dishwasher after shooting.

[muledeer]

First, welcome to HuntChat.
Do you have any idea when the Sellier & Bellot was manufactured? Since the boxes don't indicate whether the primers are corrosive or non-corrosive is there anything indicating the use of potassium chlorate or fulminate of mercury? This would be corrosive. I'm guessing non-corrosive but only a guess.
muledeer

[Jack]

I would guess that those primers are non corrosive, but that's only a guess.
To be safe, after shooting any of that ammo, I'd run some water down the bore and swab it out, then clean in your normal procedure. That should be enough to neutralize any corrosive primer residue, if there is any.
And I would make certain I cleaned the bore before putting the rifle away after shooting.
Putting the rifle in the dishwasher would certainly neutralize corrosive primers, but it's not really needed- just water. And the water doesn't have to be boiling, or even hot. Hot water evaporates quickly, which is convenient, but the temperature of the water has little to do with neutralizing corrosive priming compound.

[PJgunner]

Quick and dirty method for determining whether primers are corrosive or not. This is what we did way back when a lot of milsurp 30-06 was corrosive and some was not.

Back then, we took a suspect round and pulled the bullet. We then chambered the cartridge case without bullet and powder in the gun and fired it with the muzzle close to an old blued razor blade. (Stainless won't work.) No razor blade? Try any piece of clean oil free steel, as that should work just as well. Just make very sure it is as oil free as you can make it. Clean the rifle with the proper method for cleaning out corrosive priming. During WW-2, it was said that the wor was won with corrosive primers and tubs of hot boiling water. Supposedly, you cleaned the gun with the hot water once a day for three days. While boiling water, or as hot as you can get it isn't necessary, it will hell the bore dry much faster.
Take the contaminated razor blade/piece if metal into the room that has the highest humidity. Probably a bathroom where the most showers occur would be the best bet. After two to four days, if there is no rust on the metal, you can assume the primers are non-corrosive. I've had to do that several times and it's saved a barrel or two. In San Francisco's climate, especially it you were close to the ocean, corrosive primers would detroy a barrel in less than 24 hours. I know. it happened to me.
Paul B.