Bullet Corrosion

Wanna

Member
Feb 1, 2006
269
14
18
I left the country for 3 months when I returned and began to clean my weapon ( I left it between the mattress and box spring) I took my mag out of the weapon I notice the first and second bullets were corroded. The bullets in the mags in the shoulder holster were fine (the holster was in my chester draw). What happened? Should I not have left the weapon under the mattress? Should I have taken the mag out of the weapon? What gives? What are your recommendations. It was hard to get thes bullets here to the DR. I want to be careful with them since I do not trust the bullets here ( went to the range here, at 20ft. fired 10 rapid rounds none found my large Walmart traget). :paranoid: :surprised WOW!!!!!! NEVER, EVER, happen in this or past lives!!!!!
 

pyratt

Bronze
Jan 14, 2007
690
100
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Chances are (without me knowing where you live), you either were a victim of salt air (living close to the sea) or moisture (humidity) absorbed in your mattress. The brass has a tendency to turn especially when copper (jacketed or JHP) bullets are used.

I've found that using a sock sprayed with WD40, CRC, silicone or other lubricant will help keep most pistols free from corrosion in storage. An added protection would be to put the sock/weapon in a plastic zip lock and in your chest-of-drawers. I believe the wood and clothes in the chest-of-drawers may have absorbed any moisture before it got to your holster.

As far as not being able to hit the target...unless your barrel is warped or your adjustable sights were off.....it's a point and click device bro ;) Rapidly snapping
off rounds leads for a shooter who is not proficient (3 months no range time) to "pull" the weapon to the side upon firing.

Check your grip, try using the ball of your finger, the first digit only on the trigger...inhale, exhale and as you reach max exhalation, squeeze the trigger gently until discharge...you should see an improvement in your marksmanship.

Try shooting "front sight only", both eyes open, combat stance, placing the front sight on the center mass of your target. The front sight seen clearly, the target a bit out of focus...this should put you "on the paper".

Drill yourself on single shot, double and triple tap sequences and practice your breathing technique...fire on exhalation and build up to rapid fire sequences. Marksmanship takes technique and practice.

being effective in a defensive situation requires practicing from different positions, angles and locations. If you're defending your home, "walk the walls" entering each room as you would to clear it in the event of an intruder...practice clearing from standing and crouching positions to get a visual idea of how your home looks at different heights...a table when your standing is not an obstacle, however, when crouched, on a knee or lying prone, it blocks your sight path....hope this helps.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
488
83
I left the country for 3 months when I returned and began to clean my weapon ( I left it between the mattress and box spring) I took my mag out of the weapon I notice the first and second bullets were corroded. The bullets in the mags in the shoulder holster were fine (the holster was in my chester draw). What happened? Should I not have left the weapon under the mattress? Should I have taken the mag out of the weapon? What gives? What are your recommendations. It was hard to get thes bullets here to the DR. I want to be careful with them since I do not trust the bullets here ( went to the range here, at 20ft. fired 10 rapid rounds none found my large Walmart traget). :paranoid: :surprised WOW!!!!!! NEVER, EVER, happen in this or past lives!!!!!

The Statue of Liberty is not green. It just looks that way because that's what salt sea air does to copper and brass doesn't fare much better. You can keep this from happening again.

. Buy a safe. A small, inexpensive safe and place a couple dehumidifier packs (salt) in with your handguns and ammo. It is not a good idea to leave a loaded weapon anywhere else. Trapped between the mattress and box spring with ammo in the clip in 70%+ humidity is just a bad place for a handgun to be. There's no way for the humidity (which condenses in contact with metal) to escape.

. The barrel is probably very pitted inside. You will need to completely dismantle the weapon and thoroughly clean and lube every part. Check the firing pin mechanism, break it down and check the pin and spring. These are particularly vulnerable to corrosion and may need to be replaced. You'll need the wire brush to clean the barrel (several times) until the rifling threads are perfectly smooth and no pitting remains. That's what's throwing your projectiles off course.

A handgun is of no use to you under the matress. Do you remove it before sex? Imagine coming and going at the same time just because she got a little excited. Would a home intruder wait for you to make the bed before firing? It would be a good idea to only remove and load the weapon when you think you may have to use it. Keep a Louisville Slugger behind the bedroom door. It will prove way more effective and far less dangerous (to you). It's also easier to keep clean and functioning.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
488
83
Chances are (without me knowing where you live), you either were a victim of salt air (living close to the sea) or moisture (humidity) absorbed in your mattress. The brass has a tendency to turn especially when copper (jacketed or JHP) bullets are used.

I've found that using a sock sprayed with WD40, CRC, silicone or other lubricant will help keep most pistols free from corrosion in storage. An added protection would be to put the sock/weapon in a plastic zip lock and in your chest-of-drawers. I believe the wood and clothes in the chest-of-drawers may have absorbed any moisture before it got to your holster.

As far as not being able to hit the target...unless your barrel is warped or your adjustable sights were off.....it's a point and click device bro ;) Rapidly snapping
off rounds leads for a shooter who is not proficient (3 months no range time) to "pull" the weapon to the side upon firing.

Check your grip, try using the ball of your finger, the first digit only on the trigger...inhale, exhale and as you reach max exhalation, squeeze the trigger gently until discharge...you should see an improvement in your marksmanship.

Try shooting "front sight only", both eyes open, combat stance, placing the front sight on the center mass of your target. The front sight seen clearly, the target a bit out of focus...this should put you "on the paper".

Drill yourself on single shot, double and triple tap sequences and practice your breathing technique...fire on exhalation and build up to rapid fire sequences. Marksmanship takes technique and practice.

being effective in a defensive situation requires practicing from different positions, angles and locations. If you're defending your home, "walk the walls" entering each room as you would to clear it in the event of an intruder...practice clearing from standing and crouching positions to get a visual idea of how your home looks at different heights...a table when your standing is not an obstacle, however, when crouched, on a knee or lying prone, it blocks your sight path....hope this helps.

Holy Crap!

Now you've got me scared to go home.

If he needs to do all that stuff then it's probably time to consider relocation.


LOL
 
May 5, 2007
9,246
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I left the country for 3 months when I returned and began to clean my weapon ( I left it between the mattress and box spring) I took my mag out of the weapon I notice the first and second bullets were corroded. The bullets in the mags in the shoulder holster were fine (the holster was in my chester draw). What happened? Should I not have left the weapon under the mattress? Should I have taken the mag out of the weapon? What gives? What are your recommendations. It was hard to get thes bullets here to the DR. I want to be careful with them since I do not trust the bullets here ( went to the range here, at 20ft. fired 10 rapid rounds none found my large Walmart traget). :paranoid: :surprised WOW!!!!!! NEVER, EVER, happen in this or past lives!!!!!

If you're serious about not hitting target at all from 20 feet, I think I would try shooting into a piece of plywood at 4 feet to be certain anything is actually coming out of barrel

Only weapon I ever owned that was remotely that inaccurate was a lousy Beretta .25, you could watch the lead go downrange and if you got lucky enough to hit a gallon milk jug filled with water it would "shake" and move the thing .

.25 had to be the most useless round ever manufactured

But to your question, at Sea a daily cleaning of weapon and wipe down of cartridges with very thin machine oil was mandatory, salt air plays havoc on most metal
 

SantiagoDR

On Vacation
Jan 12, 2006
5,889
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.... ( went to the range here, at 20ft. fired 10 rapid rounds none found my large Walmart traget). :paranoid: :surprised WOW!!!!!! NEVER, EVER, happen in this or past lives!!!!!
If you were not firing "blanks", I suggest practice throwing the weapon at the target! ;) lol
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SantiagoDR
 
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greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
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Only weapon I ever owned that was remotely that inaccurate was a lousy Beretta .25, you could watch the lead go downrange and if you got lucky enough to hit a gallon milk jug filled with water it would "shake" and move the thing .

I got a worse one. I own a Rossi (Brazil) .44 Spl. and it's so bad that I don't even waste time at the range with it. I use it as a hunting sidearm. In case the buck starts to move I cap one off next to his ear and his heart explodes. That thing is as loud as a Desert Eagle .50. It bugged me so much that I slowed a video (HD) of a fired slug and saw that the lead balooned as soon as it left the barrel and the fire trail was about 4" out of the barrel. This led me to the theory that half loads with FMJ would eliminate thew wasted powder burn and keep the slug from reshaping itself en route to the target. The gun still sucks.

For the DR I'd think an S&W "Chief's Special" would be a perfect home and personal defense tool. They're inexpensive, extremely easy to conceal, reliable and accurate. Plus you can run away after without worrying about your brass. :pirate:
 

RacerX

Banned
Nov 22, 2009
3,390
376
0
2 things: I d say keep your spare bullets with a dessicant to draw the water from the air instead of affecting the head of the cartridge. Sodium silicate is good but you cant get that here. So try rice. Thats right, keep your extra bullets in a 1lb bag of rice to draw the water off. But you ll have to clean off the rice kernels before you load the magazine or you ll jam for sure.
And you can dip the head of the bullet in a rag soaked with transmission fluid. This will protect the jacket from the humidity getting in and causing corrosing between the brass and the lead.
Yea, man you should test at 6ft and see exactly if anything is leaving the barrel. How long is the barrel? 4", 6" or higher? And what caliber is it?
 

pyratt

Bronze
Jan 14, 2007
690
100
0
For the DR I'd think an S&W "Chief's Special" would be a perfect home and personal defense tool. They're inexpensive, extremely easy to conceal, reliable and accurate. Plus you can run away after without worrying about your brass. :pirate:
I'm under the impression that in the DR the general public gets two choices: a 9mm and a 12gauge shotgun. Can someone confirm that please? My stainless steel S & W Model 66, 2" bbl (.357) would be my preferences and I agree...it's easier to cap n flee with a revolver. :pirate:
 

Wanna

Member
Feb 1, 2006
269
14
18
Hi, sorry I was not that clear in my post. I recieved the 9mm bullets from the U.S.A after using my CZ75d out of the box. I did some very close patterns at the same range and distance, but then I HAD THAT MISHAP! I then question the loads here in the DR and brought my own over here. Thank you for the very valueable information concerning weapon and bullet storage ( not to exclude that fine paragraph on room clearance... excellent find on crouch or low room clearance)!
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
17,477
488
83
I'm under the impression that in the DR the general public gets two choices: a 9mm and a 12gauge shotgun. Can someone confirm that please? My stainless steel S & W Model 66, 2" bbl (.357) would be my preferences and I agree...it's easier to cap n flee with a revolver. :pirate:

Yeah, me too if I needed the "knockdown" power but a small hand towel (which I don't go outside without in the DR) muffles the sound of the .38 spl very well. That hand cannon of yours would be heard in San Juan.

The OP might be interested in this info site:


Handgun Drills and Standards Page

Are you serious about the choice in handguns being limited to 9mm ? One hammer for every size job....
 

pyratt

Bronze
Jan 14, 2007
690
100
0
Yeah, me too if I needed the "knockdown" power but a small hand towel (which I don't go outside without in the DR) muffles the sound of the .38 spl very well. That hand cannon of yours would be heard in San Juan.

The OP might be interested in this info site:


Handgun Drills and Standards Page

Are you serious about the choice in handguns being limited to 9mm ? One hammer for every size job....
Dread, the beauty of the .357 is if I miss, the concussion drops the perp~out of fear! Like I said, I heard that the rule in the DR is 9mm pistol for civilian use only. Hopefully someone will clarify this. If it's true, it's a silly law...9mm for me is a last resort..I love my back-up .45!

By the by to the OP...CZ is a good little gun for the DR, battle tested too.
 

RacerX

Banned
Nov 22, 2009
3,390
376
0
I think choice is limited to what ammunition is available. I see quite a few .45s and 38s(so I assume this is what was popular in 1965). But the 9mm is widely available worldwide so the ammo is cheap. NEVER seen a .40cal nor .44 yet.
 

pyratt

Bronze
Jan 14, 2007
690
100
0
9mm is indeed the largest caliber sold for civilian use. No importing of weapons or ammunition is allowed.
THANKS windeguy! I thought I'd heard that...that eliminates .357 magnums or .45s in civilian hands..leaving 9mm, (it's cousin .38) .32, .25., .22.

I guess the reason for all the 9's is capacity.

Keep your ammo dry and corrosion free...one bad primer will ruin your luck on the night you need it. Wipe your tools down regularly with anti-corrosion lubricants and above all....keep them stored high and dry and out of reach of children!
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
83
48
THANKS windeguy! I thought I'd heard that...that eliminates .357 magnums or .45s in civilian hands..leaving 9mm, (it's cousin .38) .32, .25., .22.

I guess the reason for all the 9's is capacity.

Keep your ammo dry and corrosion free...one bad primer will ruin your luck on the night you need it. Wipe your tools down regularly with anti-corrosion lubricants and above all....keep them stored high and dry and out of reach of children!

Very good advice Pyratt!
But your sentence "..that eliminates .357 magnums or .45s in civilian hands" should read "....in law-abiding civilian hands"

The 9mm CZ is a good piece just like its "almost twin sisters" the Italian Tanfolio and the Israeli Jericho, all based on the same design.

I carried a VZOR CZ70 (7.65/.32) for many years, also in combat - not a glamorous tool, but very simple, totally reliable, and at shortish range 100% effective - definitely a point and squeeze device.

I would never leave a gun under a mattress or anywhere else for 3 months and particularly if I were away, loaded or not - only stripped down and submerged in a closed can of appropriate oil, together with the (empty) clips. Ammunition clean and very lightly oiled in a vacuum bag, and the whole lot behind at least two locks.

Years ago and thousands of miles away, I once stood next to a big old agricultural looking guy at a public practice range, he was using a British army pre-WW1 Webley .455 service revolver which he took out from an army-surplus webbing side pouch. I asked him where he bought rounds for that monster, and he told me he hadn't bought a bullet in more than 25 years, instead he reused his old brass, cast his own lead points and charged them with home-made black powder. When he started firing it, the concussion and the shock wave nearly blew me over and although less than five yards away to my side, I couldn't see him for the clouds of smoke he was billowing out!! After a few rounds there was nothing, nothing but a tiny, charred slip of paper, left from his target.