Christmas Gift

[enfield303t]

Today my son gave me two funnels that apparently are for pouring hot water down the barrel of a Lee Enfield to wash out the corrosive salts. They are very odd shaped being cut in half (half round) with the spout that is reverse curved and about five inches long.
The metal is quite heavy and soldered on the seams.

I know a picture would be great but really haven't even tried to post a picture so IF possible I will take a picture and send it to Badger and he can post it for me, yes I am lazy in my old age.

How common are these as I have never seen one before?

PS, what is the era of these?

Information

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[Badger]

Here's some pics of what I presume enfield303t is referring to, although this is not his specific funnel ....

Pics and text captured from John Denner's site ...

G-2 ENFIELD CLEANING FUNNEL- This item was used to funnel boiling hot water through the barrel to facilitate cleaning of the bore. Very useful when considering corrosive ammunition.

This item is in new condition, as in it has not been used before. However, it was found in a wooden crate in the back of a store. The funnel is old, so there are the odd spots of dirt, dots of rust on it, very small amount. However the funnel is in excellent condition.

I just found an interesting article on this exact funnel in the "Canadian Journal of Arms Collecting" Vol.33 No.3. The article says that:

Cleaning Funnels: An UnCommon Lee-Enfield Accessory- by P.M.R. Breakey. "The recent discovery in Quebec of a small quantity of original Canadian WWII period rifle cleaning funnels has prompted this article. Proper cleaning of the rifle is necessary as military cartridge primers contain chemicals, potassium chlorate or mercury fulminate, which during firing recombines as a corrosive salt residue distributed along the barrel. The salts combine with water (humidity in the air) to immediately ruse in the barrel. A typical round funnel will not fit the Lee Enfield action and the spout is too short to reach the chamber from the rear of the action. The subject funnel was made to remedy that problem. "

The article is 2 pages long and includes a few photos.

The very side of the funnel indicates that its use would be relegated to the barracks or behind the lines as no soldier worth his salt would carry one in his pack. If so, it certainly would not be around for long and in itself may explain the scarcity of this interesting item of military history. $20.00. Click pics to enlarge.

Attachment 18371 - Attachment 18370

Regards,
Doug

[enfield303t]

Thanks Doug, that is exactly what I got. Very interesting items and one will be used to clean our SKS's as we shoot milsurp ammo. Great you could reply so quickly.

Merry Christmas.

[old crow]

I own one of these funnels and have sent four others to my sons and daughter-in-law for their LEs in the past few years. A gentleman from Canada sent mine to me and I purchased the others from another gentleman in Canada. They were, as I understand, usually an item of the unit armorer and squaddies used them in turns. Not rare by any means but very desirable for the LE owner/collector. The funnel spout will fit any chamber of same or larger dimension than that of the LE. And, yes, I use mine regularly.

[buffdog]

We used them after a range session in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Two pints of boiling water through the barrel, followed by patches, then lightly oiled patch.

The boiling water heats up the barrel, opens the microscopic pores in the steel, and helps to dry out the barrel because of the warmth.

.