M1 Carbine Cleaning Tips

[painter777]

Exterior metal wiped off and oiled down after use before putting it in the case.
When home, If it was damp/wet out during use let the case dry out.
I clean the Bore after every use. Was brought up that way.
If using it in the next day or two I'll just use the rod, patches and brush to a lesser degree than described below.

If putting it up with plans of using again in the next couple weeks:
I First pull the barreled receiver out of the wood, pull Op slide, bolt and trigger housing.
Bolt and Trigger housing are sprayed, brushed, dried off and lightly oiled. Break them down when build up isn't rinsing off as described to save wear on parts/bolt tools. Usually every 200-300 shots especially after using 296 powder.
I don't use the pull thru bore cleaners (yet).
Any rod attachment is attached inside the magwell, brush or patch and always unscrewed after exiting the muzzle.. just to re-attach again in the magwell to repeat.
I run a rod down the muzzle and then screw on and pull a patch forward first until it clears the chamber. Slow pull to bring debris out of the muzzle. Repeat this with fresh patches until I see no loose gunk. Then use the same method with a brush as needed. Back to patches soaked in solvent using same method multiple times. Giving the solvent time to soak. Back to patches, when dry patches are staying clean, then a lightly oiled patch. Little slower but the way I'm used to doing it. For a Chamber brush I just use a loose brush (brass) and spin/push / pull by my fingers with a cut off piece of cleaning rod attached about 1" long.... just enough to be able to finger grip.

I like the Pull Thru Rod method but do so with the barrel in a horizontal position, But upside down. Hopes being I'm not pushing grime in to the angled gas hole.

Any time I've handled a gun I back my way off of it wiping it down with a lightly oiled rag.
Don't overlook your mags. Mags are cleaned inside and out, and oil rag wiped. Surprising how little use it takes to get the inside of a mag dirty.

I won't bore you all with my 'Cleaning and Treatments' for long term storage.

We have it easy to the recommended cleaning methods published IIRC in the 1942 GI manual where they were cleaning with hot soapy water multiple times in a day...... just to continue so the following day.
If I get time I'll look for that and link it so anyone interested can read it.

Stick with the cleaning methods that work for you.
Many ways, many products.

How often to clean and how to depends on you and products, type of ammo and the conditions you shoot in. Take care how you store your guns.
Stick with the methods that give you your best results.

Which method is best?
Maybe easier?....... To choose between Mary Ann or Ginger

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.