Nostalgic care and cleaning

[USAFChief]

Here I am, some 60 years after I first carried a carbine in the US Military (Guard duty), still using the same procedures and GI materials to clean and care for them as I did back then:

Cleaner, rifle bore
Oil, lubricating, preservative, special
Oil, Linseed, raw

I imagine there are superior commercial products available these days, but I am still captivated by the the sights (those dark green cans) and smells of those GI materials. I also like to follow the old military manual (FM 23-7/AFM 50-4) cleaning procedures to the letter, as I always have.

I have become more and more nostalgic as I have grown older - I imagine that is inevitable - it also adds immeasurably to the pleasure of owning and researching these great old guns.

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[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Now don't get all teary eyed on us with nostalgia about stuff. Next thing you know you will start talking about how you loved the C-rat Pecan Cake Roll. Which actually was my favorite desert.

[USAFChief]

Now don't get all teary eyed on us with nostalgia about stuff. Next think you know you will start talking about how you loved the C-rat Pecan Cake Roll. Which actually was my favorite desert.

No teary eyes yet, however, my favorite C-ration was spaghetti & meatballs (favorite meat: SPAM - and I still like it!).

Just a little wistful

[INLAND44]

Definitely not silly to use the original ways/materials - sort of a 'karma' thing to me. I still hear guys walking into a gun show saying 'I love the smell of cosmoline in the morning'. Well, it isn't cosmoline; its old web gear and linseed oil. If I open my gun cabinet and don't get hit with that smell, I know its time to oil my carbine stock!