Rifle cleaning after corrosive ammo

[Kli]

We now days use Windex and soap water to clean the barrel after shooting corrosive ammo.
Does anyone know how it was done back in the old days?, I have a couple of Mosin Nagant, I'm pretty sure back in WWII the Russian soldiers didn't have access to Windex, how did they do it? My rifles were made in 43 and 44, the bore is little dark but pretty decent. I guess they must did something other than Windex.


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[Bruce McAskill]

A water based bore cleaner just as the USGI's had.

[arado]

Today I clean my guns with Waxoyl mixed with oil paint thinner. It cleans, lubricates, preserves wood leather and metal. No salt can touch the steel. It's British. Gary

[fernleaf]

Every soldier in the British Commonwealth was taught to pour a lot of boiling water down the bore to dissolve and wash away corrosive salts.

This is the method I use and it works brilliantly.

You don't really need Windex or soap - Windex is mostly water anyway....

[erno86]

With my Hawken 50...I remove the barrel, before I place the breech end of the barrel into a pot of hot soapy water --- this creates a suction --- when I push & pull the patched cleaning rod thru the muzzle end. Then...I use a 50 cal. BLACKPOWDER bore brush and run thru the barrel --- cotton patch clean out. After that...I put on some heavy gloves and grab the barrel with heavy rags --- and pour boiling water down the muzzle {this process --- opens up the pours in the metal}, I then patch clean out...let the barrel cool down --- then lube down.

For today's corrosive shooting ammo...when I desire to not remove the barrel --- I use Simple Green solution cotton flanel soaked patches down the bore --- dry out --- then use a bore brush with copper cleaner, clean out with dry patches, three Hoppes soaked patches, three dry patches; then oil down.

My current corrosive cleaner: Is a mixed solution --- 30% Simple Green/30% hydrogen peroxide/30% rubbing alcohol.

[jmoore]

Many Mosin Nagants were issued with those little duplex oil/solvent bottles, but the exact formulation of either I don't know. But it does seem particularly fitting given the derivation of the name of current month: January

ETA: Apparently the Soviets referred to the cleaner as "alkaline solution", which sounds suspiciously like "soap".

[Alex Hamilton]

If you are "desperate" and there is nothing else available, pee-ing down the barrel is a very effective cleaning method and special funnels for the purpose were in regular use during the Great War. But ammonia will attack steel if left in the bore, so finish off with a well oiled patch.

The best thing is to avoid shooting old corrosive ammunition.

Alex

[jmoore]

The best thing is to avoid shooting old corrosive ammunition.

Sell it cheap or give it away! I might be able to help you dispose of some...

[Alex Hamilton]

Sell it cheap or give it away! I might be able to help you dispose of some...

I am a former/bored target shooter, who drifted into military rifle shooting seeking greater challenge. I have a Mod.44 bought in unissued condition and I have never fired jacketed bullet in it. All cast lead; hand loaded and superbly accurate. Ammunition older than 25 years and berdan primed is not necessarily corrosive, but it is not accurate.

[jmoore]

Welcome to the forums! You might expect some debate...