Cleaning after Corrosive Ammo

y2k

y2k

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I`ve been cleaning my firearms with boiling water for almost 20years now and was wondering is there something that works better or faster? or easier
 
Andy said:
Hot tap water is faster ;)
Click to expand...

Only if your sink is deep enough ;)

I' usually just boil the electric kettle while I break the rifle down, then pour the whole thing through the barrel and into the laundry tub. Run a couple of patched through, then another one soaked in Hoppes, then let it cool and reassemble.
 
There exists a water funnel for pouring boiling water down the bore of the old No1 Mk III's, seen one a while back.

Yes, they did pour water down the barrels...

NS
 
http://enfieldrifles.profusehost.net/ti21.htm


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I happen to know of a store in Vernon, BC, that has several of these special funnels. PM me for the phone#. They are the real thing and work quite well. Navy Shooter, though I believe they poured water down the bores in the field, I don't think that every soldier carried one. Maybe they were issued as a unit armourers' supply and they used the water from trenches, watercourses or even their canteens. But I think that they were few and far between in the field, hence the wire mesh that was issued in the cleaning kits (only to be used in extreme circumstances). If you have information to confirm individual isssue of funnels, I would like to see it. I am in no way implying that you're saying that the were general issue, just looking for more info. bearhunter
 
I'm not sure where I read this (possibly on CGN) but apparently when rifle cleaning supplies weren't readily available, soldiers would pee down the barrel, and the ammonia from their pee would neutralize the corrosive powder. Some people use windex soaked patches through the barrel because it also contains ammonia.
 
Folks, this is the British we are talking about, if you had time to stop and clean your rifle then you had time to make a cup of tea. :D

Several dearly missed relatives once mentioned Horse or Human piss or during WW1, and Human piss during WW2, as a emergency stand bye cleaner.

Or as they put it..."When your in a wet mud hole for many months you tend to get creative". :D
 
My dad claimed that after he was done his basic training, cleaning the rifle was no longer considered an important priority, and he never bothered for the rest of the war until the time he was captured. So if you are wondering why your pre-'43 K98 has a rusted out bore...
 
Probably beaten to death, but the reason for the boiling water is twofold.
1. It expands the microscopic cracks present in every barrel
2. It washes out the primer salts from those cracks.

Troops may not have cleaned their rifles that thoroughly in combat, but combat is not continuous. Time enough for the rifles to be cleaned when not under fire. There may well be easier methods, but you don't have a friendly government to replace a pitted barrel at no cost to you.;)

Oh by the way, ammonia disolves copper deposits, doesn't do anything for salt.
Peeing in the barrel might be a good way to remove a stuck bullet from a muzzle loader when its wedged in tight since it will act against lead.
 
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Maybe pissing down the barrel today encourages you to give your gun a really proper cleaning tomorrow. I may have to try that.
NOT!
 
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