Maintenance questions for milsurps (K31, SKS, SMLE)

BMaloney

BMaloney

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Hey everyone,

I've got a growing collection of milsurp rifles but no stores or clubs around to really guide me through some of the basics.

I absolutely adore tearing down these rifles and cleaning them, but I'd like some advice with my current crop and what I think is rust or copper in the barrels. I've attached an album here of my 3 rifles and their muzzles. Is this rust or copper? I'm going to need something stronger than froglube but I'd love to ask some experts. I'm not planning on shooting with these in big quantities, I'd love for them to last forever but I don't want to become some over-cleaning maniac!

Also, the flash from the camera really makes some of these pictures look worse than they do in real life under a bore light. The chambers of the K31 and SMLE are shiny and gorgeous compared to the muzzles. I have not fired them yet, so perhaps that's also a good idea for loosening old gunk?

http://imgur.com/a/MFPbT

I've included some SMLE pictures because I'd love to get more info about it. I've found all the basic markings from great online sources, but since it's a repair FTR, I think there is more of a story to tell than what I can see.

I have froglube, hoppe's and some Otis O12-CU Copper Remover, but I'd love to know what I'm doing! Is it as simple as getting a brush and slowly working away at what's inside of the barrels? Should I get some of that foaming Wipe-Out stuff I've heard about?

Edit: I should mention I have a small dehumidifier in the gun cabinet.
 
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Well, first of all, I would shoot them, then clean/lube well. Likely cooper build up in them all so you will need a copper cleaner like wipe out, or Hoppes copper, and many others. I like Wipe Out, but also use a variety of copper solvents and CLP's. I have used Frog Lube before and it's so so, but wouldn't use it initially to maintain my firearms. I also always store my firearms with a light film of gun oil in the barrel, yours look awfully dry to me. Nice guns.
 
One more thing, I have had great success with JB bore paste with Kroil oil, works fantastic. You won't believe how much black gunk it will take out of your barrels.
 
Copper will make the patch come out green, if you think you got a lot of build up then use a bore cleaning metal remover. Rust is crap colored brown. Normal solvents neutralize powder residue but does not solve rust or copper fowling. If you want to store your treasures for a while and not shoot them, use a heavy grade oil down the pipe once or twice a year. It cleans out easy with normal gun cleaning solvent before you shoot it.
 
And yes the barrel on your SMLE really is from 1918. It's a reused part for its FTR in the 50's. During the FTR, rifles were stripped to the action and reassembled to an as new state using new and used parts. Serial numbered parts were scrubbed, renumbered, parkerised and reused. Forwards it seems were always new from what I've seen, butts were reused or new. Any markings on a pre used butt from the previous rifle were removed, often these are still just visible. Other parts that were reused are bolts, nosecaps, trigger guards, sights, sight protectors, and swivel bands.
Yours is a nice one. Are you aware of the correct dismantling order for an SMLE?
 
Thank you for the information - I've had a great time doing the research and watching a lot of other enthusiasts on youtube for takedowns and advice. Do you have any good resources for me in case I missed something?
 
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