So in general, fouling tell you its dirty and need to be cleaned. I cleaned the bore of my unfired, unissued SKS and found this...the first pass it was dark brown with some greenish color. Second and third brown got just a bit lighter and the green eventually went away. Then the next seven were all brown to light brown. What is this brown crap? Is it rust? and the green appear to be some oxidation.
SKS Bore Cleaning - What does the fouling color indicate?
- Thread starter SteelCap
- Start date
samsplacci71
Regular
- Location
- Toronto area
If you have a SKS there is a better than average chance the bore is chrome lined. It won't be rust. The green colour is oxidation of copper bullet jackets. Chances are your unfired was test fired at arsenal and then cosmolined.
SKS firearms come packed in a preservative called Cosmoline. It is there to protect the metal surfaces from oxygen. It is sometimes brown or red brown in colour.
When you get a new SKS it may be packed with this stuff. It is imperative that you use a quality solvent like mineral spirits, varsol, or brake Kleen to get this stuff out of the internals of the bolt.
The SKS has a floating firing pin and not cleaning the firing pin channel initially and after shooting corrosive ammo can lead to accidental discharges.
When you get a new SKS it may be packed with this stuff. It is imperative that you use a quality solvent like mineral spirits, varsol, or brake Kleen to get this stuff out of the internals of the bolt.
The SKS has a floating firing pin and not cleaning the firing pin channel initially and after shooting corrosive ammo can lead to accidental discharges.
It means you haven't finished cleaning it. Remove the action from the stock. Completely strip the rifle's action. Get yourself a Bore Snake. Soak the first 4" in naphtha. Lower the weighted end in and pull it through. Repeat twice more. You will have removed all of the cosmoline. Wash your bore snake. Clean the other parts in similar solvent. I just completely disassemble them and toss them in a can of naphtha while I scrup the action and chamber clean. By that time most of the stuff is soft and brushes off pretty good. Wipe and set aside. Once everything is clean, lightly oil the parts and assemble your rifle. Shooting will sweat any other cosmoline out.
Takes about an hour.
Takes about an hour.
Please ensure you clean the bolt and firing pin recess.
Also if you are shooting corrosive ammo, clean with hot water. Water dissolves the salts left by corrosive ammo.
Also ensure you clean the gas system with water. I have seen a number of S.K.S. rifles with corroded gas systems.
Not keeping the bolt internals clean may eventually lead to a slam fire (firing when the bolt closes) - this can damage the gun.
You don't have to buy anything it comes with it's own cleaning kit.
What makes modern cleaning gear works better ? LOL
Attitude and marketing....
The SKS cleaning kit work perfectly well, simple and functionnal. The kit and fews pieces of clothes,bore cleaner and fews drop of oil its all will be needed to keep it ready
Joce
Shoot corrosive ammo, clean with water. Oil does not dissolve salt...
What makes modern cleaning gear works better ? LOL
YMMV, of course - there's nothing actually WRONG with the kit. But in my experience my SVT/Mosin/SKS clean up easier with my Tipton rod, proper .30 cal brass jag, and a good brass brush than with the little stick jag and what seems to be a nylon brush that came with the rifles.
Yep, it does, and an amazing kit it is, but I guarantee a bore snake does it quicker and better than 30 patches run down the bore. Like I said, soak the front part in naptha, it will soften/dissolve the cosmoline. Then the brush scrapes it out of the grooves, then the remaining floss cleans it out of the bore. I also soak the end of the floss with naptha the first time through. After 2 runs through, run a patch with oil. Too easy. I don't have time to waste running patches through a bore.
I never liked the idea of cleaning a bore with a dirty Boresnake, which is what it is on the second pass and each one, thereafter.
Do commandos use bore snakes ?
