Thanks to one of you who suggested steam cleaning my SVTs... BEST EVER

Thanks for the excellent tip I'll have to pick one up to use cleaning after corrosive ammo.

This would be excellent if used with Frog Lube since FrogLube works best when the metal is heated. Does this get hot enough that it could effect or warp polymer parts. I would think its does not, could it be used on say a polymer pistol to get down deep at those hard to reach areas?
 
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StrikerSW said:
Thanks for the excellent tip I'll have to pick one up to use cleaning after corrosive ammo.

This would be excellent if used with Frog Lube since FrogLube works best when the metal is heated. Does this get hot enough that it could effect or warp polymer parts. I would think its does not, could it be used on say a polymer pistol to get down deep at those hard to reach areas?
Click to expand...
Is there a difference between polymer and plastic ?
 
Nifty. I can see using it to blast out the receiver after a shoot, where I'm always afraid of not getting all of the crud and salt residue out of.

Best part is I already have one of those Shark units, sitting in a box unused.
 
ADHDCanuck said:
the SVT is worlds easier to take apart, clean, and put back together than the SKS. only the one spring is a pain in the ass (the one in the bolt in multi parts) but i figured out a neat trick, just push it back with a flat piece of metal like the gas system disassembly tool, then hook the cover on and slide back into the rails. EASY.

I might make a video since all the youtube videos just have some guy forcing it back with a thumb (that HURTS my fingers are nice and soft!) then awkwardly slipping the cover on. tsk tsk.

Give it to a lazy soft fingered geek if you want a nice easy painless way of doing something.
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This would seem to be the exact opposite of my experiences....the SKS practically falls apart in my hands by way of flipping a couple little levers and pushing a punch against the button of the back of the trigger guard. I seem to recall my SVT's having a far larger number of small parts and bits as well.
 
I'm guessing that these little steam units would be a great thing for the gun owner.
Cosmo clean up, wood and metal....
Corrosive ammo clean up
Case clean up....think about how fast they would dry after a wet tumble
I bet it would be good for a Black powder muzzel loader too. Blast away powder residue from the lock clear the vent hole
out and the bore.
Probably great for taking the oil out of a stripped stock before refinishing or repairing a crack too.
 
Hot shot comes with an angled nozzle and this makes it easy to insert.

hot+shot+angle+nozzle.jpg



Just pull the charging handle back and insert the angled nozzle. This setup I have tried for both SKS and SVT40.

hot+shot+svt40.jpg
 
Subscribed! Anything to make life easier especially when it comes to cosmo and corrosive ammo has my attention.
Thanks for posting.
 
thanks for the pics i didnt get around to them yet and i lost my angle nozzle.
yeah, i find the SVT way easier, more parts yes, but more intuitive and rugged. everything fits only one way and its so much nicer to clean the gas system (the gas tube assembly on the SKS is a pain to get into without different sized brushes and patches or high pressure steam)

its just nicer, i bought a brand new (manufactured in the 1960s but never used) SKS... it was SO TIGHT... everything was a pain, had to use a heavy flathead screwdriver to get the gas tube to lift and rubber mallet to fit it back on. my russian one just comes apart beautifully but i still prefer the SVT.

my first time, 3 minutes to strip it and 5 to put back together after cleaning.

that darn nasty rear spring tho, im so glad i figured out my little tool trick, its a breeze now!! no more sore thumbs!!
 
StrikerSW said:
Thanks for the excellent tip I'll have to pick one up to use cleaning after corrosive ammo.

This would be excellent if used with Frog Lube since FrogLube works best when the metal is heated. Does this get hot enough that it could effect or warp polymer parts. I would think its does not, could it be used on say a polymer pistol to get down deep at those hard to reach areas?
Click to expand...

it gets the barrel so hot that you cant touch it with bare hands. and barrels retain heat a long time, so could maybe warp some cheaper plastics but a high quality polymer? i dunno... doubt it.
its boiling, so youre basically capable of increasing the steel temp to about 90 degrees C with heat loss due to air. (convert to degrees F on your own, metric system RULES!)

I hit the metal parts for a solid minute to push all the cosmo off, you can clean oil and gunk off in mere seconds, so probably wouldnt get the parts as hot... but the initial steam pressure and temperature might be a concern.

Try and let us know :)
 
Watching this thread with interest... Just got my first milsurp last week, a Russian SKS, and I am already addicted to the smell of cosmoline:) I just did my usual black powder cleanup. Hot water and ballistol and scrub scrub scrub. But this is sounding even easier...
 
close inspection afterwards shows that it gets about 95% of the cosmoline or more off all surfaces, especially if you wipe as you go... and you have to stop for 10 seconds or so after every 10-15 seconds of spray, to let the machine reach maximum boiled temp again or you'll be blowing cool mist after a bit. no big deal.

just did another SVT, excellent results, no chemicals. just cleaned the barrel with solvent and patches after because the steamer doesnt clean all the chunks out, just loosens and heats them... the brush and/or patches takes them all out to mirror finish within like 1 or 2 passes.

staring at your reflection in the barrel of a gun, priceless.
 
I've been using the steam cleaning method for a couple years now.
Only for my SKS though as it's the rifle I own that sees corrosive ammo.

And to add:

I found the SVT 40 much harder to clean. In no way worlds easier than the sks. ;)
 
i'm telling u guys its easier! lol...
except for that one goddamn spring on reassembly. all the pieces just come apart so easy and fit so smoothly... nothing complicated or fussy...
the long barrel is a bit of a pain unless you have a long rod or a powerful steamer... but it comes nice and clean fast.

i just sold someone an SKS and an SVT (matching units, beautiful) and i stripped and reassembled both in front of him first...
the SVT took less time and the order seemed a little more intuitive.

but hey, neither of them are particularly difficult so why split hairs. total cleaning time for either rifle is under 15 minutes if you're any good, and i'm a total noob still pulling it off in 20.
i like the gas system way better on the svt.
 
Absolutely invaluable for cleaning the cosmoline out of newly arrived firearms and after shooting corrosive ammo. I do not recommend doing this in your kitchen sink however as cosmoline will plug your drain haretrigger!

haretrigger said:
The steam cleaner I alluded to borrowing in the another thread was a fancy 250-300 dollar unit, never realized there were smaller hand held units like this available - I'll have to look into getting one.

Now I can make my wife happy and tell her I cleaned the kitchen sink with steam (But not that I did it because I filled in with cosmoline first).

FYI They work awesome for cleaning BBQ's and Ovens out too.
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I would separate all parts from the polymer stock before using a steamer not only to prevent melting or warping but to get a complete and thorough clean as well and you will need some sort of protective glove/waterproof oven mitt to handle metal while steaming, silicon oven mitts come to mind. There is also cosmoline and dirt accumulated in the barrel groove and trigger recesses in wood stocks which responds well to steaming and leaches out cosmoline not unlike stocks laying on a hot deck on a sunny day sitting on cardboard. In fact it may be beneficial as wood dries out over time with the caution that you don't want the wood to swell much or soak in water causing expansion. Hot water wet soapy rags used on polymer stocks and a soft nail brush is useful on soiled polymer checkering. Microfiber cloths and flannel gun rags have there place as well. You would not believe the amount of cosmoline that came off my two SKS's when I steam cleaned them on the driveway with cosmoline accumulating on cardboard to be thrown in garbage following resembling beeswax but greasy and super sticky, avoid getting it in your plumbing as I don't think it would a good thing in there especially combined with bacon fat and other grease that has no place in plumbing either. That's why smart people have a bacon or meat grease tin at their sink when draining fat. Yes while the metal is warm frog lube would be easier to apply and oil will creep better in nooks and crannies protecting metal parts and lubricating contact areas. Don"t forget about the solvent and patch stage prior to lubrication. Also remember your skin is a semi-permeable membrane prone to absorb anything by osmosis rubber gloves should always be used when handling all firearm substances.

StrikerSW said:
Thanks for the excellent tip I'll have to pick one up to use cleaning after corrosive ammo.

This would be excellent if used with Frog Lube since FrogLube works best when the metal is heated. Does this get hot enough that it could effect or warp polymer parts. I would think its does not, could it be used on say a polymer pistol to get down deep at those hard to reach areas?
Click to expand...
 
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