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Author Topic: Cleaning milsurp bores  (Read 1222 times)

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Offline Snowman366

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Cleaning milsurp bores
« on: October 18, 2007, 05:52:23 AM »
I can't seem to get the bore on any of my milsurp rifles ('03-A3, M39, 49/56, etc) to truly come clean after a shooting session. They all have excellent, mirror-bright bores, but no matter what I do, when I push a clean patch through the barrel it still comes out with a little bit of black on it. I've tried Hoppe's #9, copper solvents, foaming Gun Scrubber, CLP, tried soaking it overnight...nothing gets the bores clean enough to keep a patch from picking up a little black when I run it through.

I'm not one to wear out a bore by frenzied scrubbing with a bore brush, and anyway the barrels on my milsurp shooters are in excellent condition free of pitting and corrosion. I just don't understand the black in them that stubbornly refuses to clean up. Any suggestions would be muchly appreciated.
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Offline woodchukhntr

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2007, 06:37:23 AM »
I have never been able to get a patch to come out perfectly clean, no matter what I do or how much I do it!  Not just on milsurp's, but on everything.  They still shoot well.
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Offline Snowman366

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2007, 12:50:44 PM »
Okay...thanks. I just wanted to be sure. I don't have any copper build-up cause I manage to get that out okay. It's just the carbon-black residue that never quite goes away. As you say though, as long as they're shooting well that's all that matters. In the end that's the yardstick to go by, I guess.
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Offline TribReady

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2007, 02:30:32 PM »
I also can't get mine totally "clean"  I thought I was alone. There should be a support group or something.


I've never understood it with all the cleaning I do--and you're doing! 
I have read elsewhere that this can be a common problem.  As long as no pitting or build-up and they shoot well, sounds ok to me
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Offline Dixie Dude

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2007, 03:06:18 PM »
Blued steel is carbon based, with an alloy of carbon, iron, and limestone.  I think it is the carbon in the steel.  I don't have that problem with stainless steel.  Those rifles will come out clean after a good cleaning.  Stainless uses nickel instead of carbon in the alloy. 
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Offline Snowman366

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2007, 01:27:39 PM »
Just an update here.

My riflesmith suggested I try using a penetrating oil called "Kroil", and said to let the Kroil soak, muzzle down, in the bore overnight and give it a generous scrubbing with a bronze brush. It took two and sometimes three overnight soakings in the Kroil, but I'm finally getting clean bores now.

Not that I'm trying to be obsessive, just trying to learn. I guess it's fair to say that it can take some doin' to get 50+ years worth of fouling out of a milsurp bore. Amazing.
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Offline chrsm

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2007, 09:11:20 AM »
Eds Red!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After that gun slick foam for the copper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
google eds red for the recipe
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Offline Stan in SC

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Re: Ed's Red recipe
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2007, 02:41:33 PM »
The recipe for Ed's Red is:
1/4 automatic transmission fluid
1/4 acetone
1/4 kerosene
1/4 paint thinner(mineral spirits)

You can also make a darn good gun oil from:
1/2 automatic transmission fluid
1/2 kerosene

Stan
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Offline Jack Crevalle

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2007, 07:19:27 AM »

I don't want to sound stupid, but do you clean the chamber with a chamber brush and wipe of the muzzle crown when you are cleaning?

A lot of times you can pick up a little color on a patch due to residue on the crown or in some other out of the way place, a loading ramp, a groove for the bolt, etc.

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Offline chrsm

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2007, 09:22:16 AM »
yes Jack I do but I try not to be to aggressive. try to let the cleaners do the work

Stan dont forget the Lanolin for that gun oil you have to melt it before you add it to the trans fluid and K1
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Offline Stan in SC

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2007, 03:04:04 PM »
Chrsm,
A lot of people use the lanolin.I do not.
Stan
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The more I listen,the more I hear....and vice versa.

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Offline 1911crazy

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Re: Cleaning milsurp bores
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2007, 03:20:36 PM »
I use the orginal  G.I. Rifle bore cleaner.  I use the next size smaller bore brush with a wet patch wrapped around it.  I continue to soak and scrub the bore till the patch is clean.  Then i run two dry patches thru it and oil it up with G.I. light weapons oil. (bore)

I haven't tried it but i believe the orginal G.I. Rifle bore cleaner will take the chrome off a trailer hitch.  Well its not that strong but it sure cleans out the bores really good. Just don't sniff it for too long...
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