Noob Question: Cleaning firearms

[BronzeDragon]

Hi,

This is an awfully noobish question, but can someone provide a link to an article on how to properly clean a firearm? I'm going to keep googling, but my first few pages are links to cleaning products.

The long and short of it is that when I was a child in cub/boy scouts, someone else cleaned the .22 rifles we used. When I was an adult and started making friends with firearm owners, they cleaned their own guns. When I rented them from ranges, they cleaned them. Now I own my own finally, and I'd like to make sure I'm doing it right and not damaging the guns.

I bought the Hoppes rifle and pistol cleaning kits, and have followed the directions there. My two pistols seem to be very clean already.

The M-44 I have is a different story. The swabs are coming out green (after 6 run throughs). My friends think this means there are copper deposits inside the barrel. Some of the attachments for the rod that came with it are a bit of a mystery to me as to their uses. One looks like a midevil mace head that I think would be sure to scratch up the rifling inside the barrel.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Eric

[Karys]

Originally Posted by BronzeDragon

The M-44 I have is a different story. The swabs are coming out green (after 6 run throughs). My friends think this means there are copper deposits inside the barrel. Some of the attachments for the rod that came with it are a bit of a mystery to me as to their uses. One looks like a midevil mace head that I think would be sure to scratch up the rifling inside the barrel.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Eric

It's not surprising your patches are still coming out green from your M44. That's not that uncommon with an old military rifle like that.

It may take a while but if you continue like you've been doing, eventually, it'll come clean. A solvent with ammonia in it will speed up the process. I like Shooter's Choice, but any of the others with ammonia will work. Sweet's is another good one. Just be sure you actually are pulling copper out of the bore and you're not dissolving it off the bristles of your brass cleaning brush. Try running some solvent thru it with a nylon brush. If the patches still come out green, then yeah, you've got copper in the bore.

As for that mideval mace-like attachment, I have no idea. Maybe it could be a cleaning jag used to run patches thru the bore. Can you post a pic?

[Frenchy]

Where about in Allegheny are you Eric?
There is nothing "Mystical" about cleaning firearms, the Rifling coming out green is copper. Copper does Oxidize green.

In general, you want to follow the flow of the bullet when cleaning, so place your rifle up side down, (sights facing the table) this will keep any residue coming out the barrel and solvents out of your action.

Take the part that looks like a sewing needle (use the larger ones that still fit inside) thread a patch through it, you may use more then one at the time. You should now have a plastic of brass needle part with a 1X3 or 1X4 thread like in it. Soak this in Hopes#9 or a solvent. (Not oil) then push your rod clear through the gun from the muzzle and into the breach area empty, lay the needle in the breech screw part forward and screw the needle part on. Pull this through the barrel. Notice, your patch has flown the same way as a bullet would have so any dirt coming out now would come out the muzzle.

Let this work a few seconds. Take off the needle; lay the brush that is closest to the diameter of your bore. A snake bore brush could work the same way but you would drop the lace down from the breach.
Place the rod down the rifle again, and this time you screw it into the brush. Pull out with an even flow take the brush off and repeat a few times. Notice that all the time you are pulling some thing through, the dirt will be pulled away from the breach. This is important unless you can completely take the breach apart, you don’t want that grit to get into your action. Holding the gun up side down also helps prevent solvents and grit from getting in to your action.

You will notice in http://www.surplusrifle.com/finnishmosin/cleaning/hs.asp that they have the gun right side up and push the dirt into the action. This is not recommended. But it is much faster. Many people push and pull the brush in a rifle until they feel there is a clean gun in front of them, the dirt you just removed is now all in the action and breach area!!

Ok so now. In your kit, you should have parts that look like crowns, one side screws into the push rod, the other looks like a machined crown with a point on it. Chose the one that most closely fits in the bore of the rifle.

This is the only time you will push into the rifle unless you have the breach bolt out. You will now lay a patch on top of your muzzle, so it completely covers the hole. Place the crown like pusher into the bore; notice how the patch wraps its self around the crown? Don’t use cheap patches, use cotton for this. push the patch clear into the other end, remove and start again as many times as needed to retrieve a clean patch, do not use the same patch over and over again but when the patch is almost clean, you can reverse it.

Last patch you want to run through will be clean but with a very little amount of oil on it. When I say little, I mean you don’t want it to drip off, a couple drops is all you need here.
Take all the old patches, roll them into a ball and clean the exterior of the gun with them. This will work perfectly on any outside blemishes you may have and helps keep the color there.

When you are out on the range or ready to go out, pass the crown again in to the bore, this time with a clean patch, no oil no solvent, what you want to do is fry your gun before you fire it.

Naturally if you took your gun all apart, the manner way you pull or push would not matter so much, but the way I explained it to you will help minimize the dirt that gets thrown into your breach area where it is a biach to clean!!!

Have fun!

[WWGunslinger]

I use an Otis gun cleaning kit.

The directions here are for their kit and patches they use, which are different than regular patches, but everything is still pretty much done the same way.

http://www.otisgun.com/cgistore/stor...tup=1&cart_id=

Click Video Clips & instruction sheets on the left side.

[secretbard]

I also exclusively use the Otis tactical cleaning system for all my firearms. I also use windex to start on all firearms that I may be shooting corrosive ammo from as this will cut the corrosive salts from the barrel and bolt head. I used to use a lot of Hoppes #9 before discovering Weapon Shield CLP. Now all my firearms get cleaned almost exclusively with the WS CLP. All good advice on these forums from people who have been doing this longer than I have. Good write-up Frenchy. I also think that the mace-looking thing is probably a cleaning jag. Don't be afraid to ask anyone here for advice, tips and tricks as we have all been there.

[novice]

Been having trouble cleaning the bores of my .22 revolvers. About all i can figure out to do is shove a soaked mop down the bore on a rod, followed by the brush and the mop again. Can't get a cleaning patch, wet or dry, through to bore to save myself. Otherwise, i use an Otis kit, but it won't work for this.

[secretbard]

I had trouble with the otis kit as well with regard to 22 rifle and pistols until I figured out that you have to use the hole that is closest to the edge of the patch so that it doesn't hang up in the bore. I am of course talking about the "all caliber patches". After discovering this through the directions and video, I have not had any other troubles with the otis patch and love the breech to muzzle cleaning action.

[mrwildroot]

Alot of great info and procedures already listed.
I would add one thing:
Dipping clean patches into the bore cleaning solvent bottle is fine, but NEVER dip a bore brush into the bottle. Always pour a little into the little tray (or any other cap, lid, etc. ) that comes with some kits. Discard any remaining solvent after you're done. That will keep your solvent pristine, and able to do the best job for you in the future.
Good luck,
mrwildroot

[BronzeDragon]

I wasn't home until late last night, so I'll take a picture tonight of the odd flail like attachment that came with the rifle.

Frenchy, thanks very much for the detailed description. My dad (god rest his soul) was not a hunter, and my boy scout "training" left much to be desired.

WWGunslinger, thanks for the video link. Seeing it was helping while holding Frenchy's instructions in front of me.

Cordially,

Eric

[farmplinker]

Originally Posted by secretbard

I had trouble with the otis kit as well with regard to 22 rifle and pistols until I figured out that you have to use the hole that is closest to the edge of the patch so that it doesn't hang up in the bore. I am of course talking about the "all caliber patches". After discovering this through the directions and video, I have not had any other troubles with the otis patch and love the breech to muzzle cleaning action.

Here's an economical alternative to the otis:

http://20-20.8m.com/patchworm.html

I use it for all calibers, including .22. It allows cleaning from the chamber end and there's nothing to damage the crown. Even better, the whole "kit" is small enough to carry in a pocket or range bag. I have an older version that doesn't have the largest heads, so I can't vouch for the 50-cal and 12-gauge attachments.

You can find other sellers (re-sellers, actually) and information if you google 'patchworm'. I've been happy with mine, and have bought a few as gifts.