Bore Cleaning Help

[nupe]

I recently aquired an old Enfield M1917 and on first glace it looked like a used but solid rifle, but after a closer look and with a brighter light I noticed that there was a massive amount of build up in the bore.  I use Boretec: Eliminator solvent and after several passes with that on a swob and a brass brush and a foaming bore cleaner (that I barrowed from a friend) there is still more in the bore.  I am sure that it is buildup and not pitting.  Guess I was looking for some ideas from some of the more experienced on here. 

[tombogan03884]

Keep scrubbing    If the rest of the metal is heavily coated with grease (cosmoline) then that is probably whats in the barrel as it is applied by dunking, scrub with mineral spirits, works on all metal parts but it may damage the wood.

[nupe]

Yeah I might have to tare it down and try dunking it.  It's not cosmoline, the gun have been used a fair amount and the previous owner has modified it. It's almost kind of sad.

[Pathfinder]

I recently aquired an old Enfield M1917 and on first glace it looked like a used but solid rifle, but after a closer look and with a brighter light I noticed that there was a massive amount of build up in the bore.  I use Boretec: Eliminator solvent and after several passes with that on a swob and a brass brush and a foaming bore cleaner (that I barrowed from a friend) there is still more in the bore.  I am sure that it is buildup and not pitting.  Guess I was looking for some ideas from some of the more experienced on here. 

Try plugging the barrel at the muzzle, stand the rifle on its muzzle, and fill the barrel with Kroil. Let it sit for a while, and clean it with a bronze brush. If necessary, repeat, letting it sit for a longer period depending on the amount removed the first time.

When clean, lightly oil and should be OK from there.

[nupe]

Try plugging the barrel at the muzzle, stand the rifle on its muzzle, and fill the barrel with Kroil. Let it sit for a while, and clean it with a bronze brush. If necessary, repeat, letting it sit for a longer period depending on the amount removed the first time.

When clean, lightly oil and should be OK from there.

So after finding the kroil i soaked the bore twice, once for 1/2 hour then again for an hour.  After each time the bore was brushed, swobbed, then ran through with bore snake. After that I repeated a process of swobbing with bore tech solvent, then bronze brush, then dry swob.  After all of that I am still pulling out dirty swobs.  I guess it's kind of bothering me since I haven't had this problem before, ofcourse I actually clean my guns on a regular basis, so this wont happen.

[Sponsor]

[Bill Stryker]

An old GI trick may work if what is in the barrel is cosmoline. You can run boiling water down the barrel and swab with a bronze brush and cotton patches. My question about the previous owner is: Did he clean the barrel properly before he shot it?

Another problem, if the barrel was used to shoot lots of blanks you have lots of black powder residue in there. If that is the case boiling water is a good solution.

On my DCM 1903A3 50 years ago I used the boiling water to clean out the cosmoline and boiling water to clean out the corrosive primer salts after shooting GI WWII ammo. My bore shines like new to this day.

I have also used mineral spirits with good results for other than bore cleaning on my current CMP rifles.

Another thing you may want to try is brake cleaning spray. I have been using that some lately. It seems to work.

But nothing beats boiling water IMO. Even though I don't bother with it much anymore. Just lazy I guess.

[Pathfinder]

So after finding the kroil i soaked the bore twice, once for 1/2 hour then again for an hour.  After each time the bore was brushed, swobbed, then ran through with bore snake. After that I repeated a process of swobbing with bore tech solvent, then bronze brush, then dry swob.  After all of that I am still pulling out dirty swobs.  I guess it's kind of bothering me since I haven't had this problem before, ofcourse I actually clean my guns on a regular basis, so this wont happen.

OK, I should have been more specific. Let it soak a LOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGGG time. One rifle I had to let the Kroil soak for 3 - count' em 3 - weeks to clean it out effectively. Just keep topping it off.

[tombogan03884]

An old GI trick may work if what is in the barrel is cosmoline. You can run boiling water down the barrel and swab with a bronze brush and cotton patches. My question about the previous owner is: Did he clean the barrel properly before he shot it?

Another problem, if the barrel was used to shoot lots of blanks you have lots of black powder residue in there. If that is the case boiling water is a good solution.

On my DCM 1903A3 50 years ago I used the boiling water to clean out the cosmoline and boiling water to clean out the corrosive primer salts after shooting GI WWII ammo. My bore shines like new to this day.

I have also used mineral spirits with good results for other than bore cleaning on my current CMP rifles.

Another thing you may want to try is brake cleaning spray. I have been using that some lately. It seems to work.

But nothing beats boiling water IMO. Even though I don't bother with it much anymore. Just lazy I guess.

At Parris Island before final Inspection we cleaned our Rifles, then took them in the showers where the DI's had trash cans (new) of Boiling water we dunked our rifles and punched the bores then pulled them right out, water that hot evaporates immediately so no chance to rust. 

[Bill Stryker]

Tom,
I just knew and OLD Marine like you would know this trick too.
Bill

[tombogan03884]

Parris Island being a humid climate and the finish on our M 16a1's being rough it was inevitable that one or 2 small rust spots would develop in little places you could not get to, learned to go over them with a pencil point, worked like a charm