Today was a day for cleaning guns. Last Sunday I was out shooting with my Dad, and I had taken my Yugoslavian Mauser rifle (M24/47 in 8mm Mauser caliber) and I hadn't cleaned it yet, which I try to do quickly after shooting surplus ammo since it is likely corrosive.
Well, time got away from me and it wasn't until today that I had time to clean it. So I started with a wet patch to get things dissolving in there, let it sit for a few minutes, then brushed it (15-20 strokes), then a couple more wet patches, followed by a dry patch. I repeated this sequence a couple of times, and it seemed that I was making no headway - every patch came out black with grime. I also started to see a blue-green stain on the patches, indicating copper fouling.
Well, I decided I was going to give my homemade electric bore cleaner another try. The principle behind these things is reverse electroplating - that is, you run an electrical charge through the gun, and whatever is stuck to the bore is attracted to the electrode you put in the bore (a steel rod) and it sticks to that instead of your bore. There is a solution of ammonia, vinegar, and water that you pour into the barrel that causes this reaction to happen when you apply current. You basically wire up a cheap flashlight to provide the DC electrical current and let 'er unplate.
I had tried this a while back with an old transformer from a cell phone charger or some such, but my brother-in-law (who has worked with industrial plating equipment) told me that these do not produce true DC, which is what is required for the electroplating process. He told me the batteries are my best bet, so I got the flashlight and hooked it all up. (If you want to try it yourself, check out surplusrifle.com for instructions on how to build one - it shouldn't cost more than $20 for all the parts you need)
Based on the amount of crud and gunk that I have gotten out of this rifle today, I have to conclude that the Yugoslavian Army never cleaned it's guns. Two separate sessions with the converted flashlight, plus another 70 or so strokes with the bore brush, and at least that many wet and dry patches, and I am still getting gunk out of that bore.
And the funny thing is, the rifle was pretty accurate last weekend when I shot it. I wonder if it will be any better once I get the crud out of the bore.
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