Mosin-Nagant

[Russ from MN]

My son has a 1891 Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54R, and he bought a few boxes of military ammo which seems to be corrosive. What is the best way to clean it and keep it clean after shooting. The bore looks a little rusty but the action works smoothly.
Thanks!

 

[RGMartin]

Clean the bore with hot water, then oil it.

Some like to use Windex claiming that the ammonia "neutralizes" the salts... Which it doesn't, but it does contain water which rinses the bore, and the ammonia helps to remove copper fouling.

BTW, should be 7.62x54R

 

[Bret4207]

Hot soapy water will do am well as anything. If you can find any of the old GI Bore Cleaner from WW2 it works good too. I still have a partial can. Windex, Fantasik, any of the water based cleaners will work if you like them. Just follow up with a good rust inhibitor, and don't forget to wash out the inside of the bolt. Gases escaping around the primer before it seals can carry the corrosive priming compounds into the bolt interior.

 

[Anonymous-0]

The compounds first used in primers left corrosive salts in the bore and hot soapy water was the easiest way to dissolve them out. In a humid climate the corrosion begins immediatly. Some foreign and or old military ammo still have these types of primers. Stopping the corrosion was first priority in combat conditions but soap and water never was any good for removing brass or powder fowling. Use a modern bore cleaner. It will remove all types of fowling. The cleaning rod that was issued with the rifle was designed to be used from the muzzle - its not long enough to reach out the muzzel from the receiver. Use care when cleaning from the muzzel - don't let the rod rub on it. Some old MG's have the muzzle belled out from poor cleaning technique. If your rifle is an old one, the rear sight is calibrated in arshins, not yards or meters. The arshin is an old Russian measure of 28 inches.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Typo alert- MG should read MN

 

[old]

The soapy water work well but they also sell bore cleaner that is made for that and to me it seem to work better but do not know the name of the stuff since the label came off of it a long time ago. I.E. I have had it for so long and use it only once in a while. On that note I have had at least one Mosin-Nagant for the last 30 years. The first one I got I was told at the auction I got it at payed $25 for it that it was Italian which I soon found was not true

 

[Russ from MN]

Thank you, lots of good advice from you and others! My wife just said Dawn dish detergent would probably work, it does for everything else! I edited the caliber, must of had a brain fart, have 7.62x54 written on the ammo (plain military boxes).

 

[Brokengun]

Everyone has the right answer “Hot Soapy Water” followed by “Oil”

The only thing that I will add is to take a wire bore brush and clean the bore of rust.

I will take some time. I like to use WD40 or similar type product to help clean the rust.

The corrosive compound can hide in the pits of a rusted barrel and it’s necessary to get the barrel completely clean.

 

[Bret4207]

Jacket fouling can hide the pits. That's a whole nuther thing to clean and requires something other than hot soapy water. The electro chemical rigs are reported to be among the best for cleaning that stuff.

 

[C W Hinton]

There is a product called "Montana Extreme" that works better for cleaning crossive bore fouling (and just about any other fouling)than any I've found.

 

[36 Coupe]

Keep WD40 way away from your guns.