Firearms maintenance

[Richard Simmons]

In a SHTF senario what are you going to use to clean your firearms? With regards to SKS and AK models there is the cleaning rod and buttstock cleaning kit (thinking of adding either a boresnake and or surplus pull thru) but I'm wondering what to use to store and keep handy my patches, solvents and lubricants? Really don't want to rely on a glass bottle and plastic could get crushed and either rupture or leak.

Also if your ammo stockpile includes corrosive primers what are you just using water, (a precious commodity under SHTF conditions) or are you using some type of Milurp cleaner?

TIA

[Schuetzenman]

I have an Otis cable cleaning kit, it's a pull through type. It does everything from .22 LR to 12 ga. and everything in between. It is particularly good for M1 Garands and the M1a where you can't get a rigid rod through the bore from the breech end. It is about the size of a hocky puck so it fits in a pocket easily and is very light. It has a small squeeze bottle of cleaner / oil type material from them in the kit. You can use any piece of cloth with the kit really. You could substitute any bore cleaner in the squeeze bottle.

Corrosive primed ammo is all gone from my collection as I have trimmed all the non us Milsurp from my collection. No Mausers, no Mosin Nagant's etc.

On water, around here there are lakes and ponds every 1/2 mile to mile so no issue with water. Nothing says you have to clean with potable water.

[El Laton Caliente]

I have a deep well, shallow well, springs and a lake across the street... Water isn't a problem. For spare patches but the 50¢ tee shirts at the thrift stores do pretty good.

If things get really bad I have a 55 gallon drum of diesel motor oil...

[Richard Simmons]

I have an Otis cable cleaning kit, it's a pull through type. It does everything from .22 LR to 12 ga. and everything in between. It is particularly good for M1 Garands and the M1a where you can't get a rigid rod through the bore from the breech end. It is about the size of a hocky puck so it fits in a pocket easily and is very light. It has a small squeeze bottle of cleaner / oil type material from them in the kit. You can use any piece of cloth with the kit really. You could substitute any bore cleaner in the squeeze bottle.

Corrosive primed ammo is all gone from my collection as I have trimmed all the non us Milsurp from my collection. No Mausers, no Mosin Nagant's etc.

On water, around here there are lakes and ponds every 1/2 mile to mile so no issue with water. Nothing says you have to clean with potable water.

Thinking about going with an AR and laying in ammo for that but I've got an abundance of 7.92x57, 7.62x39 and 7.62x54r ammo and several SKS, Mosin and Mausers that I was kind of wanting to hang on to. They would/could come in handy for caching and or arming neighbors or family that aren't real gun savvy. The SKS is pretty basic and the bolt guns are dead simple for someone that needs to acquire the basic skill set in a hurry.

[jojo]

One of the last "hold-out" WWII Japanese fighters in the Philippines surrender in the 1974. He used pork fat and kept his bullets in a jar and his stuff was still working.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroo_Onoda

[Schuetzenman]

Thinking about going with an AR and laying in ammo for that but I've got an abundance of 7.92x57, 7.62x39 and 7.62x54r ammo and several SKS, Mosin and Mausers that I was kind of wanting to hang on to. They would/could come in handy for caching and or arming neighbors or family that aren't real gun savvy. The SKS is pretty basic and the bolt guns are dead simple for someone that needs to acquire the basic skill set in a hurry.

Didn't say you have to get rid of your Mosins or Mausers, just saying I did for several reasons. I've posted about it before, I just wanted to eliminate the vast number of calibers I use to have; 23 of them. I still have too many IMO but I can't force myself to trim further at this time. My main rifle calibers are the 5.56 / .223, 7.62 NATO and .30-06 for rifles. My main pick handgun calibers are 9 mm and .45 ACP. Backup systems / calibers; 12 ga., 20 ga., .357 magnum, .38 spl., .41 magnum, 7.5 Swiss.

[btcave]

Simple green, toothbrush, leatherman, cloth cut to size, cleaning rods X 5, CLP, Hoppes, 5w20 synthetic motor oil in a pinch. Compressed air sometimes. Water. Dry next to wood stove or on top of a portable 1500w radiator with a towel over it.

This takes care of my black powder, corrosive milsurp and my modern weapons.

[Dr. Gonzo GED]

Rags make good patches.

Bore snakes are awesome and easy to fabricate out of all sorts of field expedient materials.

Solvents for cleaning can be found in lots of places. Gasoline, ect. Amonia can be used to clean corrosive salts if you're shooting the funky stuff. Pee can be used in a pinch.

Automotive oil can be used for lubricant in a bad pinch.

So junk cars or auto supplies / industrial and machine lube, solvents, ect could be used if necesary. I kind of plan my SHTF gear with that in mind. Guns that can take such treatment and all.

As for storage, I kind of like the little two part oiler cans that come with the mosin nagant. I wonder if anybody makes them new beacuse I've never seen a surplus one that didn't have ancient noxious mystery chemicals all over the inside. I think I've seen modern plastic versions that are made of really thick polymer and would be pretty darn hard to crush. Probably even harder to squish than a metal one.

You could fit a whole kit into a small pouch if you used a bore snake, two part bottle, Ak style cleaning kit (I used to keep one around for any .30 cal duties) and just the necesary brushes, a few patches, and a cleaning rag. You could even just have one of these strapped to your rifle butt:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...&ved=0CAoQrhI#

[az_paul]

After shooting corrosive 7.62X54R, I use Windex on the patches, then dry the barrel and bolt face, and then use CLP on patches, followed by dry patches. Seems to work OK for me, but I'm far from an expert on the subject. About four years ago, I bought a gallon jug of CLP and still have a bunch left.

We're in a water haul area, but have plenty on property.

[coppertales]

of bore cleaner on hand. I shoot alot of milsurp guns but I do not expect to shoot them in a shtf situation. I will be out of sight, out of mind. Who wants to draw attention to themselves during trying times? The only reason I will shoot is for self preservation. I do not expect to go out in a blaze of glory like in Red Dawn.....chris3