peroxide and vinegar

I read something similar to this concerning older GIs using hot soapy water to clean thier M-1 Garands.

why would any one do such a thing?
 
True story....

Something I posted before in gun forums is a item I read in a LE only textbook I got as a MP in the early 1990s.
A police officer in a small town put his issue 4" barrel revolver in a washing machine!!!! :eek:

The Calibre Press book even had photos of the event. It just shows not everyone is on the same page about gun care :rolleyes:.

ClydeFrog
 
I read something similar to this concerning older GIs using hot soapy water to clean thier M-1 Garands.

why would any one do such a thing?
Click to expand...

Hot, soapy water is the ages old cleaner for black powder residue, and the perchlorate salts from corrosive primers.

THe residue has to be fresh for it to work best.

Hot soapy water dissolves the salts and lets them be flushed away. Hot water evaporates quickly (the hotter the faster) so it doesn't harm the steel.

Hot soapy water is often available when supplies of specific cleaners are not, and is much better than not cleaning at all.

The correct process to follow is clean with hot soapy water, rinse, dry (where needed) then clean again with regular cleaning solvents, the usual way. Oil (or your chosen lube) afterwards.
 
44 AMP,

Thanks. I read of that in a book concerning a guy's experience from boot camp in ~1962 through the command of the 24th Division in Gulf War I.

I had never read of that before, and it now all makes sense. Cool.

Pop had told me stories of soaking M-1 Garands in gasoline during high school JRO|TC in the early 1960s, but only to remove cosmoline.
 
I read something similar to this concerning older GIs using hot soapy water to clean thier M-1 Garands.

why would any one do such a thing?
Click to expand...

This is also very common with Mosin Nagant rifles when you shoot corrosive surplus 7.62x54R ammo. When you're done shooting, stick the bayonet on it, jam it in the dirt and pour boiling water down the barrel. :D

Doesn't really need any soap in it. Some people also will use windex. Doesn't really matter what you use as long as it's water based. The salt compounds that cause corrosion are water soluble so most normal gun cleaning supplies won't dissolve them.
 
Garand Corrosive

I don't think that I have any surplus corrosive Garand ammunition. But...

Supposedly, Windex Glass Cleaner is a good way to dissolve the residue from corrosive priming compound.

Still gotta get the soapy stuff out and leave a layer of oil.

Don't know.

Anyone shoot corrosive ball and use Windex to tidy up the internals of your Garand?

Thanks,

salty
 
It's pretty much the same procedure as cleaning black powder.
With a bolt action, it's even easier.
Remove bolt, barrel down in the hot (soapy) water, pump it up and down with a tight fitting patch, and flush with clean boiling water.
The boiling temp water evaporates immediately.
Follow quickly with oil.
Very easy.
 
Long, long ago in the barracks we took our M1's in the shower with us to clean them, then from the shower to the boiling water from an emergence heater, get it good and hot so that it is dry as soon as it comes out, then oil.
 
Doesn't sound like a good combination to me. Vinegar and baking soda is a good home remedy for clearing out a clogged drainpipe. Many of the RevWar reenactors I know rely on the 3-in-1 mix of peroxide, denatured alcohol and Murphy's Oil Soap. Peroxide by itself is a quick and easy way to clean back powder fouling but if left on metal it is corrosive and must wiped way PDQ.
 
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