So, here's my story. I've spent the last year in Korea in the Army. I'm a blackhawk mechanic. While I was away, I left my M1 and my 10/22 at my buddy's house, with his promise that he wouldn't shoot them without cleaning them. Sure enough, he went to my parent's house to get the keys for them, decided the keys didn't work, broke open the case and picked the trigger locks, and took them both to the range. That wouldn't have made me mad at all, except for the fact that HE DIDN'T CLEAN MY BABY! AAAAHHHHHHH!
He last went shooting at least six months ago, and when I finally got to take a look at the thing, it had blue rust covering the entire inside of the barrel and the gas tube. I immediately started panicking and cleaning the crap out of it, to which my now pot-smoking friend said "Dude! Don't worry about it! Stop freaking out, take a break, and let's go play a computer game for a while!" The death glare he got from me must have really scared him, because he's looked at me different in the last few days I've been home.
So, here's my dillema. I'm finally getting to the range with my dad tomorrow, and hopefully, it'll still shoot fine. If it doesn't, I've been promised that my friend will pay to have it re-barreled. Of course, it's got matching serial numbers, all from 1945, but I guess I could put up with it being not quite perfectly vintage like it is now.
All of the corrosion cleaned up out of the gas tube assembly very nicely, but I'm really not sure about the barrel.
Does anyone have any additional tips as to how I can better clean the inside of the barrel? I've gotten all of the blue stuff out, and the patches come out fairly clean, but the rifling just looks worn down. I think there might be a little pitting inside the barrel, too. Does anyone have any tips to help me? Any ideas on where it's cheapest to get the thing rebarreled if I need to?
Spray some windex with ammonia in it...Was he shooting Corrosive ammo ????
If not, it is copper fouling...and ammonia based products should remove it !
Rich
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I agree with Mooseman.But plan on spending a couple hours scrubbing.There may be damage to the gas system but that can be changed out fairly easily.If the worst happens I would advise staying away from numrich gun parts barrels.I have had decent luck dealing with them for anything but barrels.Out of about 5 barrels I purchased from them I had 2 that I made work but the rest were worse than the ones I was replacing.I went through a case worse than yours when I came back to the real world in 1970.In the fall of 63 I had packed I believe it was six but cant remember,barrels on rifles with all purpose grease knowing it would be a few years before I saw them again.When I cleaned them in 70 they were rusted and I only had one that shot good after cleaning.It makes you feel like someone is plotting against you.In my case it was all my fault but in your case,I doubt that I could have had someone do what your friend did and then have him say what he did without getting emotional and probably violent.People just don't understand how we feel about our firearms.I sure hope everything works out ok for you. sam.
Shoot some quality non-corrosive M2 ball through it. Clean it well, and see how it looks. You might be surprised.
I never saw blue rust, but I have seen blue copper fouling. A quality foaming bore cleaner will remove it with little effort. Take out your op rod and clean or remove the gas cylinder.
I would make the dude spring for a new barrel and installation.
Keep your current barrel in case you ever want to
reconfigure to 1945 for some purpose.
Spray some windex with ammonia in it...Was he shooting Corrosive ammo ????
If not, it is copper fouling...and ammonia based products should remove it !
Rich
Ditto with the Mooseman about the corrosive ammo question...was it?
When we buy new guns they have been sitting on dealers shelfs in some case YEARS dirty. They test fire the weapon but do not clean them. I have on occasion forgotten to clean certain deer hunting rifles I only use in November for a year. They were fine.
Mooseman can you look at my Another sportorized 91/30 post and give your opinion esp the scuff marks on the brass. They are almost identical on each brass and the gun was filthy so I do tend to think it needs a two week cleaning (which I'm doing) but I simply had to fire it.
You must be young. Your friend situational. I too had 'friends' like that while young, swilling the drugs down, no responsibility. They didn't last long as friends as I got older. At least he is not a Coke or Meth addict or he would have sold them off for a fix. Determine what he shot. If it was corrosive, and 30:06 corrosive is not easily come by anymore; then you might have some problems. That type ammo is usually held by the hoarders. If it wasn't corrosive the gun should be fine. Rifling does not wear down, so you are probably looking at it good for the first time.
I am so sorry to say what I'm fixing to say. But if that was one of my guns and that Pot Head let it get that way you described I'd have to take my belt to him.
I would have him holler'in for his Momma from tear'in his azz up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry to hear about your Garand Phrogg. I have purchased some rifles in the past that had corrosive ammo shot through it and not cleaned after. The barrels look like there is blue fuzz in them.
Like Mooseman said Windex will take out the corrosive salts. I take a small jar of Windex to that range with me all the time now. But when a rifle gets really bad I like a solution of 1 part ammonia and 2 parts water with a teaspoon of liquid soap in it. This is stronger and works faster than just windex which doesnt have as much ammonia in it. Just be sure to clean out the ammonia with a patch or two of water then clean using Hoppes or whatever you normally use to clean it. This will take copper fouling out really well as a bounus. Remember to run a patch of oil down the bore when your done cleaning to protect it as well.
Dookie is right on as well. After cleaning take it out shoot it with non corrosive ammo and clean it really well after. This should clean it up pretty decent. Good luck.
Oh and one more thing. Dont forget to clean the bolt face too.
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Last edited by Capt'n Mil Coll; 06-20-2008 at 12:46 PM.
omg...i think im about to bust into tears hearing this story..and corrosive ammo!?!?!? i mean if it was a cheap gun....but your garand...oh man. sorry to hear that..the ruger10/22 doesnt have to be cleaned at all for it to function perfectly haha(mine doesnt anyway) and again im soo sorry to hear thata! so terrible>!!!!
You could also fully disassemble the Garand, and take some Sweet's 7.62 to it. It will take the copper fouling out really quick when used per directions. JB Bore cleaning compound will work wonders, too.
As to your friend, you are going to have to make a decision really soon. You, apparently are a serviceman--possibly Army or maybe a Marine. You have grown and matured in your time away. Your "friend" is still stuck on stupid.
Here's some advice from a former Staff NCO and current cop: You are most definitely judged by the company you keep.
Soldiers and Marines do NOT have friends who use drugs. Period. Full Stop.
Soldiers and Marines do NOT use drugs. Period. Full stop.
And, if you're in a car with your "friend", get pulled over, and any amount of illicit pharmaceuticals are found in the "lunge" area of the vehicle, guess what?
You may be clean as the driven snow, but you're going to be arrested for possession of that drug.
And if there's enough, you qualify for a VUCSA pop--Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.
Over an ounce of pot, or a gram of something else? Possession with intent to distribute.
Wanna see your career and your LIFE go down the tubes real fast?
I repeat--Soldiers and Marines do NOT have friends who do drugs. Your choice, friend. Make the right one for your sake.
I hope it isn't ruined Phrogg and it shoots as goods as it did when you last shot it? And to be quite honest, a real friend wouldn't have done that. Don't mean to and am not trying to suggest you get rid of them as a friend ( but you might want to consider it?), but if it were me, they sure wouldn't ever touch my firearms without me being present, ever again, that's for dam sure, if even then to be honest with you.
Keep us informed. Again, I hope it cleans up and works great.
__________________ "My next door neighbors two dogs have created more shovel ready jobs then Obama has." - Gary Johnson
phrogg to answer one of your questions, I use barnett turned barrels, (douglass air gauged last one I got.) They can be had for abt $250 last i saw. You can also use the Tubb barrel break-in heads or Ammo if you don't reload after you get the bore and chamber cleaned. Hopefully you won't need to go to the latter extreem for the mess your ex-friend caused
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This is some Apple Seed advise. When I clean mine, I finish up with some Polymer Car wax down the barrel and let it dry and shine that bore. It helps keep the bore clean longer. I checked a couple of my rifles today and the bores were shiny and clean after 3 mos
The one big mistake you made was giving him permission to use your firearms. He didnt repect you, you gun case nor your weapons. And when you write that he is a potsmoker, I hope that you can find a better pick of company. No offense, but what he did was selfish.
As a last ditch try you can lap the barrel. places like midway sell bullets with compound on them and they will shine up the bore but you will have to clean the gas system after you shoot. My friend hand lapped his Enfield with lapping compound and a cleaning brush and it was much better when done, it smoothed the pits out nicely, and the 1917 shot like a dream. however we have not tried this on a garand.
