Gun Maintenance

tlarkin · 03-27-2008, 11:41 AM

So, in a real bad SHTF situation where manufactured goods are not going to be easily accessible. How would you maintain your weapons? Could you use rendered fat to create oil from a dead animal to protect the metal parts of your gun from the elements?

I think you can probably fashion a cleaning device from a pine tree branch to scrape out all dirt and metal bits from the barrel, but how would you get the cleaning material? Leaves could be used to wipe it down, and you could even use water on some parts as long as it didn't soak the metal and was dried thoroughly afterward.

Thoughts?

SwedeSteve · 03-27-2008, 11:57 AM

Depending on where you live, there are several plants that have the right kinds of detergent and or oily properties you are looking for. You can also use boiling water.

tlarkin · 03-27-2008, 05:05 PM

Any references?

Thanks

Big Dog · 03-27-2008, 05:19 PM

Stock up NOW on gear and oils/solvents. I have a gallon can of surplus LSA (Used before CLP came along) - a lifetime supply! Stock packs of cleaning patches - old T-shirts, bed linen and such can be cut down.
Why not stock a few rods and a bunch of tips?
I'll be 'bugging in' - no need to 'go native' with twigs and leaves. By the time we are at that level, we'll be throwing rocks . . .

tlarkin · 03-27-2008, 05:24 PM

Big Dog,

Yeah, you are correct that any type of bad situation that could possibly happen preparation is key. The more prepared you are the better you are off in the beginning.

However, like I was saying earlier, this is the worst case scenario. As a last ditch effort to survive you had to flee the safety of your hide out, home, camp, whatever and have to survive off what you can carry. If it came down to what I could carry it would be as much clean water as I could get way before gun oil.

GlockMeister · 03-27-2008, 05:26 PM

Just stock up before hand. Buy and extra can or 2 and put aside. And since things will be limited, in a SHTF scenario, you don't want to go using up and ammo or anything right off the bat anyhow, so cleaning should only come when it interferes in the functioning of the firearm in my book. Shoot only to defend or for food. Unless you shoot hundreds of rounds, I don't think the firearm will be that dirty. Unless it's an older one and you've had to use corrosive ammo? But common sense and planning ahead should be the guide for most, I'd think?

Deep13 · 03-27-2008, 05:27 PM

If the situation is such that I am out of proper cleaning materials, I'll also probably be out of ammunition.

tlarkin · 03-27-2008, 05:32 PM

Yeah I understand the whole if you don't shoot it thing, however the elements of the earth can wear and tear on metal and wood bits. I think carbon fiber will probably out live you in the elements but metal will begin to rust and wood begin to break down and warp.

So, even if you aren't firing it, you would need to protect it from dirt, bacteria, moisture, so on and so forth, correct?

I mean you would have to keep your ammo dry and clean as well.

Ferroflame · 03-27-2008, 08:12 PM

I have a very simple answer to this question:

Buy an AK-47.

jmp8927 · 03-27-2008, 10:25 PM

^ there's your answer! lol! But anyway, I'm not sure about the oil. That could be an issue if a firearm started rusting. That could get real bad real quick if not taken care of.

nathangdad · 03-28-2008, 01:10 AM

If the situation is bad enough the bulk of America's and the world's
urban populations for that matter will quickly kill each other off by the hundreds of millions in a desperate attempt to fight off starvation and dehydration. The near term survivors will start killing off those who have something for survival they do not. The supply of left over materials
will be phenominal for those who make it past the first five or six months.

wunhunglo · 03-28-2008, 02:33 AM

As someone living & working in Darkest Africa; maintaining an AK doesn't seem to be a problem here!!! Needs must & necessity is the mother of invention!

CrazyIvan · 03-28-2008, 11:22 AM

I think you will run out of ammo waaay before you run out of cleaning solution and materials, if it goes to this extreme. If you don't have any ammo to shoot, why do you need to clean a gun?

tlarkin · 03-28-2008, 03:03 PM

well I have an AK... so I guess I am covered. I was just thinking to myself there has to be a way to naturally clean and protect your guns with out manufactured goods.

andrew cochran · 03-28-2008, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlarkin

well I have an AK... so I guess I am covered. I was just thinking to myself there has to be a way to naturally clean and protect your guns with out manufactured goods.

The pioneers cleaned their muzzle loaders with out manufactered goods. Bear grease and hot water!

tlarkin · 03-28-2008, 04:29 PM

what is bear grease?

CrazyIvan · 03-28-2008, 04:36 PM

Isn't Bear Grease a substance used to condition and water-proof leather? I suppose it would work...but...I dunno. It comes in a round can, like tobacco in the can or men's hair gel of the 30s.

Big Dog · 03-28-2008, 05:36 PM

Bear Grease . . .

First, ya kill the bear.

Then ya skin the critter.

Then ya boil the fat down. Do it outside - it stinks . . .

DON'T use the wife's best pot . . .

Once the grease congeals . . .

Bob's yer uncle! All the Bear Grease ya need.

Blackrock · 03-28-2008, 07:05 PM

Bear grease is a fits all lube and also touted as a first aid creme. Me and a guy rendered some bear lard one time and it was outdoors in a narrow little valley and I swear the smell was still there three days later. We mixed it with equal parts bees wax for leather preservative. This was back in 71' and he was into Mountain Man stuff and trapping.

Father Time · 03-29-2008, 08:44 PM

I have only used two small cans of Hoppe's and a small tube of Luberplate in my whole adult life, and I still have half of the second can. If I had some string and an old t-shirt, I could go quite a log way. Of course, I wouldn't be carrying more than a sidearm and a long gun.

The trappers used to urinate down their barrels back when primers and powder were much more corrosive.

03-27-2008, 11:41 AM	#1
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	Gun Maintenance So, in a real bad SHTF situation where manufactured goods are not going to be easily accessible. How would you maintain your weapons? Could you use rendered fat to create oil from a dead animal to protect the metal parts of your gun from the elements? I think you can probably fashion a cleaning device from a pine tree branch to scrape out all dirt and metal bits from the barrel, but how would you get the cleaning material? Leaves could be used to wipe it down, and you could even use water on some parts as long as it didn't soak the metal and was dried thoroughly afterward. Thoughts?

03-27-2008, 11:57 AM	#2
SwedeSteve Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: AnchorTown, Alaska Posts: 4,268	Depending on where you live, there are several plants that have the right kinds of detergent and or oily properties you are looking for. You can also use boiling water. __________________ You can tune a piano, but you can't Tuna Fish!

03-27-2008, 05:19 PM	#4
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 9,439	Stock up NOW on gear and oils/solvents. I have a gallon can of surplus LSA (Used before CLP came along) - a lifetime supply! Stock packs of cleaning patches - old T-shirts, bed linen and such can be cut down. Why not stock a few rods and a bunch of tips? I'll be 'bugging in' - no need to 'go native' with twigs and leaves. By the time we are at that level, we'll be throwing rocks . . . __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

03-27-2008, 05:26 PM	#6
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 2,839	Just stock up before hand. Buy and extra can or 2 and put aside. And since things will be limited, in a SHTF scenario, you don't want to go using up and ammo or anything right off the bat anyhow, so cleaning should only come when it interferes in the functioning of the firearm in my book. Shoot only to defend or for food. Unless you shoot hundreds of rounds, I don't think the firearm will be that dirty. Unless it's an older one and you've had to use corrosive ammo? But common sense and planning ahead should be the guide for most, I'd think? __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

03-27-2008, 10:25 PM	#10
jmp8927 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: S.C. Posts: 829 Images: 15	^ there's your answer! lol! But anyway, I'm not sure about the oil. That could be an issue if a firearm started rusting. That could get real bad real quick if not taken care of. __________________ People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

03-27-2008, 05:05 PM	#3
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	Any references? Thanks

03-27-2008, 05:24 PM	#5
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	Big Dog, Yeah, you are correct that any type of bad situation that could possibly happen preparation is key. The more prepared you are the better you are off in the beginning. However, like I was saying earlier, this is the worst case scenario. As a last ditch effort to survive you had to flee the safety of your hide out, home, camp, whatever and have to survive off what you can carry. If it came down to what I could carry it would be as much clean water as I could get way before gun oil.

03-27-2008, 05:27 PM	#7
Deep13 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 92	If the situation is such that I am out of proper cleaning materials, I'll also probably be out of ammunition.

03-27-2008, 05:32 PM	#8
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	Yeah I understand the whole if you don't shoot it thing, however the elements of the earth can wear and tear on metal and wood bits. I think carbon fiber will probably out live you in the elements but metal will begin to rust and wood begin to break down and warp. So, even if you aren't firing it, you would need to protect it from dirt, bacteria, moisture, so on and so forth, correct? I mean you would have to keep your ammo dry and clean as well.

03-27-2008, 08:12 PM	#9
Ferroflame Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 172	I have a very simple answer to this question: Buy an AK-47.

03-28-2008, 01:10 AM	#11
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,155	I would not worry If the situation is bad enough the bulk of America's and the world's urban populations for that matter will quickly kill each other off by the hundreds of millions in a desperate attempt to fight off starvation and dehydration. The near term survivors will start killing off those who have something for survival they do not. The supply of left over materials will be phenominal for those who make it past the first five or six months.

03-28-2008, 02:33 AM	#12
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Darkest Afrika" Posts: 486	As someone living & working in Darkest Africa; maintaining an AK doesn't seem to be a problem here!!! Needs must & necessity is the mother of invention!

03-28-2008, 11:22 AM	#13
CrazyIvan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 1,947	I think you will run out of ammo waaay before you run out of cleaning solution and materials, if it goes to this extreme. If you don't have any ammo to shoot, why do you need to clean a gun? __________________ "Minimum wage, minimum effort." "Never underestimate the power of stupidity." ~Me

03-28-2008, 03:03 PM	#14
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	well I have an AK... so I guess I am covered. I was just thinking to myself there has to be a way to naturally clean and protect your guns with out manufactured goods.

03-28-2008, 04:29 PM	#16
tlarkin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 916	what is bear grease?

03-28-2008, 04:36 PM	#17
CrazyIvan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 1,947	Isn't Bear Grease a substance used to condition and water-proof leather? I suppose it would work...but...I dunno. It comes in a round can, like tobacco in the can or men's hair gel of the 30s. __________________ "Minimum wage, minimum effort." "Never underestimate the power of stupidity." ~Me

03-28-2008, 05:36 PM	#18
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 9,439	Bear Grease . . . First, ya kill the bear. Then ya skin the critter. Then ya boil the fat down. Do it outside - it stinks . . . DON'T use the wife's best pot . . . Once the grease congeals . . . Bob's yer uncle! All the Bear Grease ya need. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

03-28-2008, 07:05 PM	#19
Blackrock Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SE Arizona's Gila Valley Posts: 75	Bear grease is a fits all lube and also touted as a first aid creme. Me and a guy rendered some bear lard one time and it was outdoors in a narrow little valley and I swear the smell was still there three days later. We mixed it with equal parts bees wax for leather preservative. This was back in 71' and he was into Mountain Man stuff and trapping. __________________ "I only use my gun whenever kindness fails" Forbidden fruits create many jams

03-29-2008, 08:44 PM	#20
Father Time Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 351 Images: 2	I have only used two small cans of Hoppe's and a small tube of Luberplate in my whole adult life, and I still have half of the second can. If I had some string and an old t-shirt, I could go quite a log way. Of course, I wouldn't be carrying more than a sidearm and a long gun. The trappers used to urinate down their barrels back when primers and powder were much more corrosive. __________________ You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode