Gents,

I have recently arrived to Svalbard for a work assignment and of course I brought my rifle and the travel cleaning equipment (boresnake), but since ALL petrol based, aerosols, or pressurized containers are illegal onboard the airplane, I had to leave them behind to try to get solvents here.

Unfortunately there are NO solvents available, not even forrest/milfoam/wipeout!

The closest thing they have is called nitrosolvent, but that does not strip the fouling at all. The next ship comes in May!
That means that I cannot clean my gun until the next ship with necessities arrives.

Any suggestions how to clean the rifle with boresnake and available domestic stuff, without harm for me or the gun would be greatly appreciated!!!

Sincerely
Daniel

Huglu, I don't know if you would have access to a cleaner/degreaser called simple green, but I know several competition Air Gun champions that use it for cleaning their air rifle barrels. Of course no powder or copper to deal with there, but works on the lead extremely well they say. I would probably try it if I could get it. Another thought is plain old Windex w/ammonia, a lot of copper solvents have ammonia as an agent that attacks copper--need to clean the barrel out completely of ammonia though after use, I believe I've read that residual ammonia can pit barrel steel.

Good Luck--Don

Have a look around for lubricant used in compressed air systems. This stuff seems to move around lubing and cleaning the tools attached to the air lines. Try that if it doesn't work add a bit of household ammonia to the mix. May find ammonia in the pharmacy with a bit more strengh. Swamp out barrel, really wipe down the barrel with dry patches, swipe your buddies T-shirt for patches, then wipe out the barrel with some good penetraiting oil.
Hope fully this will be of use.
Jim

Gents!
Thanks for replies!
I will go to the different shops tomorrow to see if I can get something to clean the barrel with.
Life here at 78°N is dependent on supplies from the mainland, but as the pack ice is moving south in the winter the islands are engulfed in the pack ice and the next supply boat arrives in may. Anyway, I will see if I can get some ammonia, either at the pharmacy, the university or the sanitary maintenence division.

Sincerely
Daniel

I also saw a guy using the windex with ammonia at the range recently. I never ever thought of it before but I use Barnes CR-10 which is a very good copper remover. For you next trip you could probably carry some on the plane since it comes in little 3 oz plastic bottles. I may have to try the Windex route myself just to see how it works.

Anything with ammonia in it, such as household ammonia, will remove your copper. The more ammonia, the more copper.

Water based cleaners will need to be washed out and dried throroughly. In addition, many water based ammonia cleaners may not penetrate an oil film, so a degreased de-oiled bore will help them work.

In addition, some commercial gasoline engine cleaners in spray cans will have ammonia in them. An example, in the U.S., is GM engine cleaner, IIRC.

Liquid wrench or some other penetrating oil makes a pretty good powder solvent and light lubricant. Wendex type cleaners definitely work as a copper solvent.

I use janitorial strength ammoniA (10%) from ace hardware. About 4$ a gallon.
-Josh

Huglo--you might want to get back on this forum and ask ROGER K if his product is available or if he can send some to you. product is WARTHOG 1134

tabasco? it will remove copper.

in gun barrels???

Use 1 part janitorial ammonia cleaner, 2 parts Ivory liquid dish soap and some water. Mix into a slurrey. Don't leave in barrel long, patch dry, then oil bore.
I saw this on a site somewhere, damn IICR....but I never tried it.

You might be able to mix up something similar to JB's bore paste. A fine abrasive mixed into petroleum Jelly would be close.
I've heard that Pearl drops toothpaste works but I can't remember where I heard it from. I guess if it doesn't hurt your mouth it won't hurt your muzzle............... ...........DJ

quote:

Originally posted by two canoes:
in gun barrels???

why not. have you every put a drop on an old penny?
as lond as you get it out and dont let it sit it may work great. you basicly have a weak form of acid. vinigar and salt.

Try going on the net and getting one of those old time homade concoctions.

Here is a good resource for some home made brews:

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

flitz metal polish and amonia works

Huglu,
Wipeout and Accelerator in stock!
will post to Sweden no problem.

www.wipeout.org.uk

regards
griff

Griff!
Thanks for the suggestion. I am back in Sweden for a short session, but head back to Svalbard again in less than one week.
Fortunately I have had the gun cleaned while here, so it will be clean when it goes back. Normally you would expect a post card sent with airmail to take a month since the postal date to reach its destination on Svalbard. I dont know whats wrong with the norvegian postal system but they cannot do their job and send the things when they get them. I have had things lying and waiting in Tromsö for 3 weeks before it was put on the plane and landed in Longyearbyen...

Sincerely
Daniel