WWII bore cleaner

An old friend who was in WWII gave me a couple of small 2-ounce cans of bore cleaner. Cans are in very good condition. No rust. Specs on the can: RIXS-205 (REV. 1)P.O. NO. (28-024) 44-40700.2.

I haven't opened either can. Is this good stuff? Any precautions need to be taken other than what is printed on the can? 'Tuck

It's made for cleaning rifles after the use of "corrosive" primers, which means just about everything they used in World War II, except M1 Carbine ammunition, which was never loaded in the U.S. with corrosive primers. It's for removing the potassium chloride, which is hygroscopic, from the firearm. The only precaution is to not drink the stuff, since it's highly poisonous. Also, like everything else associated with shooting, wash your hands after use.

I've got a whole case of the stuff that I reserve for cleaning after shooting my Mausers with the Turkish surplus ammunition that was sold to me as "non-corrosive", but really is.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Thanks, ReloaderFred. Any information helps. Does this stuff work to any degree on lead or j-word fouling? 'Tuck

I have some of that GI bore cleaner, mine is in small oval tin cans with a screw cap in the center. I bought a case of it from the old Barnicle Warf Surplus Company many years ago. The stuff started to eat thru the cans. So I opened each can and poured it into a glass jar with a screw lid.
So i f you guys have any of that old bore cleaner, Keep a close eye on it !! Seems to eventually eat up the solder seams in the cans !!
I would imagine that will clean out lead fouling...... "Papa Jack "

Thanks Papa Jack. 'Tuck

Only precaution I can think of when using the stuff is to hold your nose. It works great but is powerfully stinky.

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Originally Posted by gnoahhh

Only precaution I can think of when using the stuff is to hold your nose. It works great but is powerfully stinky.

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Amen...

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

It's for removing the mercuric salts from the firearm.

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One small point: the primer residue from corrosive-primed USGI ammo is potassium chloride, and does not contain mercury in any way, shape or form. The U.S. Army stopped using mercuric primers back when the .30 U.S. Army cartridge (.30-40 Krag) was the issue item.

nicholst55,

Oops, my mistake. I'll correct the post. Thanks, and I knew better, too.

Fred

I do know while on punishment duty myself and few other knuckle heads were cleaning M-14's using a bucket of solvent. The weapons had been exposed to salt water. I told the sarge that I was from Louisiana and all they needed was soap and fresh water. He told me that I was a wise so and so and to use the bucket of cleaner. One of my fellow idots lit up a smoke and drop it into the spillage around us. The entire area was in a hot and high blaze. Yes weapons and all and we all hauled butt to escape. So it is possible that it will burn. And yes we had punishment stacked on top of what was already in place.