Cleaning M1 carbine patches come out green

[Jamesconn]

Well I'm cleaning my M1 carbine and the patches are comin out green my dad gave it to me. Its been shot a bit and hasn't been cleaned for years did he shoot corrosive ammo?

I will take it apart and inspect it, but it's the only gun I have besides 22 and I don't have oil right now so I'm not gonna leave it in pieces for days as it is my defense gun.

[Mk42gunner]

Green is usually verdigris from the copper in the bore. As you keep scrubbing with bore brushes and patches with solvent, the patches will start to come out blue, then finally clean.

Robert

[tacklebury]

Yep sounds like the copper fouling from years of shooting FMJ's oxidized. ;)

[Larry Gibson]

Unless he was shooting some of the french or chinese made .30 Carbine ammo it was non corrosive. All US milsurp .30 Carbine is/was non-corrosive. Keep cleaning, it will come out.

Larry Gibson

[imashooter2]

Well I'm cleaning my M1 carbine and the patches are comin out green my dad gave it to me. Its been shot a bit and hasn't been cleaned for years did he shoot corrosive ammo?

I will take it apart and inspect it, but it's the only gun I have besides 22 and I don't have oil right now so I'm not gonna leave it in pieces for days as it is my defense gun.

Does your family car / truck have a dipstick? Plenty of oil on the end of a dipstick to lube one rifle...

The secret to copper removal is time. Let the solvent soak between patch outs.

[Linstrum]

Just don't forget to put the dipstick back! I forgot to do that once and when I had oil blowing out from under the back of the hood onto the windshield I stopped and plugged up the dipstick tube with a piece of paper towel.

rl 1099

[barkerwc4362]

If you have a lot of copper in the bore, Sweets 7.62 will get it out quick. Just don't leave it in the bore. Clean with a regular solvent after the last use of Sweets to remove it all.

Bill

[462]

Another excellent copper remover is Montana Xtreme Copper Killer. Follow the instructions. Oh, do like Clinton did -- don't inhale the stuff.

Use a nylon brush, because brass jags and brushes will give false positives.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

If your Dad wasn't good about cleaning the rifle, it will be fouled with carbon, filth and copper from the bullets. I've cleaned a lot of milsurp rifles where this was the case. If you'll alternate between the copper cleaning solvents mentioned above with Ed's Red, you'll get your bore really clean.

For the ultimate of ease in cleaning, use an electric bore cleaner (I think the homemade ones work the best.) with industrial strength ammonia as the cleaning solution. You'll wind up with a beautifully clean bore.

Hope this helps,

[Jack Stanley]

As you are swabbing solvents and such down the bore . I'd keep the belly of the carbine skyward so as not to get to much of what you're using into the gas area . I've never had a reason to take one apart and good thing too ... mine is staked in place .

Jack

[montana_charlie]

keep scrubbing with bore brushes and patches with solvent,

The secret to copper removal is time. Let the solvent soak between patch outs.

If you have a lot of copper in the bore, Sweets 7.62 will get it out quick.

Another excellent copper remover is Montana Xtreme Copper Killer.

If you'll alternate between the copper cleaning solvents mentioned above with Ed's Red,

All good advice. But, if he doesn't even have oil, would he have any of the other products?
Perhaps we should take up a collection to get the kid a Hoppe's (or Gunslick) rifle cleaning kit, and a book on firearm maintenance.

According to this thread, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=151547 he only needs two rods ... .30 and .22 caliber.

CM

[Jamesconn]

I got gun oil now, but my parents won't let me field strip it I looked it up on you tube and watched the video 5 times.

Nobody trusts me with guns I have no idea why I've never done anything wrong safety wise. I haven't shot my rifle in years. I tried to shoot a duck on our dock with it about 120 ft I didn't hit it and the duck is a big target I don't think I hit it and it flew away I used CCI stinger in my Henry lever gun.

I shot my dads CZ75b about the beginning of this year or last year. I can't shoot by myself and nobody takes me. When I turn 18 I'm gonna buy a mosin and a mossberg and go to town. Now I have no idea when I'll be able to reload again im usin up what components I have for 9mm then packin it up for probably atleast 2 years

[WILCO]

Does your family car / truck have a dipstick? Plenty of oil on the end of a dipstick to lube one rifle....

Never would've thought of that. Just learned something new today.

[WILCO]

Nobody trusts me with guns I have no idea why I've never done anything wrong safety wise. I tried to shoot a duck on our dock with it about 120 ft I didn't hit it and the duck is a big target I don't think I hit it and it flew away I used CCI stinger in my Henry lever gun.

I think I know why nobody trusts you with guns James. [smilie=l:
Listen to the adults and do as you will when you're 18. :-P

[Jamesconn]

I've don't everythig they said to the letter that was gun related. When I ask for a logical reason why they just say cause I said so.

[GT27]

Just enjoy not being 18 yet,afterwards is when the real fun begins!!!I would give every gun that I own +more to be your age again!!!

[WineMan]

James,

Because the M1 Carbine had the short stroke gas piston to operate the slide, non corrosive primers were specified by the Army Ordnance Department. As it has been mentioned there are cases marked LC72 that came out of China and they have corrosive Berdan (two flash holes) primers. A couple of things come to mind on your project:

The gas piston is on the bottom of the rifle. Any liquid will get into it. If you use ammonia, Sweets 7.62 or electronic bore cleaner (Outers if fine, the battery powered home made ones may damage your rifle) liquid will get into it and may rust it up. They do not come out easily without a special tool and may be staked in place. I would stick to products that can be left in the bore. Eliminator, Hoppes Benchrest Outers Foam, Wipeout. Some liquid may seep out and get on the inside of the stock. Better to clean with it upside down.

The M1 Carbine must be cleaned from the muzzle and without a bore guide you risk damage to the crown area especially if you use a jointed cleaning rod. You can buy one or cut the headstamp end of 243 Winchester case off and fit the neck into the bore so the cleaning rod rides on it. The copper solvents may attack it too but brass is cheap to get.

As has been mentioned, put the solvent on a patch, run through the bore and let it soak for some time. Brush one direction only and repeat with a wet patch or two. Run a few dry patches through and if satisfied with the color finish with a patch damp with gun oil.

Enjoy your work and hopefully the Zombies will stay at bay, knowing you are waiting for them.:-)

Wineman

[Ed in North Texas]

Just enjoy not being 18 yet,afterwards is when the real fun begins!!!I would give every gun that I own +more to be your age again!!!

Heck, I'd give a few just to be 2 or 3 times his age again. :mrgreen: