Win 1895 SRC in 30-40 Krag

[samari46]

Have had this for a little while and been trying to get the barrel cleaned. The beginnings of the rifling at the throat have what looks like lumps on the top of the lands. Hoppe's won't even touch it even letting it soak and using 8mm brushes to try a scrub it out. I'm thinking the lumps are cupro nickle from bullets made out of the same material. It dates from 1915 according to the serial number so that type of bullet metal was in use around that time. Anyone have suggestions for a solvent that would remove the cupro nickle lumps?. As always your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks,Frank

[Bent Ramrod]

Get some Sweet’s 7.62, follow the directions and keep applying it until the green or blue color is gone.

The stuff is loaded with ammonia, which will complex and remove copper and nickel fouling. Make sure you don’t slop it around the action, and that it’s all out of the bore when done and oil generously afterwards.

I got an astonishing amount of green goo out of my 6mm Lee rifle with the stuff. The bore is still pretty bad, but it isn’t fouled, at least.

[elk hunter]

I use "Gunslick foaming bore cleaner" and have had good success with it cleaning old military rifle barrels. It sometimes takes two or three days of soaking and scrubbing to get to the bottom of the crud but, it doesn't seem to do any harm letting it soak.

[Wayne Smith]

Do you have Hatcher's Notebook? He has a full discussion on how they handled it back then. I'm at work or I'd get it for you. I remember it wasn't easy.

[bob208]

I use hopes number9 plus.it has cleaned some really bad fouled bores for me.

[samari46]

Thanks for your suggestions. Haven't tried any solvents with ammonia yet so that is the reason I made this post. Bubba had his way with the old girl. Silver dime for the front sight and some kind of Winchester lever action rear sight for the rear. His dovetail was kinda crappy as well. Thought about putting on a Krag rear sight but the holes don't match up. I do have an old pacific sight that Buckshot was kind enough to rework the base and it looks like that is the direction I will be going. That and replace the ossified butt pad that bubba had installed. Again thanks for your help. Frank

[fiberoptik]

Electronic bore cleaner?


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[samari46]

Retired so kinda on a budget. So will try an ammonia based cleaner. Have Hatchers Notebook and yes they did use an ammonia cleaner. Thanks again. Frank

[john.k]

If you decide to use ammonia solution,get a bit of rubber tube about three times as long as the barrel,1/2 bore tube,secure it to the muzzle with a worm drive clip,Rifle with muzzle down,tube in a loop end level with chamber,less 1" or so.No funnels,just carefully fill the tube,you cant overfill,and solution cant run into the gun.Secure gun and tube on stands,or whatever.Drain by lowering tube into a jug .I do this regularly to get jacket fouling out for shooting cast.I find a change of solution every twenty minutes is good using cleaning ammonia.The arsenal method used very aggressive chemicals,best left to pros.

[1Hawkeye]

Before you resort to ammonia try some kroil penetrating oil. That stuff will go through anything. try running a few well soaked patches down the bore and let it sit overnight that deposit may come out in one big chunk. When you have finished with the kroil clean it out as best as possible and oil like you normally would. Sweet's 762 is great stuff but like ammonia if it sits too long on older steel it can give it a frosted look.

[junkbug]

You can make a home-made "foul-out" type device with a flash light and a 4 foot section of 1/4 to 1/8" rod stock. This video gives the basic idea, using house hold ammonia, vinegar, and water as the solution. Two or three 1.5 volt flash light batteries as power.

Surplus rifles used to have a really good tutorial on it, but it has been lost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISB3o2qLvd4

[samari46]

Thanks for all the info. Since I already have kroil will try that first since at this point should be easy to do. I had one of the BSA martini's that had some heavy leading right at the throat and extending up the barrel. Nothing would move the leading. Decided to take it outside and test fire it with some old copper plated rounds. Good extractor and no case bulge and nice trigger. When I went to clean it all the leading was gone. Thanks again. Frank

[KenT7021]

I would not use the Hatcher formula with 28% stronger ammonia.It is very good way to destroy a barrel if you haven't done it before.When that was used in the military it was done under the supervision of a officer or NCO.

[samari46]

Nope, won't try the 28% ammonia solution. Have heard some stories about it doing serious damage to a barrel if not done right and this barrel has only the lumps on top of the lands. Grooves are suprisingly clean and bright. Thanks again. Frank

[quail4jake]

Any Win '95 is worth the effort to clean up and put it right, consider a trip to Turnbull?

[samari46]

Turnbull won't weld on a barrel. The dovetail on the rear of the barrel looks to have been done badly. The two screws where the old original sight I think are still there. Would have to get the barreled action and take another look. He also cut down the buttstock and stuck on a rubber butt pad. Which has turned to rock. The front sight was actually part of a silver dime. I do have an original Sheard front sight for the 1895 carbine for 303 Brit and of course 30-40 Krag. I had to strip the action down and soak it in kroil as it was badly gummed up with oil, powder fouling and just general neglect. I was thinking about maybe putting a Winchester high wall style octagon barrel on it in a #3 weight. Would need a new forend and I have a Pacific rear sight that was for the Model of 1917 rifle but Buckshot was great in that he knew someone with a surface grinder who surface ground it so it would fit a flat action. Frank

[samari46]

Just thought that you would like to know that the lumps I mentioned on top of the lands on my Win 1895 SCR aren't there anymore. Plugged the barrel at the muzzle stuck it in a 1 gallon paint can and filled the barrel with kroil. Let soak for a couple days and brushed it out with a 8mm mauser bore brush. Made in 1915 according to the serial number. So thanks all for your comments and suggestions. now all I have to do is figure out where all the parts go. Thanks again, Frank

[ipopum]

Enjoy your winchester. I have one also in 30-40 and have hunted it for many years. Have shot pounds of cast thru it also. Mine had already been drilled and tapped for a redfield when I got it.

[samari46]

Since bubba already had his way with it, won't hurt to have it drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. Thanks again. Frank