Home made electric bore cleaner

[kpp80202]

I wanted to share something I found over at surplusrifles.com. I have owned a really nice condition Remington 1903 for years. I liked it but didn't love it because the bore was pretty dark, and I have a thing about clean bores. Even after I tried my normal cleaning regimen, and used Sweets 7.62 on it, the bore never brightened up.

Recently, I was considering buying a Hoppe's Foul Out bore cleaner system until I saw the price. So, I started trying to reverse engineer it. After a little internet digging, I quickly learned I'm not the first to want to do this. I found simple directions at: http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews/copperout/index.asp

I ended up going to Ace and buying a small rubber stopper, an alligator clip and a 4' piece of 3/16" music wire/rod for under $10. With some soldering at home (had to use a torch due to the thickness of the rod), I hooked up an old 9vDC transformer from a long dead cordless phone set to the wire rod (- lead) and the alligator clip (+ lead). I then wrapped the rod in 4 places with thin strips of electrical tape to keep the rod from contacting the barrel. I put the stopper in the chamber, put the rod into the barrel, and checked for a short with my electrical tester. Finding none, I then poured a solution of 2 parts water to 1 part ammonia to 1 part white vinegar down the barrel, plugged in the transformer, and let it work for 20 minutes. (You can tell it's working by the bubbling of the solution at the muzzle.) After the 20 minutes, I unplugged the transformer and pulled out the rod. It was coated with a good layer of black gunk that wiped off rather easily. I then did my normal barrel cleaning regimen, and the bore is now mirror bright. I can even see the original faint machining marks in the bore! I was amazed. If you have any surplus rifles with dark bores, you may want to try this out. It's cheap, easy (if you are reasonably handy and have a basic understanding of electricity), and really works.

Now for the disclaimer: If you try this, you will kill yourself. I must be magic or something to have done it and lived. Don't do it.

[ronaldrwl]

I was really excited to try this out until the last line

[kpp80202]

In today's world, you gotta disclaim!

You can also run it using a flashlight as a power source--the directions are on the link. Tough to die with 3V DC from 2 D-cells...

[TFOGGER]

In today's world, you gotta disclaim!

You can also run it using a flashlight as a power source--the directions are on the link. Tough to die with 3V DC from 2 D-cells...

Unless they're hooked to a blasting cap triggering a claymore under the cushion of the chair you're sitting in. I guess it really wouldn't matter whether the claymore was faced up or down at that point.

[kpp80202]

That's awesome!

[relichunter]

Thanks for the information. I hadn't heard of the process before. Love your disclaimer

[Irving]

Great write up! I love seeing home made stuff like this. I once saw someone who used an electric motor, a saw blade, and a blow torch to make his own annealing machine.

[Ranger]

Do you automatically get a MacGuyver pin for this ?

[Byte Stryke]

In today's world, you gotta disclaim!

You can also run it using a flashlight as a power source--the directions are on the link. Tough to die with 3V DC from 2 D-cells...

Betcha Beer Money I could do it!

[kpp80202]

I really, really want my MacGyver pin. Is it made of chewing gum and foil?

I have to say that this bore cleaner is really fantastic, and saves a lot of elbow grease. The flashlight/battery idea is very good, too. I just had a and old transformer lying around, so I used it. Have fun!