Cleaning patches stuck in AK’s recoil spring tunnel

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dekibg

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Any idea how to get them out?
And before I get asked “why in the world would you clean that place?” , let me make clear , no I don’t “have OCD when it comes to cleaning guns” like some people like to brag about their detail oriented gun cleaning habits.
It is just that once in a while, I clean there too, just like I clean my AR’s buffer tube…
Any advice appreciated
 
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Tool like this can be found at tool places, harbor freight, Norther tool, Lowes and Home Depot.

muzzleloader-brass-patch-puller-50-cal.jpg

A blackpowder/muzzleloader patch extractor might also be a good way. You can get these a you local gun store that supplied blackpowder shooters. Put it on an appropriate cleaning round and spin it into the patch and pull.
 
I'd just put a barb on the end of a straightened coat hanger or other such length of relatively stiff wire.
 
Wet it and shake it out, if not, just get a coat hanger and bend the tip… or…. Head up a cleaning rod with a lighter and push it in, i will burn a hole through it and fish it out.
 
And don’t do it again lol :D

AKs can be maintained with urine, a boot lace, and bombed out armored personnel carrier transmission fluid.

I know your pain though. I’m a muzzleloader shooter and boy, they can get really stuck with patches and things if you aren’t careful!
 
How many patches got stuck? Maybe you could just leave them in there and reassemble and shoot. Most likely the patches will get caught up in the recoil spring and then you can just pull them out next time you disassemble.
 
Chalk it up as a learning experience. And lots of good suggestions on how to remove the stuck patch given by others.

The nice thing about an AK is you can clean it just like a black powder gun, plenty of very hot water. Just make sure to use your favorite gun lube/oil afterwards to keep everything from rusting. And yes I have washed small AK parts in an old dishwasher before. Again just lube everything up after.
 
use you normal cleaning rod. Stick the threaded end in and twist until you feel resistance, then pull it out. If that doesn't get it, a normal wire cleaning brush should.
 
A little gorilla tape to Bind a short cleaning brush to a cleaning rod (my brushes will not screw into the rods)?

Go fishing with the brush in the channel?
 
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Find one of those old cleaning rod sections, the Outers, etc kind that come in the kit and ruin your rifling with repeated use with their ill fitting joints. Preferably one you don't care about. Every good hoarder has some bent or broken ones laying about. Hot glue or epoxy a small drill bit into the female threaded end. It should be a new, high speed steel one with sharp cutters, and a relatively tight fit to the threads. Makes a very effective tool for removing grease, patches, carbon, bugs, brass chunks, wood chips, and whatever from various nooks and crannies. Chuck it in an electric drill for making long range pilot holes in studs behind drywall or other fixtures. A good all purpose tool for your kit.

I keep one with a drill bit and a removable brass 30 cal pilot and one with an aggressive sheet metal screw inserted for severe problem solving, like removing a stuck .38 cal hardcast bullet from a locked revolver cylinder/chamber from when I forgot to add powder to that particular load.
 
Random 8 said:
Find one of those old cleaning rod sections, the Outers, etc kind that come in the kit and ruin your rifling with repeated use with their ill fitting joints. Preferably one you don't care about. Every good hoarder has some bent or broken ones laying about. Hot glue or epoxy a small drill bit into the female threaded end. It should be a new, high speed steel one with sharp cutters, and a relatively tight fit to the threads. Makes a very effective tool for removing grease, patches, carbon, bugs, brass chunks, wood chips, and whatever from various nooks and crannies. Chuck it in an electric drill for making long range pilot holes in studs behind drywall or other fixtures. A good all purpose tool for your kit.

I keep one with a drill bit and a removable brass 30 cal pilot and one with an aggressive sheet metal screw inserted for severe problem solving, like removing a stuck .38 cal hardcast bullet from a locked revolver cylinder/chamber from when I forgot to add powder to that particular load.
Click to expand...
You forgot to add powder to that load ?
I guess bullet doesn’t travel too far down the barrel solely on primer’s burn power ?
 
I can't quite picture how it's stuck.

Is this something that can be remedied with some lighter fluid or kerosene - "burning it out?"

And, what is this "AK Cleaning" that you speak of? :rofl:
 
Take a coat hanger, and wind one end around a 16D nail, or similar diameter shaft. Then crank the coil down into the rag. Just pull it right out.
 
This thread has certainly been entertaining! Owning 5 AKs, you would have thought I would have thought about cleaning that area, but it never crossed my mind. After you get unplugged, maybe just use a shot of brake cleaner next time. Good luck on your removal:)
 
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