Bolt cleaning

[SomeKid]

If, instead of taking apart the bolt on my 1903 or Mauser, I simply sprayed it (heavily) with Rem Oil or some other cleaner, would it do good? Has anyone ever tried something like this?

Afterwards, I would put some oil on it, but I am talking about a way of cleaning that would save the disassembly.

 

[TimboKhan]

Well, maybe I am in the wrong here, but I rarely disassemble the bolt on my 03-A3. I remove the bolt and scrub the face when I clean it, but thats about it. Out of curiosity, I actually just disassembled the bolt and inspected it because it's been some time since I last did it, and it actually looks fine. Again, maybe I am in the wrong, but spraying a bunch of rem-oil or something similar seems to me like a bigger PITA than just scrubbing the face down and being done with it.

 

[1 old 0311]

If I don't take them apart I just soak the bolts in mineral spirits. Seems to work well.

 

[RNB65]

Whenever I get an old gun, I soak the bolt overnight in a pan of Hoppes #9 then drop the bolt in a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. That's pretty much guaranteed to dissolve/melt any gunk inside it. Dry it with a hairdryer and lube it up with CLP and it's ready to head to the range.

 

[GRIZ22]

Well, maybe I am in the wrong here, but I rarely disassemble the bolt on my 03-A3.

I guess a lot of us are in the same boat here Timbo. I will take apart a bolt on a milsurp to rnsure all the grease is out of there but after that there's no real reason to take it apart. Some say you need to clean the bolt after firing corrosive ammo but I've never fopund the need to do that either (with a bolt action). I'll flush it out with mineral spirits or Brake Kleen but that's about it.

 

[strat81]

I'll weigh in with my autoloader... On my AK, I just blast the bolt like crazy with CLP. When it was new and covered in cosmoline, I soaked it in mineral spirits first.

 

[SomeKid]

OK, worth clarifying. When I first got it, I completely disassembled and cleaned it thoroughly. I am talking general cleaning after a range session of non-corrosive.

 

[RNB65]

Overkill. All I do to clean a bolt is wipe it with patches and CLP until it's shiny and put it back in. Take about 30 seconds with the dirtiest bolt.

 

[ArmedBear]

Soak it in tequila for a minute, shake it dry, and dip it in whale oil for protection.

 

[TimboKhan]

I am having a hard time sourcing whale oil. Is Ambergris acceptable?

 

[ArmedBear]

Probably better for lubing the thing.