Finnish M91, rusty bore

rdf.hack · August 26, 2011, 05:58 PM

So, a Finnish Tikka M91, 1942 made its way to me. Bought it, knowing it had a rusty bore, but the rifling is good, without many pits, and so is the crown. So, I have taken it home, and begun cleaning the bore. My regimen has been:

Put a fired case (from my other Mosin) in the chamber.
Spray some penetrating oil until its full.
Wait about 60 seconds, then drain, remove case.
Alternate a plastic and bronze brush on a mauser style pull through
Put a dry patch on the pull through until dry

And the rust has really decreased but there is still some rust. I have repeated the above procedure twice, is there anything I can use to dissolve the rust? Maybe Ammonia or Vinegar?

Doyle · August 26, 2011, 08:57 PM

A 50/50 solution of vinegar and water will accelerate rust removal, but you have to be careful how long it contacts the metal. It will start to pit the metal if left on too long. I would leave it in only about 10 minutes or so.

the rifleer · August 26, 2011, 09:16 PM

Actually shooting the rifle will clean it up a lot.

rdf.hack · August 26, 2011, 10:30 PM

Got a bunch of the rust out, now to fire it and match up the stain (some idiot sanded part of the stock)

**JohnKSa** · August 26, 2011, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Actually shooting the rifle will clean it up a lot.

Yup. I found out a little too late that a batch of ammo I was sold as non-corrosive was actually corrosive. The result was some surface rust (no pitting) in a pistol barrel. I worked on it for awhile (brushes, steel wool, solvents/penetrating oils, bore paste, etc.) to get as much rust out as I could, but it was still pretty rough after I had done everything I could think of. Shooting a couple hundred rounds through it (copper-washed, mild-steel jacketed bullets--don't know if that particular aspect makes a difference) removed the remaining roughness and it looks as good as new now.

rdf.hack · August 26, 2011, 11:58 PM

Yeah I'll load some lead downrange with it as soon as Irene passes.

p99guy · August 27, 2011, 01:59 AM

I have used a couple of things from Brownells, for cleaning bores on old
C&R rifles... JB's bore paste, and JB's bore bright. Which differ mainly in the grit level. For a .30 cal rifle you
Use a .270 bore brush and roll a cleaning patch around it like a tamale, then smear the bore paste on it with your finger. And you scrub
Back and forth. Then follow with a bore cleaner patch.... Alternate til clean. Follow with a oil patch in the end. This stuff dont harm the bore,
And I have even used it on my expensive FN SPR A5M precision rifle.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.512161,-97.633271

rdf.hack · August 27, 2011, 12:49 PM

Got the bore as clean as possible, its shiny but has a lot of rust particles, I have some foaming bore cleaner on the way, I'll use that after a range visit.

August 26, 2011, 05:58 PM	#1
rdf.hack Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2011 Posts: 173	Finnish M91, rusty bore So, a Finnish Tikka M91, 1942 made its way to me. Bought it, knowing it had a rusty bore, but the rifling is good, without many pits, and so is the crown. So, I have taken it home, and begun cleaning the bore. My regimen has been: Put a fired case (from my other Mosin) in the chamber. Spray some penetrating oil until its full. Wait about 60 seconds, then drain, remove case. Alternate a plastic and bronze brush on a mauser style pull through Put a dry patch on the pull through until dry And the rust has really decreased but there is still some rust. I have repeated the above procedure twice, is there anything I can use to dissolve the rust? Maybe Ammonia or Vinegar?

August 26, 2011, 09:16 PM	#3
the rifleer Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2008 Location: Sunny California Posts: 1,281	Actually shooting the rifle will clean it up a lot. __________________ There is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

August 26, 2011, 08:57 PM	#2
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	A 50/50 solution of vinegar and water will accelerate rust removal, but you have to be careful how long it contacts the metal. It will start to pit the metal if left on too long. I would leave it in only about 10 minutes or so.

August 26, 2011, 10:30 PM	#4
rdf.hack Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2011 Posts: 173	Got a bunch of the rust out, now to fire it and match up the stain (some idiot sanded part of the stock)

August 26, 2011, 11:58 PM	#6
rdf.hack Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2011 Posts: 173	Yeah I'll load some lead downrange with it as soon as Irene passes.

August 27, 2011, 01:59 AM	#7
p99guy Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2004 Location: Haslet,Texas(DFW area) Posts: 1,506	I have used a couple of things from Brownells, for cleaning bores on old C&R rifles... JB's bore paste, and JB's bore bright. Which differ mainly in the grit level. For a .30 cal rifle you Use a .270 bore brush and roll a cleaning patch around it like a tamale, then smear the bore paste on it with your finger. And you scrub Back and forth. Then follow with a bore cleaner patch.... Alternate til clean. Follow with a oil patch in the end. This stuff dont harm the bore, And I have even used it on my expensive FN SPR A5M precision rifle. --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.512161,-97.633271

August 27, 2011, 12:49 PM	#8
rdf.hack Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2011 Posts: 173	Got the bore as clean as possible, its shiny but has a lot of rust particles, I have some foaming bore cleaner on the way, I'll use that after a range visit.