I inherited a rifle, a Springfield model 15. It’s in good shape except it is really DIRTY! It looks like it was fired a bunch of times and then not cleaned for 30 years. There is a hard patch of gummed residue inside the chamber and the bolt is hard to pull back because of the gummed up dirt.
I’ve had firearms my entire life, but I’ve never had to deal with something like this. I take care of my guns and clean them regularly.
Should I take the barrel/receiver off the stock and just soak it in Gun Scrubber for a long time and then try to clean this goop off?
Or is there something else I should try? This is extreme gunky build up like chewing gum. Once it’s cleaned up this will make a neat rifle for target shooting and hunting small game like rabbits and squirrels.
Did you try just a regular, hard cleaning to see what you end up with? A hard brush and patience may be able to take care of the problem by itself. It may not be ideal but my preservation instincts suggest that you might want to take your time and tread gently. Using standard gun cleaning tools, you can probably fix it but it won’t be a ten minute task.
Disassemble the piece, then soak the metal parts in degreaser overnight. Then go to work with a brass brush. If you don’t have degreaser, you can use gasoline, but it’s a lot more dangerous. The drill is: soak, brush, repeat. When it is spotless, oil, reassemble and enjoy your new shooter!
I haven’t tried anything, yet. Because I haven’t ever come across a firearm this filthy I wanted to see what the best course of action was before I did anything. The thing is, not only is it extremely dirty, it looks like it’s been that way for decades (it was found in an attic) so the grime is not just heavy, it’s really settled in.
Don’t make pop decisions about inherited guns. You, or someone else in your family, will regret it badly later. A Springfield model 15 is close to indestructible but you could ruin the fit and finish by doing anything rash (trust me). Just treat it with respect like any inherited object and fixing this is way easier than most.
The first thing to do is to wipe it down with a very fine cloth with a very light coating of oil on it. Most of it will probably just come off. Dirt and crud are easy to fix. Pitting is not. More than likely, all you have to do is take an interest in it and scrub it with oil cloths and metal brushes for a while. My father was a gun dealer when I was growing up and I restored many guns much older than that to the best of my ability when I was a young teenager. I spent hours or even days on some of them just because I liked them as works of art. It doesn’t take much technical skill and even very old guns generally work functionally. It just takes patience and yours doesn’t seem very hard.
Don’t do anything drastic. You will regret it later.
Of all the things, I never thought I’d have to ask advice on how to clean a gun! But you wouldn’t believe how freakin’ gunked up this sucker is!
Mega thanks to everyone who posted, or will post in the future!!!:)
Diesel fuel is much less flammable than gasoline. I have used diesel fuel many times to clean gun parts and other mechanical parts and it works fine with little risk of fire if reasonable precautions are taken. Still, work in a well ventilated area, use gloves. etc.
I’d recommend taking it to a local gun shop for a professional cleaning and inspection. If it has actually been sitting unused for 30 years, you might want to have it checked for other problems common with guns that have sat idle for decades. Problems beyond it just being filthy.
If it’s been sitting 30 years, you might want a pro look at it to inspect the pins, hammers, etc. If there is anything that the ravages of time have done to these parts, these will not be fixed simply by cleaning it. An unnoticed problem in an old rifle such as this can later lead to the rifle misfiring later on, potentially harming you or someone else.
Whatever you do to clean an old rifle,
DON’T use hot water
DON’T use conventional soaps or cleansers
DON’T use oils or grease (NEVER “grease” a gun in the same way you would an engine)
DON’T use conventional gasoline (no no no no no never!)
Myself: I have in the past used diesel (a long, long time ago) but in retrospect even that was probably not the brightest idea at the time. I’m much older and wiser now.
If it’s been sitting idle for 30 years, you can’t clean it in the same way you would normally. Take it to a gun shop for a professional cleaning and inspection. Sure, it means waiting till they open after Christmas. Yes, it’ll be more expensive than doing it yourself. But it could mean your life.
I go along with those who say to use a professional. Maybe a pro restorer. Once it’s restored, you can keep it preserved yourself and enjoy actually using it. That’s what it’s for after all. Right? Enjoy!
The gun is obviously valuable to you, so I wouldn’t risk doing any damage.
Peace,
mangeorge
If you are competent enough to totally disassemble it, every screw, pin spring etc. and reassemble it, I would take all the metal and soak it in kerosene or diesel for a few days and then take it apart. Clean, inspect with a magnifying glass, oil and reassemble… If you don’t feel like doing that, then go the ‘pro’ route.
