New Hakim

[USMC1775]

Just received an 8mm Hakim from RTI, I was pleasantly surprised at the condition of the stock and finish. Problem is the barrel looks like it was never cleaned after shooting corrosive ammo and it looks like a sewer pipe. The are places where the lands and grooves are visible and it appears to also be in surprisingly good condition. This was Egyptian surplus sent to Ethiopia.

My question is, how can I clean this mess up?

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Start with a prayer. Then the usual: powder solvent, bronze brush, elbow grease, lots of reps. Don't know if there are any other specific pointers for the Ljungman/Hakim system, but I would expect the gas tube will also be a mess. Long pipe-cleaners maybe.

I had an Astra M400 barrel I once spent three hours cleaning down to relatively bare metal -- still pitted under the grime, but shot FMJs just fine.

 

[TEXASJD]

After the above mention steps you can try J&B compound if it wont shoot a little hand lapping.

 

[illinoisburt]

Treat it like any other military surplus pulled from storage. Start with detail strip and cosmoline removal with mineral spirits. I would cork the muzzle and stand the barrel on end. Use a funnel to fill up the barrel and chamber with mineral spirits. Keep in a warm room and let it soak. Run a brush through a few time every 4 or 5 hours and refill. After a day or two of this treatment, try cleaning like normal and see what it looks like with a strong light. If still dark, some bore paste or jewelers compound (or gritty toothpaste like old fashion pepsodent) run back/worth multiple times on a clean patch, rinse with water, repeat until shiny. You will be amazed how much even dark bores with pits clean up. They wont be perfect again but usually shoot well enough.

 

[tark]

! had a 98 Krag rifle that had a bore that would make a buzzard puke. It still shot well enough to hit a grapefruit at 75 yards, with no keyholes in the target. Don't give up hope.

 

[HankC]

Electrolytic cleaning. Pretty easy to build one yourself and cheap.
http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=33041

 

[Gordon]

Careful with electrolidic cleaning. Although very effective it can ruin a bore very easily