Post by tom on Sept 10, 2006 22:39:06 GMT 1
Hi folks
i've been delving into the mysteries of the various steel cleaning rods used with 20th C Commonwealth small arms and I thought I'd start a thread helping to identify the various types as there are meny variations on a theme.
The first group are all rather alike apart from lenght, having a 4 1/2 inch wide rotating T shaped handle, 3 1/2 inches long and fitted with a leather washer to prevent damage to the rifles muzzle or guide.
If 39 1/2" long overall and with a 1 stamped on the handle they are for use with jute and for Long Lee-Enfields, Lee Metfords and the various carbines (one size fits all) and originally known as Rod, cleaning, No. 1,.303-inch although by WWII it was Tool, cleaning rod, No. 1 with a Catalogue number of BC 4025
If 32" long and are stamped with a 2 they are for copper wire and the Long Lee and Lee Metfords. (BC 4027)
And if they are 23 1/4" long and with a 3 stamped on they are for brass wire to be used on carbines. (Obsolete by 1940)
If they are 27" long and have a 4 stamped on they are rod, cleaning, .303-inch No. 4 for use with brass wire on the SMLE (BC 4029)
See LoC 11079 of 1902 and 11851 of 1903. The latter also introduced a 5" long Bush, stop, rod, cleaning .303 No. 2 to adapt the No. 2 Rod to use with a SMLE
The jute (8 inch lenghts of) was used with "flour emery" to remove rust.
60 strands of hard No. 26 WG brass wire, cut into 3 inch lengths, inserted through the eye and folded back towards the handle was also used to remove rust, but only from the bore, not the chamber. Muzzle guides were to be used to prevent the rods causing wear.
On this theme I am looking for the above types of rod (all I have is a used No. 2), Rods, twisted copper wire Mk 2, Mk IIA, B and Mk V MG rods and the various .303 and 7.62mm plugs, scoops and cork screw type tools that go with them and the Rods , clearing.
All the best
Tom
i've been delving into the mysteries of the various steel cleaning rods used with 20th C Commonwealth small arms and I thought I'd start a thread helping to identify the various types as there are meny variations on a theme.
The first group are all rather alike apart from lenght, having a 4 1/2 inch wide rotating T shaped handle, 3 1/2 inches long and fitted with a leather washer to prevent damage to the rifles muzzle or guide.
If 39 1/2" long overall and with a 1 stamped on the handle they are for use with jute and for Long Lee-Enfields, Lee Metfords and the various carbines (one size fits all) and originally known as Rod, cleaning, No. 1,.303-inch although by WWII it was Tool, cleaning rod, No. 1 with a Catalogue number of BC 4025
If 32" long and are stamped with a 2 they are for copper wire and the Long Lee and Lee Metfords. (BC 4027)
And if they are 23 1/4" long and with a 3 stamped on they are for brass wire to be used on carbines. (Obsolete by 1940)
If they are 27" long and have a 4 stamped on they are rod, cleaning, .303-inch No. 4 for use with brass wire on the SMLE (BC 4029)
See LoC 11079 of 1902 and 11851 of 1903. The latter also introduced a 5" long Bush, stop, rod, cleaning .303 No. 2 to adapt the No. 2 Rod to use with a SMLE
The jute (8 inch lenghts of) was used with "flour emery" to remove rust.
60 strands of hard No. 26 WG brass wire, cut into 3 inch lengths, inserted through the eye and folded back towards the handle was also used to remove rust, but only from the bore, not the chamber. Muzzle guides were to be used to prevent the rods causing wear.
On this theme I am looking for the above types of rod (all I have is a used No. 2), Rods, twisted copper wire Mk 2, Mk IIA, B and Mk V MG rods and the various .303 and 7.62mm plugs, scoops and cork screw type tools that go with them and the Rods , clearing.
All the best
Tom