# what to do about..



## Nathanaf8388 (Oct 25, 2013)

Well I've been given an old Springfield bolt action 22 aside from the missing trigger guard and the cosmetic issues my biggest problem is the barrel is plum full of mud any ideas for an easy way to get it out?
Thanks


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## Nathanaf8388 (Oct 25, 2013)

I have most necessary tools have owned many guns and have disassembled and put back together the gun but still have a barrel full of mud tried running wire brush down it and just ruined the brush mainly this gun has been sitting in a barn for. god knows how long
But it's neat and I'd like to get it functional again


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I would pull the bolt , and remove the barrel and start with hot soapy water and a jag 

trying and get some hydrolic pressure to break up the mud , you might need to make a fouling scraper if you find a brass screw that will thread into your cleaning rod , then file it down so it makes like a standard screw driver point then spin that to try and drill out the mud , pulling out adding hot soapy water to try and flush then go back at it again , it will probably be little by little 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch but you should get through it , then flush the barrel well , and clean like normal with solvent then oil everything well and put it all back together


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I don't know what they mix with the stuff but mud dabber stuff is hard. I would just throw the gun in a stock tank of water to soak for a while then after a few days run a wire thru the bore to get the mud out. Flatten one end of the wire and twist it a bit so it acts like a screw on the end. Once that is done I would give it a good cleaning and oiling. Check Brownells or Nurnberg for parts to fix/replace the missing ones.

 Al


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## gweny (Feb 10, 2014)

Not sure I'd use this in a gun barrel but I've had great results getting mud dobber nests broken up using vegetable oil , followed by dawn, followed by hot water. This works great for electrical conduit, maybe it will work for you too?


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I don't know where you would get the fittings but maybe you could hang the gun and then insert some small line (brake?) from the bottom into the barrel. Connect the line to a water supply. Then let the water soften and jet the mud out of the barrel sliding it further into the barrel as it eats it's way through the mud.


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

That all sounds like good ideas. Last week I had a hose for a washer go so I went to the barn and found another,(full of mud dobber nest. I had a #11 wire and it took 1 1/2 hours to get it cleaned up using the wire and hot water.I think I'd try a .177 cleaning rod if I had one and once you can get it down the barrel I'd attach an over sized brass bolt and pull it back. Sooner or later you'll get through it!


Wade


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## Nathanaf8388 (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies!


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

did you get it clean what worked ?


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