Foul Out III vs. Mauser (long)

Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
9,249
Likes
2,824
Location
Southcoast of PRM
Feedback: 40 / 0 / 0
(MODS: If this is placed in the wrong section, please move it. I didn't know whether it should go here or under "equipment." Thanks!)

A couple of years ago I came across what I thought was a good deal on a Yugo M48A Mauser rifle. I put my C&R to use and ordered one; cost was about $100, IIRC. I had read somewhere that many of these rifles were seldom fired and most had just been stored away for years. The rifle arrived and looked like a typically used milsurp gun. Not great, but not bad. I cleaned it up and took it to the range to try it out.

The result was less then inspiring. I started by trying to hit a steel plate at 200 yards. I didn't hit the plate, but I was managing to make some nice craters in the berm behind it...and above it...and below it. [sad] Okay, let's try a closer target, like at 100 yards. 10 rounds later, I had 2 holes in the target board, only one of which was on an actual target paper. [sad][sad] So, let's try 50 yards. Slightly better. Out of 5 rounds, I think I actually had 3 on the target board. [sad][sad][sad]

I checked for the obvious things; loose stock, loose sights, etc. Everything looked fine, but this rifle was shooting all over. I apparently had a rifle that was capable of 'minute of tractor-trailer' accuracy. I took it home and cleaned it. The bore looked a little rough, and I never did get a patch to come out clean. I oiled it up and stored it away. I figured it had a shot out bore, and I had a wall-hanger. No big deal, my Mosin made up for it. Win a few, lose a few, no big deal.

Move ahead to a few weeks ago. I was ordering some gun cleaning stuff online and I happened across a Gunslick Foul Out III cleaning system. I remembered reading about it on NES and had checked out some online reviews, but I had never followed up on it. I ordered one and it arrived. I read through the directions and put it in the reloading room, figuring I'd use it some day.

Yesterday I was puttering around and came across the Foul Out cleaning system I had ordered. What should I try it out on...[hmmm]....the Mauser! What the heck, I had nothing to lose. I didn't expect it to make any real difference in the rifle's accuracy, but I was curious to see if the system would do what it claimed to. I re-read the directions, followed them carefully, and started the process at 10:00 AM.

One hour later I shut the system off and checked the electrode (a long steel rod that sits in the bore). The entire rod was beautifully plated with copper! I cleaned the rod off, replaced the electrolyte liquid, ran a couple of patches through the bore, and started the process agin. I couldn't believe the crud that was coming out on the patches.

I repeated the above steps every hour or two until midnight last night. I was still getting a crap load of junk coming out on the patches, and the electrode was still removing copper fouling. A little less each time, but still quite a bit. I shut it down and dried the bore before I went to bed.

Today my son and I headed to the range. We brought along the Mauser and some handloads I had made up earlier. I was curious to see if the cleaning had made any difference, even though it wasn't finished. Here's what we got at 50 yards:

Mauser%20Test%20%5B640x480%5D.jpg


[smile] Not Camp Perry accuracy, but I actually got a group! The circled area was the last 5 rounds we fired. When we got home I cleaned the bore and inspected it. It still looks a little rough, especially the first few inches in front of the chamber. I suspect it was fired with corrosive ammo and never properly cleaned. Whatever happened to it, it apparently still has a little life left in it. I'm continuing the cleaning process with the Foul Out system now. I plan on running it over the next few days until the system reports "clean."

I am very pleased with the Foul Out. It's slow and requires periodic attention, but it seems to work quite well. If you have a rifle that won't group for you, and you've eliminated the obvious things, it might be worth your while to give it a try.
 
Surplusrifle.com has an article about a home made device for removing copper fouling http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews/copperout/index.asp but these days I'm pretty sure a few different brand name versions are widely available.

Glad yours worked out for you. I've got a few rifles that could probably benefit from such a cleaning but I'm too lazy to do it. [grin]
 
Thanks for the link, Ray. I'm amazed at how much copper the thing has pulled out of the bore so far. I just cleaned the electrode off again and I'm going to leave it running over night. I have to get up early tomorrow so I'll check it then.
 
I have a foul out that I use to get the lead out of my handgun barrels. It works great and doesn't damage the bore. It's a heck of a lot more effective and easier to use than a Lewis Lead Remover
 
I have a foul out that I use to get the lead out of my handgun barrels. It works great and doesn't damage the bore. It's a heck of a lot more effective and easier to use than a Lewis Lead Remover

I haven't tried the lead remover part yet, but I plan on doing so soon. It took another 8 hours before the clean light came on for the Mauser. I have to finish cleaning the bore out with patches. The bore still looks a little rough, but the rifling appears sharp. I still can't believe how much copper this thing pulled out of the rifle. It really does work. I'm going to give it a try on my Mosin, which already shoots pretty decently, but I'm wondering just how much fouling is there that I can't see.
 
I bought a S&W 357 from a gent who shot wad cutters down the tube and a lot of them.
I got a ton of lead out of it so far. I can still see some fouling in the groves. I am tired of cleaning it. You guys might make a few bucks cleaning some guns for a few guys??
 
I bought a S&W 357 from a gent who shot wad cutters down the tube and a lot of them.
I got a ton of lead out of it so far. I can still see some fouling in the groves. I am tired of cleaning it. You guys might make a few bucks cleaning some guns for a few guys??

I'm going to be doing a friend's rifle for him over the next week or so. I have to get some more anode rods, especially so I can cut the longer ones down for the shorter barrels on handguns.

I think someone on here once suggested welding rods as a cheaper alternative. I'll have to do some research.

EDIT: I just bought a new 1/8" by 12 foot length of stainless steel rod at a metal dealer right up the road from me. They cut it into 3 four foot sections. The whole thing cost me $15. A lot cheaper then ordering the replacement rods online. I can now cut the four foot lengths to the lengths I need for different handgun barrels. Nice! [smile]
 
Last edited:
Don't cheap out on the electrolytes, use the real stuff. I don't think the rod would matter. The Outer's rod is shiny so you can wipe off the metal easily. If the rod was rough I don't think it would wipe off.
 
Don't cheap out on the electrolytes, use the real stuff. I don't think the rod would matter. The Outer's rod is shiny so you can wipe off the metal easily. If the rod was rough I don't think it would wipe off.

Thanks for the info. I've been using the Outer's electrolytes with good results, so I don't plan on changing that. IIRC, the replacement rods were kind of pricey, especially with shipping added in. I'm just wondering if I could find plain, smooth steel rods in an appropriate diameter locally. The shipping charges are high for an object that only weighs a few ounces. I'd like to have a couple of spares on hand that I could cut to various lengths for handguns.
 
I used outers foaming bore cleaner on a 1942 91/30. After the 1st treatment it looked like fuzz in the bore. The crap that came out of that rifle was unreal. The bore looked marginal, but shot well at first. Now it has sharp lands and grooves, but shoots no better.
3 treatments in all.
 
Back
Top Bottom