MANUAL FOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 23 



In every troop there should be at least one copy of the 

 Manual of the Ordnance Department entitled " Description and 

 Rules for the Management of the U. S. Magazine Rifle." This 

 manual gives the name and a cut of every part of the rifle, ex- 

 plains its use, shows how to take the rifle apart and care for 

 the same, and also gives much other valuable and interesting 

 information. 



Section 3. Cleaning the rifle. . 



"Cleaning the rifle. — (a) The proper care of the bore requires 

 conscientious, careful work, but it pays well in the attainment 

 of reduced labor of cleaning, prolonged accuracy life of the 

 barrel, and better results in target practice. Briefly stated, 

 the care of the bore consists in removing the fouling, resulting 

 from firing, to obtain a chemically clean surface, and in coating 

 this surface with a film of oil to prevent rusting. The fouling 

 which results from firing is of two kinds — one, the products of 

 combustion of the powder ; the other, cupro-nickel scraped oft 

 (under the abrading action of irregularities or grit in the bore). 

 Powder fouling, because of its acid reaction, is highly corrosive ; 

 that is, it will induce rust and must be removed. Metal fouling 

 of itself is inactive, but may cover powder fouling and prevent 

 the action of cleaning agents until removed, and when accumu- 

 lated in noticeable quantities it reduces the accuracy of the rifle. 



(b) Powder fouling may be readily removed by scrubbing 

 with hot soda solution, but this solution has no effect on the 

 metal fouling of cupro-nickel. It is necessary, therefore, to 

 remove all metal fouling before assurance can be had that all 

 powder fouling has been removed and that the bore may be 

 safely oiled. Normally, after firing a barrel in good condition 

 the metal fouling is so slight as to be hardly perceptible. It is 

 merely a smear of infinitesimal thickness, easily removed by 

 solvents of cupro-nickel. However, due to pitting, the presence 

 of dust, other abrasives, or to accumulation, metal fouling may 

 occur in clearly visible flakes or patches of much greater thick- 

 ness, much more difficult to remove. 



(c) In cleaning the bore after firing it is well to proceed as 

 follows: Swab out the bore with soda solution (subparagraph 

 ;■) to remove powder fouling. A convenient method is to insert 

 the muzzle of the rifle into the can containing the soda solution 



