Cleaning a Colt 1908 .25 acp?

[rlee1976]

I know this is the S&W forum, but I always get such good responses here I thought I'd give it a try. And this IS the lounge, so... I just got a pretty nice nickel Colt 1908 .25 acp. Factory pearls with the forward-facing medallions. Problem is, it's filled with sand! Ok, not filled, but there's a good amount of sand and dirt all inside the works of the gun. It functions (dry functions), but seems kind of sluggish on the rack. In other words, when I rack the slide, it doesn't snap back sharply with that nice crisp action. You can't hear it "close up" again. It sort of eases on back to a closed position. So how do I give this gun a nice thorough cleaning? I don't know if I want to take the gun to pieces. I just never have really gone beyond a field strip before. So just by field stripping it, can I put it under the faucet and flush water through it to wash all the particles out? Then let it air dry for a few hours, lube and put it back together? I know for old black powder revolvers you would flush them with water after firing black powder rounds through them, so the sulfuric black powder wouldn't ruin your bore. Can I do the same with this little 1908 without fear of my gun turning into a pile of rust? Any help would be appreciated. Oh, one more funny thing about the gun. My serial number dating puts it at 1919, but there doesn't seem to be a magazine disconnect safety on it. Is this possible that it left the factory like that? The 1917 patent date isn't on it yet. Maybe the grit inside is making the disconnect malfunction? How would I check to see if maybe someone has removed the mag disconnect, if this is even possible? I know I might be barking up the wrong tree with the technical mag disconnect question, but the main thing I want to know is my first question (the flushing with water, etc.) Thanks fellas.

 

[m1gunner]

Water isn't good to use unless you are sure to get it all back out and replaced with oil or preservative.

If I wanted to clean something like that without taking it apart, I would remove the grips and hose everything down with gunscrubber, brakecleaner, or something along those lines.

Follow this up once dried with a good amount of CLP (also available in aerosol). The CLP will mostly evaporate, not get gummy, but will lube and provide corrosion protection.

 

[rlee1976]

Thanks. This gunscrubber or brakecleaner stuff, is it in a pressurized can so I can "hose it through" the gun and wash away the dirt? How is it used? Maybe I should try taking the gun all the way down this time. I just hope I can put it back together!

 

[m1gunner]

The stuff I mentioned is in aerosol cans. It is essentially metal parts cleaning solvent. It evaporates quickly, but is flammable.

It is always best to disassemble, if possible. Some guns don't lend themselves to this.

As to the water, CMP tried steaming some of their rifles to clean them. They ended up inducing rust in some of the guns because there was no way to completely dry them before storage.

 

[4011]

Give me and address and I'll send you the sheet for disassembly. I think my 1908 380 dis assembles the same way. I'll look in the AM.

 

[rlee1976]

I just found a good video on youtube for dissasembly. It goes a little further than a normal field strip (i.e. backstrap removal and safety removal). This might be far enough! I was thinking about going farther, so I could flush it with water (take out the trigger and firing mechanisms), but from what I'm reading, I don't want to go any further than I have already. Too hard to get back together. I don't want to risk water getting left in any nook or cranny, so I'll start with Rusthunter firearms cleaner and a brush and some swatches and see how that goes. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[Rule3]

http://stevespages.com/pdf/colt_25_hammerless.pdf

disassemble, flush it out with kerosene or mineral spirits. spray with gun scrubber, lightly oil. Put back together.

 

[sar4937]

And quit racking the slide until it's cleaned up!

 

[rlee1976]

Cleaned it up fellas. Took it down as far as I dared, thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny and part with Bullfrog Rusthunter firearms cleaner. I found the problem on the slow rack though. The recoil spring was bent. Replaced that and I'm good to go! Thanks for all your input fellas.

 

[11B Lifer]

I got caught in some quick sand while hunting up in N.E. Colorado-my Colt revolver was submerged in silty muck-luckily I didn't have it loaded-Took it apart-completely-soaked it in heavy oil-then cleaned it with solvent-did this until there was no grit. Oil grabs the grit-then solvent washes away the oil. So, those telling you to use solvents and oil are on target-for god's sake don't use water on the poor thing.

 

[ldausmc1369]

Thanks for the takedown sheet

OCD1, Thanks for the posting of the takedown/instruction manual! Printed and stored with other stuff! Have a 4 digit 25acp that has lain around a lot and shot little! Neat little guns!

 

[Retired W4]

Mag safety

I was wondering whether or not the magazine disconnector safety is functioning after your thorough cleaning. Just curious. A friend who is a Browning HP collector disables all the HP mag disconnectors on his shooters. I would think it could be done on the little .25, not that I would recommend it on a pocket pistol such as that.

 

[firestrat]

I'll ask first. How about a photo?

 

[rlee1976]

11B Lifer, did you kind of submerge the gun in the oil and then swish it around in there? That sounds like a good idea; it would kind of mimic the force of a running faucet and "swoosh" the grit out of the nooks and crannies. Maybe I'll do that at some time to really get it cleaned up on the inside. I got most of it out with just cotton swatches and some elbow grease. Here's some pictures.

 

[11B Lifer]

Cleaning out grit

Sure-You may have to swish oil on it, thru it-then use solvent- clean-then do it again with CLEAN oil! Once you use the oil and solvent-get rid of it and use new, clean stuff. Brake free is a good solvent. A mechanics parts cleaner set up with metal sink and tube works well also. The joints around the grip safety, hammer, trigger etc. Any place where you have metal contact-or close contact-can take some work-but it'll clean up.