Blue Box label and contents questions

[Matt_X]

I recently purchased a very nice 15-3 from another member here. It has its original box and contents - which I think is really cool.


Written on the label is 5-50.
Has anyone seen similar?

and any idea what did this mean?


Second question.
The cleaning rod has two attachments; a bronze wire brush for scrubbing, and a very soft brush, but no typical cleaning jag. What was the intent with the soft brush? To use directly or to wrap a cloth around?

 

[JP@AK]

Written on the label is 5-50.
Has anyone seen similar?

and any idea what did this mean?

No idea. But it appears to be written in the same ink and by the same hand as the other, standard, written portions of the label. It is not something I recall ever seeing before. My guess is that we will never know.

Second question.
The cleaning rod has two attachments; a bronze wire brush for scrubbing, and a very soft brush, but no typical cleaning jag. What was the intent with the soft brush? To use directly or to wrap a cloth around?

The bronze brush and swab are normal for this period on that model. Jags were not normally included at that time.

And no, there was no anticipation that a piece of cloth would be added to the swab. The swab size is intended to match the needs of the bore. Different calibers, different swabs.

 

[rbmac52]

IMO, the 5-50 written on the box was not done at the factory. The typical tool kit for a combat masterpiece of that era would include an aluminum cleaning rod with a loop on one end, a threaded cotton mop and a threaded wire brush (both for cleaning the inside of the barrel and cylinders), and a screwdriver-style sight adjustment tool. These items would originally have been in a sealed clear plastic bag of the appropriate size. A cleaning jag was not a standard item in that era, and a soft brush was not either.

 

[Matt_X]

What I called a very soft brush is probably what you are calling a mop.
Was the idea for the swab or mop to use until it couldn't be cleaned and then buy another?

 

[Matt_X]

Also interesting because the instructions in the box refer to using "an oily flannel patch" as well use of brushes.