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MG 08 Water Jacket


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You may consider distilled water to help minimize any mineral deposits due to boiling/evaporation. Agree some water soluable lube or corrosion inhibitor would not be a bad idea as well.

 

A little overkill compared to 1917, but youre trying to prevent damage now not win a trench war.

 

Ron

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Having seen many hundreds of watercooled jackets, corrosion damage is almost entirely absent. Oil will make its way into the jacket through the lubrication of the barrel seal at the trunnion and muzzle and once oil is inside the jacket it coats the interior with a film that protects the metal. Of the three or four MGs that I have encountered, and repaired, that had pin hole corrosion rust through the metal at the bottom, the condition of the guns suggested they had been used for outdoor memorials at some time and water had settled in the jacket and eventually corroded it.

There really is no reason to use any kind of lube in the water to protect the jacket or with non-synthetic seal material, but if the water seals are synthetic ‘o’ rings of a type not made to function in water, then a water impervious lube is necessary to keep the rings lubed and prevent rolling up, abrading or binding. Auto water pump lube works fine or any marine water resistent lubes.

After shooting drain the jacket and dry the interior of the jacket using a hot air paint stripper gun funneling the air through a long narrow cone rolled from building flashing aluminum. Small end put into the trunnion hole and dryer inserted in the large end. If you have a painted jacket don’t over heat the inside. Once dry, spray some lube into the jacket. If using non-synthetic seal material, remove the muzzle seal in the jacket and replace with new material or dry it and grease it. Grease the rear seal before reinstalling in the gun.

Don’t worry about jacket corrosion......

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  • 2 weeks later...

This definitely answers my questions. This Gun definitely did not spend any time on display outdoors. I have the documented history as it was in a private collection, and thankfully, it was registered during the 68 Amnesty period.

 

Very clean DWM 1917 MG 08.

 

Still retains much of its original finish...

 

Appreciate all of the imput...

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  • 1 year later...

Know anyone who works at a place with boilers? Before they create steam, the water is run through a deaerator and then treated with chemicals including some fine polymers all designed to keep the pipes free of corrosion and other nasties. Your friends can bleed off the treated water before the boilers and fill your 5 gallon jugs so you don't have to bother them for awhile.

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