Lanchester 50 Round Magazine Performace

[Rekraps]

So, I have Andrewski working on my C&R as I type and we were discussing the infamous 50 round magazines issued with these guns (mostly for marine use). I commented to John about my less than acceptable performance of the mags and he stated the obvious (which he does quite well!). "Scott you dummy, they probably have not been cleaned since WW2 so disassemble them and swag them out with a 12 GA shotgun bore brush (cloth) with lightweight engine oil."

I did so, checked the followers for smooth movement in the housing and reassembled. Guess what, the rounds now load and feed smoothly... duh! 

[1gewehr]

Yep.  My 50rd mags wouldn't work reliably until I finally decided to do a good cleaning.  It's amazing how much ancient oily gunk comes out!

[Rekraps]

Mine still had residual cosmoline on the insides. 

[booger hooker]

I thought mine were rusty until I realized that it was just Cosmoline that had dried and was caked on the mags.

[APEXgunparts]

I have one of the BREN magazine brushes and its "stick" on my bench.
They are great for cleaning inside any/all magazines, especially the long SMG's type's.
I have used it for years, never let any newly acquired magazines get stored without a good cleaning first.
That follower better move freely (by gravity) before the mag gets put back together.
Here is the tool:
LEWIS Gun and BREN Gun Cleaning Kit with Rod

I have used the carbon scraper, but the other tool I only used once as it is very specific to the BREN gun.

Richard

[komodoj]

Go to Dollar tree or wallyworld. Buy a toilet bowl brush. Cut one end and open it up. On the cut end fold over the metal and viola. You have a long mag brush. Works perfect!!! FYI don’t use the toilet bowl brush for its intended use first. lol 

[Rekraps]

49 minutes ago, komodoj said:

Go to Dollar tree or wallyworld. Buy a toilet bowl brush. Cut one end and open it up. On the cut end fold over the metal and viola. You have a long mag brush. Works perfect!!! FYI don’t use the toilet bowl brush for its intended use first. lol 

Now you tell me about the toilet brush "order" issue.... Shit!

[APEXgunparts]

I bought a package of the small diameter round brushes at Harbor Freight for cleaning pistol magazines.
The package has various sizes in it.
They also work inside of bolt bodies to get the old grease and powder out.
They don't work so well on dried out WD-40 though (which I NEVER use on guns) that takes a steel brush and solvent to clean out.

Richard

[StrangeRanger]

Old tooth brushes, nitrile gloves and mineral spirits