Swiss Cleaning Kits

[ArchFluffy]

The older straight-pull rifles (K31 and earlier) used a yellow grease called Waffenfett. It was made out of natural things like lanolin and was even used to rub on the stock (though it was not the stock finish). It comes in yellow jars that have instructions in French, German and Italian, the major languages in Switzerland. See also a pull though, mirror, and a chamber cleaning too. Often times you will find that the chamber tool has a mesh over the end. The kit originally came with mesh squares and cotton patches.

This is for the Automatic STGW57. It is usable for older Swiss rifles too since they are the same caliber. In fact, it would be useful for most any 30 cal. The grease is black though, so don't use it on your wooden stock. From what I read this grease called Automatenfett looks to be lithium and molybdenum disulfide. The pull-though has been replaced by a segmented rod. The section with the cleaning jag rotates to follow the rifling.

swiss clean kit 2.jpg (36.28 KiB) Viewed 12137 times

More rarely seen are kits like this. There are different types but they are all shorter than barrel length when extended. They were found at the shooting ranges and used to grease the bore right after shooting was completed. This made cleaning at home a snap. I think the cleaning jag was to remove any excess grease before shooting.

The Swiss also had pistols and so they had cleaning kits for them too. All the cleaning bits go into the body of that black thing for storage and screw into the end for use. Neat. The kits also came with grease and cotton patches.

swiss cleaning kit 4.jpg (24.89 KiB) Viewed 12137 times

Keep it clean, gang!

-ArchFluffy

*I don't own the pics

[DuncaninFrance]

The black grease in the kit that I got for Robert smelled and looked very like some Graphite grease that I have. Great lubricant but MESSY!

[Niner]

Very interesting post Arch. And it's instructional and relevant to mislurps........unlike most of my posts

[DuncaninFrance]

Yer photo's have gone Arch,
Use mine mate.........

1)

2)

Sorry but I don't have one for the third picture...........

[Niner]

The images are still there ....for me....at the moment. The cursed Photobucket is the reason the photos may have gone away for you Duncan.

[DuncaninFrance]

Back now Robert.still, you can't have too much of a good thing !!!!!!

[ArchFluffy]

Glad you like the post.

And thanks to DiF for backing me up with pics. I need all the help I can get.

-ArchFluffy

[joseyclosey]

I have the stgw 57 one, really handy kit that i carry everywhere in the car.
Joe

[Niner Delta]

I have the STGW57 and it is a great kit. I also have the German kit for the G3, although I
don't like the pull-through type and still not sure of the correct way to use the cloth cleaning
strings. But I use patches and one piece cleaning rods, so none of them get used much.....
Maybe I bought them because they look cool, who knows.........

.

[ArchFluffy]

Niner Delta,

I'm like you. I seem to buy the cleaning kits that go with the rifles I get but when I do my cleaning I use a one piece rod.

When I first started shooting though a stgw57 kit was what I used (old grease and all).

-ArchFluffy