TargetTalk

What is the best way to clean this Russian tank? Do I have to take the shrouds off etc? I have been told that your better off leaving the screws in place and just cleaning what you can. If that is the case... maybe an ultrasoud would be in order?

dam8 wrote:What is the best way to clean this Russian tank? Do I have to take the shrouds off etc? I have been told that your better off leaving the screws in place and just cleaning what you can. If that is the case... maybe an ultrasoud would be in order?

Nice and gently as a young lady :)

Why clean it?

Kind of depends on how much you shoot and how dirty the ammo is that you shoot. When I had my 35M, I shot Wolf and SK std plus. I had no problems going 5-600+ rounds before a "complete" cleaning. The gun could have shot more but I enjoy the process.. Most times in between complete tear downs I'd just run the Patch Worm through with some Shooters Choice, or Hoppe's Elite, let it set for 10-15 mins, then dry patch until clean. Sometimes I'd take the grips off and spray a little brake cleaner into the action (non chlorine) and firing pin area. Good idea to pay attention to the FP as it's NOT spring loaded, and if real dirty can stick in the forward position and double on you. Then a light spray of Rem oil in the action, a lightly oiled patch through the bore, a touch of gun grease here and there. What ever else I feel like doing at the time. My 35M would shoot anything with a primer and powder, and I'd have felt way to guilty about NOT cleaning it before it jam from dirt. Great gun for the money, accurate, and not one you'll see at every other bench when your out at the range..
Shoot straight, CraigJS

PS: Complete tear downs aren't that bad, download the manual from the EAA web site, and do it in front of your computer.

The last (and only) time I gave mine a complete cleaning, I had all kinds of trouble with it! It NEVER had given me a trouble prior to that. I think I may have pushed some grit somewhere it shouldn't have gone. Anyway, I don't clean it anymore other than wiping it off after shooting.

Lee

Like Craig, I clean-while-assembled before matches and when it looks like it needs it (bore-snake with some SP-40 and q-tip everything else). When it gets really dirty (400-600 rds) I'll take it apart and clean it. That said, there are places that always seem to have some grit in them and it never seems to make a difference. I've had the gun since 2001 and it's served me well with that cleaning routine. If you have problems with the screws working themselves out, use some plumbers tape on the threads - works like a charm and you don't have the hassle of loc-tite.

- Nick

Nick - a quick question... When you talk about using plumbers tape, are you referring to the white (or sometimes light pink) teflon tape used as a pipe thread sealant? If so, how do you get the ground up teflon tape out of screw holes?

The previous owner of my IJ-35 used an ultrasonic bath to clean it, and man, you wouldn't believe the crap that came out of it! The gun works better now that it has been cleaned of all the metal bits left in it at the factory. But if you clean this way you've got to be careful to oil the gun well or it will rust quite quickly.

I was just curious....Do you need the screws on the shroud to hold the shroud in place? My early IZH-35's don't have any shroud screws at all. The upper shroud and lower shroud basically only act as a guide for the "bolt" slide. My early version was only intended to shoot "open" sights. The later ones were sold with retrofitted screws so Americans could mount scopes. Mine clanks and rattles! Mine is also easy to disassemble for cleaning. Just a thought if your using the pistol with open sights.

On the newer IZH models you need at least one screw in the front to hold the shroud on. Even though they have the spring loaded clip to hold the shroud, they will come lose in front because the newer models designed to hold a scope mount do not have the facility to hold the front of the shroud down like the older models and the Walther.

Added clarity: that does not mean that the shroud will come off, it is just not as stable without the screws but it does not matter if you dont put a scope on it.

Mark,

That is exactly the kind of tape (white) I'm using. I don't worry about the gunk that's left behind - and there isn't much that can't be cleaned out with a toothpick or q-tip. What's left doesn't affect functioning. Perhaps I'm a little hard on it, but it's worked very well for me so far.

- Nick

You do need to clean the firing pin and it's hole once in a while.
A few weeks ago mine doubled once for each of mags I fired that night.
Did not do my scores any good!

Everything back to normal after getting the crud out. I must have gone close to 2000 rds since the previous time I cleaned it. I soak the metal in kerosene outside overnight, blow it out and oil it.

One of mine started doubling and full auto very recently and I managed to capture a few of the cases, and it was not the firing pin. There were no firing pin marks at all on any of the cases. So it was slam firing somehow.

I took the bolt off and it looked fine. Then I took a closer look and a burr had been peened around the case head recess. There was still enough room for the case head, but just barely.

So I removed the burrs all the way around the case head recess and put a little more chamfer in the chamber opening, just enough to take the edge off.

I also took out the firing pin and ran a drill through the firing pin hole. It was peened also. Now the firing pin floats perfectly free.

Now it shoots perfect. Feeds great and no slamfires.

When I get some time I am going to take apart my other 35M and do the same. It has double a little but not like my other.