Ammonia, 28 per cent, 6 ounces, or three-eighths of a pint, or 12 spoonfuls.

Water, 4 ounces, or one-fourth pint, or 8 spoonfuls.

Dissolve the ammonium persulphate in the water and add the ammonia.  Keep in tightly corked bottle; pour out only what is necessary at the time, and keep the bottle corked.

Standardmetal_fouling_solution_.—­Ammonium persulphate, 1 ounce, or 2 medium heaping spoonfuls.

Ammonium carbonate, 200 grains, or 1 heaping spoonful.

Ammonia, 28 per cent, 6 ounces, or three-eighths pint, or 12 spoonfuls.

Water, 4 ounces, or one-fourth pint, or 8 spoonfuls.

Powder the persulphate and carbonate together, dissolve in the water and add the ammonia; mix thoroughly and allow to stand for one hour before using.  It should be kept in a strong bottle, tightly corked.  The solution should not be used more than twice, and used solution should not be mixed with unused solution, but should be bottled separately, The solution, when mixed, should be used within 30 days!  Care should be exercised in mixing and using this solution to prevent injury to the rifle.  An experienced noncommissioned officer should mix the solution and superintend its use.

Neither of these ammonia solutions have any appreciable action on steel when not exposed to the air, but if allowed to evaporate on steel they attack it rapidly.  Care should, therefore, be taken that none spills on the mechanism and that the barrel is washed out promptly with soda solution.  The first application of soda solution removes the greater portion of the powder fouling and permits a more effective and economical use of the ammonia solution.  These ammonia solutions are expensive and should be used economically.

(k) It is a fact recognized by all that a highly polished steel surface rusts much less easily than one which is roughened:  also that a barrel which is pitted fouls much more rapidly than one which is smooth.  Every effort, therefore, should be made to prevent the formation of pits, which are merely enlarged rust spots, and which not only affect the accuracy of the arm but increase the labor of cleaning.

(l) The chambers of rifles are frequently neglected because they are not readily inspected.  Care should be taken to see that they are cleaned as thoroughly as the bore.  A roughened chamber delays greatly the rapidity of fire, and not infrequently causes shells to stick.

(m) A cleaning rack should be provided for every barrack.  Rifles should always be cleaned from the breach, thus avoiding possible injury to the rifling at the muzzle, which would affect the shooting adversely.  If the bore for a length of 6 inches at the muzzle is perfect, a minor injury near the chamber will have little effect on the accuracy of the rifle.  The rifle should be cleaned as soon as the firing for the day is completed.  The fouling is easier to remove then, and if left longer it will corrode the barrel.