Effect of Solventless Bore Cleaning Device (SBCD) on Surface Finish and Contamination Transport in the M256 Gun Barrel
Abstract
A new solventless bore cleaning technique, marketed by GI Industries, is currently under review by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Benet Laboratory, and the Aberdeen Test Center. Previous studies have shown that this new cleaning system is efficient at removing propellant residue/glaze without producing any measurable bore wear. This report speaks to both the subtle question of whether or not this new method of cleaning roughens the surface finish; but more importantly, it addresses health and safety issues if the process is applied to barrels having fired depleted uranium rounds. As reported herein, the surface finish is unchanged by the cleaning process. Furthermore, a pre- and post-cleaned radiological survey of a contaminated barrel showed no transport of radioactivity to the cleaning device components, or within the evacuated cleaning dust. The broader implications of the later test are that depleted uranium contamination, when present, lies within the barrel metal, which is not removed in the cleaning process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA459257
Entities
People
- Bob Vanina
- Gerald Garcia
- James Garner
- Julius Pitts
- Mark Bundy
- Robert Baylor
- Terry Marrs
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory