Rifle cleaning kit – Rg 34 – rco 45
The rifle cleaning kit 34 or Reinigungsgerät 34 (Rg 34)became the new all-round weapon cleaning kit. The cleaning kit was designed and patented by the company of Gustav Appel in 1933. Gustav Appel was the first factory to produce these in large numbers for commercial sale, army contracts and exported these too. The Reinigungsgerät 34 was adapted as the primary cleaning kit for use with all types of handheld weapons including automatic weapons and pistols such as the P.08, MG34 and MP38. There was one type of Rg 34 in use throughout the war, it did not undergo any big design changes other then manufacture and material simplification later in the war.
The components of the Reinigungsgerät 34 where:
Case or Behälter
Cleaning chain or Reinigungskette
Oiler or Öltropfer
Oiling brush or Ölbürste
Cleaning brush or Reinigungsbürste
Takedown tool or Hülsenkopfwischer
Cleaning strings or Reinigungsdocht
Type: Rg 34
Markings: rco 45
Maker: Braunsweigische Blechwarenfabrik G.m.b.H., Braunschweig
Year: 1944
Case finish: Tan paint, blued closing latches
Chain type: Folded wire head, twisted wire links
Oiler type: Stamped steel oiler
Tool: Unmarked
