Cosmoline?

rocket_jockey · Mar 6, 2011

Hi....My name is Rocket_Jockey...and I have a problem....

Guns

Several of my firearms are mil-surp full stocked battle rifles, some are sporterized. Water is bad for wood and steel. How many of you leave the guts of your Mosins, Mausers and Enfields packed in cosmo? Who cleans every nook and cranny? Do you pull your old sporterized Mauser or Savage 110 or Remchesterby out of the wood stock after every hunting trip in the rain? Do you oil your guns weekly? Just wonderin'

billinvancouver · Mar 7, 2011

It took a while but I cleaned all that crap out of my mosin. I found that 3M automotive brake cleaner worked the best. I also oil the heck out of it when stored. I am using an ATI stock so complete strip down not a problem.

raftman · Mar 7, 2011

I would definitely try getting all of it out of the gun if it were a gun I ever wanted to shoot it. I once got a Mauser on trade on this site, the guy said he stripped it down and cleaned it out thoroughly, and it did seem that way. Tried shooting it and kept getting light strikes regardless of the kind of ammo I tried... sometimes it took 2 strikes, sometimes 3 to get the round to go off, but occasionally it fired on the first attempt. After cleaning out the bore and chamber, I decided to disassemble the bolt, and there was my problem, the inside of it was absolutely packed in cosmoline, the firing pin channel, firing pin spring, and the firing pin itself was absolutely caked in the stuff. I "guessed" this may have been what was slowing/softening the strikes. Did what I could to scrub it out and the gun started working exactly as it shoot after that.

Redcap · Mar 7, 2011

The absolute best way to clean out Cosmoline is a large tank full of HOT water (near boiling) and some Tri-Sodium Phosphate, which is available at your local hardware store. Drop your disassembled parts in and let sit for 5 minutes. The cosmoline will all float to the top. Pull your parts and dry with compressed air.

Problem solved.

One-Eyed Ross · Mar 7, 2011

Heck, you haven't lived until you've cleaned out a Yugo - they are the kings of cosmoline. And yes, I clean out every nook and cranny, especially in the case of the SKS with a free floating firing pin....wouldn't want to turn it into a full auto slam fire machine...

mjbskwim · Mar 7, 2011

I shouldn't have clicked on this thread,I can still taste the cosmo/gun cleaner combination after cleaning my Mosin.
Took 4 cleanings to get it out of the oil/solvent bottle

rocket_jockey · Mar 7, 2011

What about hunting rifles? Do you pull the barreled action out of the stock after every weekend of hunting in the great Northwest rain? Do you just oil the barrel and bottom of the action and do a good cleaning once or twice a season? Re-apply grease in the barrel channel of a rifle that will see the elements a lot? By a stainless rifle with a composite stock and be done with it?

mjbskwim · Mar 7, 2011

I just take the shotgun apart myself.I hunt on salt water,so seems like a no brainer to me. But I wouldn't take the rifle down to clean every week unless it got pretty dirty.

Yeah the stainless route is a good one.Spray it down with some cleaner and then the rag.
Still need to clean the bore,but some don't do that much either.

There are some great finishes you can have put on your gun now too.