Best stuff to clean my new cosmoline covered surplus collection?

[AZ Heat]

I just received a Yugo SKS, Swiss K-31, Mosin Nagant 91/30 and M44. The SKS is drenched in cosmoline. What do you guys prefer to use to clean the metal parts and the wood stock? I'm new to this surplus cosmoline crap so I appreciate any help you can give me!

Thanks!

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

The metal stuff just soaks in Mineral Spirits from Wal-Mart, it just melts the cosomoline away!

The stock is another story, there are lots of methods for cleaning the stock or completely refinishing it. I usually just wrap the stock in paper and let it sit in the sun, though it is getting less and less sunny here now...

 

[No4Mk1]

Brake parts cleaner works majic on cosmoline. I use that over a disposable turkey pan (in a well ventilated area) to clean most of my milsurps for the first time. Just make sure you follow with a good lube as it dries the metal completely....

 

[Okiecruffler]

A quick search will find you about 100 ways, I think each collector has his own personal recipe and each thinks his is the best. They're all wrong . I use a heat gun, but I don't recommend it unless you have alot of patience and don't see it as a "quick" way to leech out the cosmoline. A scorched stock is a sad thing.

 

[George S.]

Mineral spirits will work on both the metal and wood parts. Cosmoline can be pretty stubborn to get of of the little corners so after soaking in MS and using a old toothbrush or paintbrush, shoot some non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner in the crevices.

Soem people want to preserve the look and patina of military rifles so you probably need to decide on how you want the rifle to look. Mosin's for example were finished in a reddish shellac instead of a more traditional linseed oil or tung oil. The stock on my 91/30 had very little cosmoline on it so I just wiped it down with some Hoppes to get the sticky stuff off. It still has the nice original look to it.

If you have a stock that is in poor condition, you can put the wood in the dishwasher and select the pot scrubber cycle. Don't use the heated dry selection. LEt it dry inside and then use some mineral spirits with 0000 steel wool or beter yet, bronze wool or 3M plastic scrubber pads. Then use some coats of either boiled linseed oil or linseed oin followed by a coat of tung oil.

Here;s a link to the CMP site with some stock finishing tips. It applies to Garands but should work on any rifle. USe the stain steps if you like.
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/wood_cleaning_article.htm

 

[jefnvk]

Carb cleaner works good for the metal parts.

I have a works light that throws out some good heat, and I used that to clean off my SKS stock. That was the only surplus gun I have that needed a stock cleaning.

 

[spartacus2002]

I just picked up an unissued Finnish M39 and a Swiss K31 today. Gunshop told me Ballistol works well, so I'll try that today.

 

[campergeek]

Stealing an idea somebody else posted here, I built a barrel soaker out of 4' of 4" PVC, capped on one end with a threaded cap on the other. about 2 gallons of mineral spirits will fill the tube enough to completely cover a gun barrel & action. This worked wonders on my Yugo SKS after I spent too much time trying to detail clean all of the nooks & crannies. All of the small parts go into a pan of mineral spirits.

As for the wood, if you want to preserve the original finish, go slow & gentle with heat to sweat out the cosmo. Several methods have been suggested - I built a reflector box in which I can hang the stock and place a quartz heater in front. Basically it's a reflector oven dedicated to baking greasy gun wood. If you're not concerned about the original finish, Purple Power (available at auto parts places) is great for stripping off grease, but it will also strip off finishes (wear gloves - it's basically oven cleaner). I'd still recommend some heat treatment - it seems that the cosmo sweats out from deep in the pores. If you do strip the finish you can refinish as you please - I like tung oil, personally.

Having said all of that, I have only had to give the SKS the extreme treatment. My K31 came from Aim completely clean of Cosmo. My 91/30 had some, but nothing that couldn't be wiped away with some paper towels and mineral spirits. Only the SKS seemed to be truly bathed in the goop.

 

[spartacus2002]

Update: Ballistol works very well on light cosmo, but man does it STINK!!!! Wife has now forbidden its use indoors

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

for the wood i use mean green.. spray it on, wipe it off... then use a wet rag and the steam iron, once all the grease has sweated out of the wood, hit it with some fine wool, follow with tung oil finish...

metal really depends on condition, if rust and pits exist i bust out the stainless, or copper brushes with some hoppe's.. if it's better then just normal cleaning, maybe some brake cleaner ...

 

[Okiecruffler]

I used to take the metal parts to a local car wash and used the engine degreaser on them. Worked really good, but got some interesting looks from the other car washers. Now the offspring works part time at an engine rebuild shop, so I just send them with him. A few minutes in their vat and they come out looking like new.

 

[SapperLeader]

I usually soak all metal parts except the barrel/reciever in mineral spirits. I use lemon oil on the reciever and barrel and the wood stock. I can use lemon oil inside, so that means I can clean cosmoline off while watching a movie or studying for a test.

 

[Greg L]

Stealing an idea somebody else posted here, I built a barrel soaker out of 4' of 4" PVC, capped on one end with a threaded cap on the other. about 2 gallons of mineral spirits will fill the tube enough to completely cover a gun barrel & action.

That was probably me. I've been singing the praises of that setup for a while now. Drop the barrel in & let it soak for a couple of days giving it a swirl every now & then & the cosmoline will just melt off with little effort on your part.

Stocks otoh .... .

 

[Bwana John]

I have found that using boiling water, and a pressure washer does 90% of the cleaning for you, without the nasty solvents.

 

[Ivy Mike]

Brake parts cleaner for the metal pieces followed by a good gun oil. I also use a little copper grade anti-sieze compound on the sliding pieces. Just a little as this stuff lasts a long time and transfers to EVERYTHING it touches. Don't get it on the bolt face and don't ask me how I know that.

I wrap the wood in paper and heat it up. Turn a barbecue on its lowest temperature setting and set the stock over it at a fair height. The cosmoline will sweat right out. BTW, paper towels are a bad idea using this method. I use butcher paper.

 

[TrapperReady]

I've done the following a couple times, with good results:

1) Using a bunch of paper towels, I wipe off as much of the cosmoline as I can.

2) Completely strip the firearm, so that the metal pieces are separate from the wood.

3) Using a "pasta pot" (a huge kitchen pot with an integral strainer), I heat up several gallons of water.

4) Place all but the largest (barrel assy) metal pieces into the water. Let them "cook" for 15 minutes or so, and then remove. Place on several layers of newspaper to cool.

5) Soak both ends of the barrel for 10 to 15 minutes each, remove for cooling.

6) When the metal pieces have cooled sufficiently (ie. still slightly warm to the touch), clean with Hoppes #9 and wipe with a very lightly oiled cloth.

7) The barrel should be OK on the outside, but may require some diligent scrubbing to clean the bore.

8) For the stock, I wipe down multiple times with mineral spirits and then finish however I want. This won't really get rid of everything, so I'll lay the stock outside in the sun during a few of the warmer summer days, to let more of the gunk leach out. A heat gun or blow dryer would also work, but I'm lazy enough that I prefer to let the sun do the work.


BTW, using the above method, I've cleaned a 1903A3 which was a complete mess in about an hour and a half. That got the metal pieces quite serviceable. I let the stock dry until the following morning before I reassembled it.

 

[Blackcloud6]

I've cleaned many by boiling all the metal parts in water. Take them out, let them cool then wipe down with hoppes.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Whatever you use just be sure to get ALL the cosmo out of the bolt of the SKS, lest you experience the dreaded slamfire. The firing pin should rattle when you shake the bolt.

 

[.45&TKD]

I just did my unissued Yugo SKS and the cleaning went well. Shot great too!

Paint thinner (mineral spirits) on all metal parts with a toothbrush, after wiping off with a paper towel first. Laquer thinner and gun scrubber on bolt after paint thinner.

This was my first stock finishing/refinishing and went well also.

After disassembly, rub down the entire stock a few times with paint thinner, and finally a few times with lacquer thinner, letting it dry after each rub down.

Then hand rubbed with cloth entire stock with boiled linseed oil (BLO) and let dry 24 hours between coats. All it needed was 3 coats.

I read all the stories about how much fun it was to shoot, but had trouble believing it. I'm a SKS fan now. What a bargain at $150.

 

[mack69]

RE:

3 words....WALMART MINERAL SPIRITS! Good for every part of the firearm....

 

[Ktulu]

3 words....WALMART MINERAL SPIRITS! Good for every part of the firearm....

Mineral spirits wont harm the finish on the stock?

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Mineral spirits wont harm the finish on the stock?

On a Yugo SKS? No, there's no finish to ruin, it's just oil, covered with grease. After it's clean, a coat of 50/50 turpentine and BLO works good as a finish.


Mineral spirits is pretty mild as a cleaner.