Calling all SKS Guru's .. guess what I got?

[Phaetos]

Yep. Yugosalvian SKS 7.62x39, all matching numbers and COVERED in what they called cosmoline(sp?). Built-in bayonet and the grenade attachment barrel, at least that's what the guy called it. Even came with the original Yogu military maintenance book that has all the maint. written down, in some language I can't understand. This will be a hoot to shoot .. rhyme not intended

Now about this cosmoline crap. It's like ... old petroleum jelly and sticky like all get-out. Guy at the show told me to use gasoline, guy at a gun store told me to use kerosene and that they didn't have anything that would clean it. Though they had a gallon of something called "CleanZoil" on the shelf, didn't bother to look at it. How do I clean this thing up? And what should I use so that I won't damage the wood or any parts?

Pictures forthcoming after I find some more batteries for the camera and after I clean it up. Maybe before.

 

[meef]

Check this out. They just recently posted a couple of articles on cosmoline removal.

And besides, it's a great site.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/

 

[dolanp]

Mineral spirits and break parts cleaner are very effective. For the wood you will want to heat it up and wipe it down every 20 mins or so for a couple of hours. You could do this in the oven @150 but be warned it will smell.

 

[smince]

As for the rifle, it's not all that unique or special. They have been imported by the hundreds.

 

[Cosmoline]

Separate the metal parts from the wood parts. The metal parts are very easy to clean with any number of methods. Extremely hot water followed by immediate drying and cleaning with a gun oil will work fine.

The stock is another matter. The difficulty of cleaning it depends in large part on whether the cosmoline is just sitting on a finished surface or whether, as with most Yugos, the raw stock was dipped in hot cosmoline and left for fifty years. Cosmoline was never intended as a preservative for wood, and it will soak in over time. It may take time to get it out. Remember the harsher the chemicals you use to get it out, the more damage you'll be doing to the wood.

 

[Brother in Arms]

In the past I had always used coleman fuel or whitegas to remove cosmolene. But I a freind on another firarms forum told me to try Lemon oil and it works very well. It is also safe to use on wood, infact I bought my lemon oil at a furniture store.

Brother in Arms

 

[whitefeather]

As for the rifle, it's not all that unique or special. They have been imported by the hundreds.

More like BY THE THOUSANDS.

Still fun, inexpensive rifles. Don't much care for the grenade launcher, though (adds weight, hurts the balance and from a functional standpoint, grenades are kinda hard to come by!).

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I bought a Yugo a while ago but just had an opprotunity to put it through its paces. I was going to start a whole nother thread on it cause I was pleasently surprised. The rifle is absolutely stock except for the Tech Sights and my last two groups of the day were 1.7 and 1.8 MOA, for 3 shots from a bench at 100 yards using, get this, 122 gr Wolf FMJs. Then I took it down to a rail road tressel crossing a river and went rock hunting. Because impacts were readily visible as large splashes, I was able to quickly zero in on rocks the laser rangefinder pegged at 350 yards with little difficulty. I can plain out hit stuff with this rifle and wouldn't want to be on the bad side of me within 400 yards or more of me with it cause it has been surprisingly accurate. I got the rifle for under $200 but couldn't be more happy or impressed with it for 3x that much.

The only bad part is that I have it zeroed so well and like how it is shooting so much now I am afraid to remove the Tech Sights and see if they maintain zero when reinstalled--but I have to cause climbing around in the woods allowed a little bit of snow to melt in the barrel and without a chrome lined bore, the rifle has to be taken apart and cleaned. It only has about 100 rounds through it and I usually have no qualms living my Commie guns uncleaned for 500 rounds or so but I don't want to ruin a good shooter.

 

[GlenJ]

Get a tray like the ones used to for wallpapering or something like it that the stock will fit in. Get a gallon of mineral spirits and add that and the stock to the box. Let it soak for 15 minutes or so. Then put the metal parts in it let them soak while the stock dries. Use boiled linseed oil for the stock apply it heavy let it soak in about ten minutes and wipe off excess. Use a brush and clean your metal parts.

 

[thumper723]

Check this out

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/dishwashermethod/index.asp

I did this with my SKS I picked up last week, and it looks like this

Dishwasher, LIGHT 220 sanding, 2 coats Minwax stain I had left over, rub with 0000 Steel Wool. 3 coats polyurethane, rubbed with the 4/0 between coats.

Shot 4-5" groups at 200 yds Saturday with the cheapo wolf ammo.

Paid $118. Casey Like!