[MilsurpShooter]

But I'm having one recurring doubt in my head, well actually two, the damaging of the stock and finish and the removal, possible disassembly of the firing pin.

I'm picking up my Milsurp rifle on Saturday, M48. God only knows how packed this thing will be with cosmolene. How safe are the methods suggested in some of these threads on the stock finish? If I could i'd like to get all the cosmo off it and not have to worry about sanding or re-finishing.

Secondly, this whole talk about the bolt having to be disassembled and all that has me semi freaked out. Used to rip apart Corvettes and Cadillacs but i'm nervous to take apart a rifle bolt lol, anyway. Is it easier then it's put forth in the books and the internet? I mean I figure if I can take apart a diesel pick-up, put it back together and have the guy drive it for another 125,000 miles I should be able to do a rifle bolt no? :confused:

[R.H. Lee]

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/mauserboltdisassembly/index.asp

[MilsurpShooter]

Dang man, thanks for the quick response lol

[Jake in TX]

For the Cosmolene in the stock, peruse this:

http://p077.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm34

Jake in TX

[MilsurpShooter]

Thanks alot Jake

[cidirkona]

I'll trade you my already-clean m44 for your gooey m48... :D

-Colin

[grendelbane]

Boiling hot, soapy water works extremely well to remove Cosmoline. I highly recommend it. Non-toxic, and very effective.

[Jake in TX]

Water is about the worst thing to use on a stock.

Jake in TX

[grendelbane]

It is very easy to remove a barrelled action from a stock.

However, water does very little damage to an old military stock that has been well doused with grease over the years. I speak from personal experience.

You can overdo it, but moderate amounts of water are not going to hurt that old grease soaked stock.

It will do no damage whatsoever to the metal parts.

The action is easily removeable from the stock.

I know many people think that I am speaking heresy here. However, what do they think the soldiers who were issued these rifles did? Do they really believe that they simply stayed in the barracks when it rained because they could not get their rifles wet? :)

[armoredman]

Cosmo is nasty, greasy, gross, and no problem to remove with elbow grease and goop. I used Purple Power on the stock, and mineral spirits on the metal. All good. Diassembly of a bolt is easier than an engine, so don't sweat it. :)

[Jake in TX]

Grendelbane, do as you see fit. But also please see the URL I posted earlier. It is from a site which is more devoted to the preservation of military surplus firearms. I tend to take a conservative process. I am about to bake a stock according to one of the examples on that site, and rub the stock down afterwards in mineral spirits. Good luck to you all.

Jake in TX

[MilsurpShooter]

Well, I got it home and opened er up and was EXTREMELY surprised. Barely any cosmo on the thing. Stock has barely a drop on it and the bolt had very little in it. Had some in the magazine floor plate as well. Seems the hardest hit was the scabbarad for the bayonet and the wooden handle on the bayonet itslef lol. I was very surprised, figured i'd have been spending a few hours cleaning, took me about 45 minutes. Going to be taking her and trying her out tomorrow probably.

Only thing I have to make sure to do is break in the safety, can't believe how stiff it is in this thing.

[grendelbane]

Jake, my Springfield 03-A3 came absolutely slathered in Cosmoline. I am not recommending that you soak the stock in soapy boiling water. I am saying that you can splash some on it to cut the worst off. Then, you can remove the action from the stock. Hot soapy water will do absolutely no harm to the metal parts. Slight exposure is not going to do any harm to the stock. I used old T-shirts and isopropyl alcohol to remove the last remnants of Cosmoline from the stock.

It came out quite well, thank you.

Some people run the stocks through automatic dishwashers. Now this may be a little on the extreme side. Small amounts of water are not going to hurt anything, however.

I guarantee you that old military surplus rifle went through the showers more than once.

[pete f]

This will violate most peoples safety codes, but a gallon of gasoline in a plastic bucket in the back yard way away from anything, Just stand the action in the stuff and scrub with a brass or nylon brush. In ten minutes the worst cosmo job is history, then pour dirty gas into used oil recycling tank at favorite gas station. Rub down clean gun with break free or clp

Then take stock out side too, spray it with easy off oven cleaner let sit for fifteen minutes then wash in sink with lots of hot water. dry throughly. if needed do it again the next day. This has been done by me fifty times worked every time

[DnPRK]

I've used gasoline and mineral spirits and hate the residual smell it leaves on the gun. I now use MEK. You can buy it in 1 gallon cans at the hardware store for about $8. It's an industrial degreaser and leaves no residue. Apply it with a cheap natural bristle brush and the cosmo will melt away.

[Sheldon]

The CMP site has a pretty good section about cleaning up stocks.
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/wood_cleaning_article.htm