Removing Cosmoline

Take the rifle apart and scrub all the parts, including the stock, with mineral spirits. Then let dry and wipe down the metal with Breakfree, and let dry. You can set the stock out in the sun. That will leach out any cosmoline from the wood. Wipe the cosmoline as needed until no more comes out. Reassemble the rifle and enjoy. chris3

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu23.htm

Mineral spirits doesn't work well for me, particularly on the really waxy crap. It may as well be water.

If you don't care about possibly swelling the wood, use hot water and simple green or purple power degreaser, and a non-stick-surface-safe scrubbing pad.

If you do care, put the stock wrapped in paper towels or rags in a couple black garbage bags and leave it in on the dash of your car parked in the sun for a couple of days, remove, wipe, repeat until no more leeches out.

Or you could try the proven and controversial dishwasher method....

Cosmoline is an oil based product, as is mineral spirits. Might as well be water.

Bake the stock.

Break Clean exterior steel.

Soak bolt and barrel in lacquer thinner. It's faster, actually breaks up cosmoline.

Edit to add: Sure, spirits thin oil based products. But, it takes quite a bit of time to accomplish what we are talking about. Heat, boiling water, and lacquer thinner if you want to do it quickly. Using oil to THIN oil is still oil. If you go this route, flush accordingly as you'll most likely have more leftover Cosmo than as if you'd used heat or a thinner. This is coming from a guy who's tried it all. I like shooting more than waiting!

I've always just used boiled water.

A clothing steamer.

Steam melts that stuff right off.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

newglockguy said:

I bought a Mosin 91/30 that came with all the goodies (bayonet, sling, ammo pouch) and it also came with a incredible amount of Cosmoline. I wiped everything down with an old towel and took apart the bolt and scrubbed it in hot water. What would you all recommend to get it off the wood and any other areas?

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You could have used ..........google and got the answer.

Sav .250 said:

You could have used ..........google and got the answer.

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Really?

Many moons ago, our local county government bought 10, .30 cal. M1 carbines that were packed in cosmoline. After struggling through one using mineral spirits, hot water, etc., a friend who was helping me clean them got the bright idea of using the steam cleaner at the auto dealership next door to where we were cleaning the rifles.

Worked like a charm.

Mineral spirits is used every day to thin oil-based products and degrease parts. The idea that it won't dissolve an oil-based grease is absurd.

1. Stick the stock in a black plastic bag.

2. Stick the plastic bag in the sun for a few days.

3. Repeat if necessary.

hentown said:

Mineral spirits is used every day to thin oil-based products and degrease parts. The idea that it won't dissolve an oil-based grease is absurd.

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Sure, if you enjoy the waiting and have the patience.

After having done MANY Cosmo removal jobs, lacquer thinner proved to be faster and more thorough.

I've given up on 12-24 hr removal jobs. And that's just the soaking.

One of many videos on just this topic...this one is even about removing Cosmoline from a Mosin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmElUyysyKU

I have cleaned well over 100 milsurp rifles soaked in cosmoline with mineral spirits. I have never found anything better.....chris3

WD-40 in the gallon can works well. Soak a rag and start wiping...

Regardless of the solvent you're using by all means wear some nitrile gloves. Our skin and internal organs are not happy about sloshing that much solvent around on them. This includes the mineral spirits, lacquer thinner and WD-40. It also includes any of the kerosenes or Varsol solvent.

Heat is the answer.
Just when you think you have degreased all the cosmoline, a trip out in the sun will show you how ignorant you really were about it. I have the good fortune of having access to a room at work that is kept at about 110 degrees F. After cleaning, I hang the stock for about 12-24 hours. I wipe down the stock about every 2-4 hours and every time I come back, the stock looks sweaty with grease.

Put all the small parts in carbueretor dip (24 hours), and spray/wipe down the parts that don't fit in the can with canned carb cleaner. Sling and leather pouch can be done in a heavy dishwasher soap mix (hot water), make sure you treat the leather after as it will dry hard if you don't. I have done this with 3 mosins and an SKS, and all turned out fantastic. The best removal job will take time, especially if this is your first project of the type. Take your time, disassemble everything and get it right the first time.

1KPerDay said:

If you do care, put the stock wrapped in paper towels or rags in a couple black garbage bags and leave it in on the dash of your car parked in the sun for a couple of days, remove, wipe, repeat until no more leeches out.

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I have seen this method recommend many times over on the CMP forum. I have never tried it but I am sure it will work well although will take some time, i.e several iterations.

It is amazing how long it takes to get the cosmoline out of stocks. My first M1 Garand oozed cosmoline for years.

If I lived in Arizona I would use the black trash bag suggestion. Let the heavy stuff flow out and off. Then wash it down with mineral spirits as was suggested. When we would dozens of military surplus rifles in I would drag them to the do it yourself car wash and power wash them after using degreaser.

Ron

What do you have against him, he's one of the nicest members of the forum?

Or you could try the proven and controversial dishwasher method....

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Works great on SKS stocks, but unless your dishwasher is a lot bigger than mine the stock from a Mosin won't fit. Neither will a K-31

While in the Army, I used a heated parts cleaner to remove cosmoline. Like others have said, what ever you use, also use heat to soften that crap up. And use protective gloves.

PM a mod.

Great tips - thank you all. I see now my 91/30, m44 need more thorough cleaning. I haven't -- but what happens if you shot them and all the cosmoline wasn't cleaned off?