Any tricks for cosmoline removal?

Some of the best ways to strip the grease from the wood are pretty hard on the wood. Baking it in the oven, drenching it in oven cleaner or other heavy strippers, steaming/boiling -- stuff like that. I'd use mineral spirits or turpentine and some steel wool to scrub as much as possible. A night or two in the oven on the "proof" setting (below "Low") wouldn't hurt it.

Then just shoot it!

Definitely watch a couple videos on YouTube - there are some excellent "how to" videos concerning removing cosmoline.

I used Purple Power or some other no-name type grease cutter in a disposable tin pan and took the rifle apart into all its component parts. I used a hand held steamer to get the cosmo off the wood parts.

Both methods worked awesome for each - plus I learned how to disassemble/assemble the new firearm very well.

Heat is your best bet. Wrap the wooden parts up in paper towels put the whole thing in a black garbage bag and set it out in the sun. Wipe down at sundown and repeat as much as needed.

For the wood I've used a hair dryer and a damp (not wet) rag and worked on sections at a time. This was after doing the "in the sun in a black trash bag" thing for a few days. Its amazing what the steam will pull out, just don't get it too wet.

For the metal use a degreaser as mentioned. Then shoot it. I have a mosin that still oozes a little on hot days and high round counts. I remember to bring a rag when I take this one out.

Been using mineral spirits for many years to clean milsurp rifles. Scrub the wood, let dry and scrub with lacquer thinner. Let dry then refinish. Use mineral spirits on all metal parts then wipe down with LPS2/breakfree and let dry. Apply grease or oil where needed. Enjoy your rifle. chris3

I recently put an SKS stock on a towel on my dashboard for a few hours while at work. Worked amazingly. All the Cosmo sweat right out.

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P5 Guy said:

Heat is your best bet. Wrap the wooden parts up in paper towels put the whole thing in a black garbage bag and set it out in the sun. Wipe down at sundown and repeat as much as needed.

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The sun is the best way to sweat out that Cosmoline from the stock. I set my 91/30 stock out in the sun for a day and even though it had been cleaned up, it sweated a small pool of the stuff. In my experience, don't stand it up...at least at the butt end. It sort of collects down there. Lay it down on. I set it up on some little blocks so it would drip free.

The sun is cheap, easy, and you really can't overdo it...let it sit out all weekend with periodic wipe-downs.

The sun is the best way to sweat out that Cosmoline from the stock

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I agree here. I put my stock inside a black contractor bag outside in the sun and let it sweat itself out. I wiped it down with a rag every so often until it was pretty well clean.

As far as the barrel and other metal components, I used mineral spirits and it worked great. Just remember to oil after using the spirits since it degreases everything on the metal. Also, I found using a 3-4" PVC pipe cut to about 3.5 ft and capping one end with an endcap and PVC cement worked great for soaking the barrel. Just fill up the PVC tube with spirits and let it soak.

Best thing is get ya a 5 gal. bucket & scrub the hell out of it with Naphtha, let it dry & re-oil............

Use the sun, wipe it down every hour or so and it'll almost all sweat out. the heat is free, it takes time and patience. Shoot it and wipe it down again if more cosmo rises.

Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher for the wood and Brake Kleen for the metal. Nothing I've found works better and neither will harm the respective parts.

Funnel

Boiling water is cheap and effective, my wife's furniture polish seems to restore anything lost in the wood. Anything else will cost a lot more and be slower.

Normal clean and lube after its cooled off enough to pick up.

I used Kerosene to clean 2 91/30s. It works very well on the metal parts and did a good job on the wood. I knew that I was going to be refinishing the rifles, so I was not concerned about messing up the original finish.

I had good luck with Citri-Strip furniture stripper. You have to be quick with it, though, as it will remove the stain as well.

The sun is probably the best method if you're not in a hurry.

The only 91/30 I bought was soaked in cosmoline. It took an hour to clean out with a lot of Hopps. There wasn't much on the wood though. Does it even matter if its on the wood?

+1 on Kerosene. Smells good, too.

Tilex green bottle (non-chlorinated) works wonders and dissolves cosmo on contact. Let soak for one minute then scrub with firm bristled brush. Rinse with room temp tap water and repeat 2 more times. Use hair drier for areas with bands (like forehand grip) with cosmo underneath. Sweats it out like a charm without the wait. Apply Tilex again, scrub and rinse.

I also use mineral spirits and that seems to be the best choice for the job. Don't forget to use a good gun oil on the metal when done or it will rust quickly.