Cleaning a MILSURP

[Spieler]

It's been a long time since I last bought a MILSURP rifle and today I picked up a Russian M44. The wood and metal are all packed quite heavily with cosmoline and I need some input here as to the best ways to clean this stuff off. So please feel free to share your tips and experiences on how best to clean cosmoline from these grand old guns.

Thanks.

 

[Cacique500]

I normally take the whole gun apart and soak all the metal parts in kerosene...eats the cosmoline pretty quickly.

While that stuff is soaking, I'll take an old toothbrush and start scrubbing out the nooks and crannies, again dipping the brush in kerosene. A large roll of shop towels is handy as well.

After I've cleaned it so I can't see any more cosmo, I do a normal cleaning regimen and then re-assemble the rifle...good to go.

There are many ways to remove the cosmo, but that's how I do it.

If anyone tells you to put the parts in the dishwasher, make damn sure your wife isn't home...trust me, I know. Same goes for the oven...

 

[BsChoy]

I will probably never go back to my old ways after the dishwasher trick was brought up. My Garand looks great no and the Mosin I will be buying soon might meet the same fate if necessary. The metal should be warmed up enough so the cosmo runs then it can be cleaned easier.

 

[JonB]

The only thing that bothers me about the dishawasher method is that I suspect the cosmoline, once cooled, can clog up your plumbing. Are you guys using normal dishwasher detergent as well? Or just the hot water?

I cleaned the metal parts with brake parts cleaner until I didn't see anymore cosmoline. Then followed up with a normal thorough cleaning and oiling.

For the wood - that was a challenge on my 24/47. First lots and lots of mineral spirits to cut through the surface stuff. The stock was very bark brown and hand big black spots around the trigger, bolt, the whole end of the stock, around the butt plate, etc. So I played with acetone for awhile which worked some. I did some searching on the 'net and found (purists stop reading here) that a lot of people were reporting oven cleaner working well. In fact the article that convinced me to try it is on surplusrifles.com. So I sprayed the hell out of it with oven clean, let soak for 15 minutes, wiped it off then rinsed it. Repeated 3-4 times. Worked well. But I have read that you have to be careful as drawing the cosmoline out too fast like that can result in a cracked stock as it also pulls out the woods natural oils. Make sure you replenish those oils with BLO or Tung Oil, etc.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Best method I found was a low heat setting on the oven. Make a little tray out of Aluminum foil or find an old edged cookie rack. 140-150 degrees, check it each half hour, wipe down and continue. I did it with my Mosin handguard and my M48 Bayonet handles. Couldn't use it for the stock (91/30 was too long) so I sat there with a gun commonly used in Shrink Wrap... Hair dryer would probably be ok. Quick even passes and don't let it sit in one spot, wipe with a shop rag, repeat. I did the whole thing in 4 days, 3 hour sessions each day.

 

[offthepaper]

BsChoy I will probably never go back to my old ways after the dishwasher trick was brought up. My Garand looks great no and the Mosin I will be buying soon might meet the same fate if necessary. The metal should be warmed up enough so the cosmo runs then it can be cleaned easier.

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Be very careful what you place in the DW. I always remove all the cosmoline with mineral spirits BEFORE the stock goes into the DW. As stated, once the cosmo cools in your pipes after a couple of stocks, you may find yourself paying more for a plummer than you ever planned to pay a gunsmith. The DW works very well (purists hate me for this) on the old beater stocks and makes them respectible again. Just be sure to cover any cartouches with a piece of electric tape, and BE SURE to remove the stock from the DW BEFORE it reaches the dryer cycle (too much heat on old wood, might split).
Good luck.
P.S. I don't think I would use any detergent , especially anything in a granular form. It tends to collect in the wood grain.

 

[kfranz]

Plastic bag and a southern exposure work OK too.

 

[glimmerman]

Take all metal off of and out of stock, spray all metal parts liberaly with easy off oven cleaner, let set for 15-20 mins, wash off with HOT!!!! water(hotest water u can get, it will heat up the metal and dry it self!!). As for the stock just warm it up with a hair dryer or set it in the sun inside a black plastic garbage bag for about an hour and just wipe it off. WORKS EVERY TIME AND IS CHEAP!!!!!