Cleaning cosmoline off Yugo SKS... A few questions.

[Nikon Shooter]

Hello all!

I have the sks disassembled and all the small parts soaking in mineral spirits. I plan to use the m.s. to clean all the steel.

My question is regarding the wood. I used the search feature and found a lot of useful tips, and have decided to either try the m.s. or possibly try baking it in the oven @ 175° for until I bleed it all out. I just needed to know about the wooden hand guard on top... Is there any way to remove it, or should I just clean, or bake it without removing?

Lastly, what about the spring in the stock where the trigger assembly goes.... Any way to remove it?

After using the m.s. or baking the wood, I intend to coat with boiled linseed oil.

Thanks for your help!

 

[TABING]

I guess I'm lazy. When I picked up my Yugo SKS last summer in Arizona, I cleaned the bore then fire a bunch of rounds through it to get it real hot., then left it in the HOT AZ sun fur a few hours, it drained pretty well, after that, spray in a bunch of Gun Scrubber, let it drain, wiped the stock down with liberal
amounts of MEK,(wear rubber gloves, outdoors, DON'T smoke), more sunshine, then used a little inseed oil. Works for me.

 

[grendelbane]

Hot soap and water is a cheap and non toxic way of cleaning Cosmoline.

I would not bake a stock in an oven. A hot car works well. Mineral spirits will work there also. I have also used alcohol after wiping the stock down with soap and water. (Both on the stock and internally).

 

[jefnvk]

Tabing, make sure you get the bolt cleaned good, if you haven't.

I used a work lamp on my stock. I just let it sit under there for a few days, going out there every few hours to clean of the cosmo. I'd imagine that any heat source would work.

 

[No4Mk1]

Is there any way to remove it, or should I just clean, or bake it without removing?

It can be removed, but involves pounding out pins on either end of the handguard and is a major PITA. I would suggest you just clean it in place.

 

[ToxicSports]

Here's a suggestion that I'm going to try when I get some new surplus toys.

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

So far, the website has helped me with many of my surplus arsenal so steaming might be the new way to go.

 

[Sven]

I have a wood burning stove - got it hot and sat there, wiping the 'sweat' off the stock every 5 minutes. Did a great job... I don't want to lose the original finish / color.

 

[Nikon Shooter]

Okay, last night I disassembled the SKS, cleaned everything really good with mineral spirits (including wood) and was able to get everything reassembled pretty easily...

All in all, it was pretty simple, and I had a good time doing it. I also came to the conclusion that when I die, I want my pine box filled to the brim with cosmoline... All those nuts paying tons of money to be frozen obviously have never had any dealings with this stuff!

Attached is a photo of the outcome. The stock appeared pretty dry tonight after the mineral spirit bath last night, so I went ahead and applied a coat of boiled linseed oil.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions, and if I could, I have a one more question I would like to ask.... Never owned an SKS before.

Should the bolt stay open when you pull it back on an empty magazine? And, if so, is there any other way to release it other then sticking a finger in there and pushing the mag plate down?

When the magazine is open, the bolt assembly cycles fine.

Thanks again!

 

[rbernie]

Looks good. Now go back and clean the bolt again. Trust me on this - you'll feel really silly when the rifle slam-fires on you because the firing pin is still sticking in the bolt....

Yes, the bolt hold open is a feature (and a really handy one, too). Using your finger or recharging the magazine are the two basic ways to depress the magazine follower and allow the bolt to go into battery.

 

[Dienekes]

Re closing the bolt: If the rifle is empty, open the mag slightly, ease the bolt forward, and the reclose the mag.

If you are loading it with stripper clips, just strip the cartridges in all the way. The holdopen will keep the bolt back until you retract it slightly; release it and it will chamber the top round.

An alternative is to load with stripper clips, depress the top round below the bolt, and pull the bolt to the rear and allow it to go forward slowly *without* chambering a round. (Takes two hands; be careful.) Drop the hammer. This way you have a weapon without a round in the chamber but ready to go with a quick yank of the bolt handle. Same as carrying a M870 in that condition and makes a similarly ominous noise when racked. Can be useful at times.

I used to keep an old Remington Model 11 (Browning patent) around the house in that condition. It took more muscle to rack and load it than the kids could muster at their age.

 

[Murphster]

Pardon my perpetual SKS warning: Make sure the firing pin rattles back and forth when you shake the bolt. Cosmoline can get down in there and keep it from moving. I had to (and this is dangerous and I can't recommend it) put my Yugo SKS bolt in a small bowl of gasoline (in the middle of the backyard) and let it soak for about 15 minutes to get the cosmo out of the bolt). Slam fire potential is what we're trying to avoid here.

 

[Wedge]

Nikon Shooter, your SKS looks really nice.

Dienekes, I have a Model 11 right now and you are right, that bolt is pretty tough to operate!

 

[Lonestar.45]

Very nice SKS. I have two and I love 'em (you can't own just one). Sounds like you got the cleaning thing down pretty good. Once the smell of cosmoline gets in your blood, you will be hooked. Don't be alarmed if during the first shooting session, your gun smokes just a little and cosmo boils out of a few places you didn't know existed.


I coated mine with a mixture of 1/3 BLO, 1/3 turpentine, and 1/3 beeswax. I couldn't be happier.