Low Odor Mineral Spirits & Plastic Coffee Cans or Plastic Bags in Cleaning Handguns

[Gun Master]

I appear to possibly have some cosmoline in the "innards" of some of my military surplus handguns (1895 Nagant, P-64, Star Model Super B, etc.).

I want to disassemble them as little as possible, but would like them clean and functioning, since the "gunk" may be causing jams, etc.

My question is : Can I soak the HG in mineral spirits in food storage plastic bags or Folger's Coffee Cans (plastic symbol HDPE and a "3" in a triangle) for approximately 24 hours, without the plastic deteriorating or doing harm to the handgun? My purpose is to clean the gun safely and effectively, with little or no scrubbing.

Of course I'd remove the plastic handgrips first.

Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

The coffee can should be o.k., fine in fact.
I use them with gasoline for parts washing, used motor oil, etc.
Far as I can tell, they are immune to everything.

The plastic bags?
I wouldn't trust them as far as the nearest old towel and bag of oil dry!!

Just to be safe, put some in one and leave outside in the driveway for a day.

rc

 

[Ironicaintit]

Plastic bags do not like solvents, whatsoever!

RC says the plastic coffee cans are fine, so im sure they are (the man is wise!)

I have a couple old metal coffee cans that I soak parts in with gasoline. Gas is smelly, but old greasy gunk doesnt stand a chance against it.

 

[BSA1]

Gun Scrubber may be a better choice for cleaning firing pin channels as the pressure from the spray will help to blast any gunk out of it.

I take it outside and spray where the runoff will drip onto a plant or grass I don't want to save.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Gun Scrubber is awesome at cleaning out your wallet....I prefer brake cleaner at a fraction of the price.

 

[Gun Master]

Plastic and Solvents in Gun Cleaning

Thanks, Guys! Each one of you have contributed something of note.

Right now I'm leaning toward using low odor mineral spirits and plastic cans.
After a 24 hour soak, using latex gloves, I plan to swish the submerged gun or portion thereof, and then with the lid on, "Shake 'em up baby". Possibly immediately afterward, repeat and maybe another 24 hour soak.

 

[BobWright]

For my soaking use, I use lacquer thinner to dissolve thick grease buildup. 1i buy those cheap aluminum baking pans at the grocery store for this. I think they come three or four in a pack for about a dollar or so.


Bob Wright

 

[buck460XVR]

I use those plastic coffee cans to clean paint brushes with mineral spirits. Sometimes the brushes get left in them with the Mineral Spirits for days at a time. I also have used them when I custom mix stains. Got some out in the garage that have been in them for years.

That said, topics like this always remind me of the neighbor kid 50 years ago that ran outta gas while mowing the lawn. The gas station was about 200 yards away across a small alfalfa field. The kid couldn't find a gas can so he took one of his moms empty bleach bottles, spray painted it red and then crossed the field to the gas station to fill it up. Halfway across the field the bleach bottle disintegrated. To this day, I couldn't tell you if it was the paint, the gas or both that ate thru the thin 1960s plastic. I can tell you there was a bare spot in that alfalfa field for many years.........

 

[gwpercle]

I just transferred some mineral spirits from a larger 1 gallon jug into an empty quart mineral spirits bottle. The one gallon jug said paint thinner, 100% mineral spirits. The small quart said low odor mineral spirits. Both plastic jugs were marked HDPE , I believe the number was 3 .
HDPE - 3 container should be safe for mineral spirits.

Lacquer thinner and acetone or the ultimate removers, but will destroy plastic.
Do not put solvents in any plastic bag, a gallon freezer zip lock will be dissolved in no time.

Metal is best , snap on plastic lid will probably survive.
Use automotive brake cleaner or carbuerator cleaner , spray can is much cheaper than firearms spray cleaners.

I use the brake/carb. cleaners a lot. Cosmoline would be best with a long soak, especially if old and hardened.
Gary

 

[joem1945]

I use diesel fuel and ATF fluid. Not as flammable as gas, just takes a bit longer.

 

[v35]

Yes. I put the solvent and gun in a (new) plastic paint tray and then place it on top of some vibrating machinery such as a clothes washer or dryer. That makes for a kind of poor man's ultrasonic cleaner. Beware that the gun will come out clean but bone dry, so you'll want to lubricate it right away.

 

[Gun Master]

Gun Cleaning

Wow!!! What a wealth of info and generosity.
I'm ALMOST (but not quite), overcome by it.
I am processing the info, and expect good results.

Thanks guys !

 

[Steve C]

Best way to remove cosmoline which is a combination of waxy and oily compounds is to use heat, esp. for older guns and parts where the oily compound has evaporated over time leaving the wax as remaining component.

My dad who was a supply sergeant for a tank battalion after ww2 told me that they would fill a 50 gallon drum with water, set it over a fire until i boiled and would dip cosmolined parts into the boiling water to remove the cosmoline.

Using a modification of my dad's story I cleaned up a heavily cosmolined SKS by taking the metal parts and pouring boiling water on them that washed off the cosmoline. The water flash drys off the metal and put a coat of gun oil on the parts right away to prevent any corrosion. BTW you need a good pair of insulated rubber gloves to protect your hands from the hot water and parts.

A 3 gal metal pail filled with water and set on the BBQ to boil would probably work well for dipping handguns suspended by a wire handle to boil off any cosmoline. Just hit it with a good water displacing spray lube to protect the parts from any water that may remain.

Another fellow told me that he just put his mil surplus rifle out on the back porch in the hot AZ sun. When it got too hot to handle with bare hands the cosmoline was running off and using gloves and rag he could wipe it off. If your climate is warm enough then that sounds like a good way to go too.

A heat gun, cheap from Harbor Freight, would probably work just as good if boiling water or hot climate isn't available.

If you have access to a machine shop with a aqueous parts washer, which is just a big dishwasher to clean metal parts, that would be a great way to remove cosmoline.

 

[Snyper]

An aquarium air pump and some tubing can be used to cause bubbles/vibration in the coffee can that will speed up the cleaning process

For doing barrels use PVC pipe capped on one end

 

[lmccrock]

I thought I had cleaned all the cosmoline off a rifle with boiling water and brushes and some solvents. I put the rifle in front of the (operating) woodstove, just to dry out, and the heat melted even more gunk. So heat is better than solvents to start.