Military Cosmoline Removal?

[Skofnung]

I just spent a good portion of today removing the cosmoline from two rifles that I recently traded for. I know, I know, it's a hard life...

Anyhow, I got to thinking... how did the goverments of the world get the cosmoline out of the guns when they were taken out of storage? I know all of the methods we as shooters and collectors use to get the goop out, but it seems to me that they would have a process in place to deal with it.

Anyone know how it is done?

 

[1 old 0311]

We used hot water, and old tooth brushes.

 

[Hazzard]

Don't know how the military did it, but throttle body cleaner takes it right off. Just remember to oil it afterwards.

 

[Jackal]

I personally don't think that any military has re-issued any old cosmolined rifles. Governments typically tend to purchase new rifles, rather than bother a re-issue.

 

[alamo]

I personally don't think that any military has re-issued any old cosmolined rifles. Governments typically tend to purchase new rifles, rather than bother a re-issue.

Tell that to all the G.I.s that have cleaned cosmoline out of rifles that were in storage for years and/or repaired at a facility and re-issued.

 

[aka108]

Mineral spirits and brake cleaning fluid.

 

[Car Knocker]

Mineral spirits and brake cleaning fluid.

Which govt/branch of service uses these?

 

[Koobuh]

Someone mentioned on another forum that for the Korean war, they stripped down the greasy rifles and dropped everything into a barrel of hot water, stock and all.
I'm not sure if I believe that, but it would be expedient if you don't care about the stock's finish.

 

[zoom6zoom]

some good articles over at SurplusRifle.com with regards to cooking it out.

 

[eab]

Just got finished doing my yugo sks. Paint thiner, carb cleaner, a paint pan, and tooth brush. Pour paint thiner into the pan and soak all the parts that you can. Spray down the parts you can't soak with carb cleaner and scrub with the tooth brush till its all gone. Just oil the parts when you are done.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Guys, think he's asking how the Governments did it, not the tricks of the trade we all use. Might be worthwhile to know, give us some outside the box thinking rather then the standards we've come to know and hate. I've not found anything useful but hopefully someone else will

 

[Ivy Mike]

there is a fantastic tool for cleaning cosmoline out of a rifle. Our military has been using them for years.

its called a soldier.


I discovered I had my own cosmoline cleaning device one day. I took apart my mosin-nagant in the garage a couple summers ago when the phone rang. I left the rifle in the closed garage and went inside. Now, for those who don't know, Las Vegas gets damn hot in the summer, often above 110 degrees.
I came back out about 2 hours later and found a brownish jellied liquid leaking out of my rifle and onto my work bench and onto the floor.
Made cleaning it really easy though.

the easy bake garbage can sounds like a winner though. You can read about it at the link zoom6zoom provided. Such a system sounds pretty darn handy for both cooking out cosmoline and perhaps baking on painted finish.