Cleaning Cosmoline

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warpusher

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It depends on which gun. What I've found works best all around is aerosol non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. It doesn't strip finishes off normal stocks (AKA anything not mosin) and cleans up metal parts well. for metal parts I place in a bucket and hose em all down. I then clean up as normal with hoppes and done.

If its a mosin you can hose the stock down, but the cleaner will strip the shellac, so you will have to restain with your choice of color/oil
 

HiredHand

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You need a solvent, heat or a combination of both to remove cosmoline. I've used Simple Green and hot water, Kerosene, and Naptha to remove comosline. I've heard others suggest Mineral Spirits, too.

Just remember to lubricate all the metal parts after you remove the cosmoline.
 

MrShooter

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I've told y'all this 100000x's.
Boil water on stove.
place stock or? above steam by some sort of prop on both ends.
wipe away cosmoline every 5-10 minutes.
cleans it out goooood.
 

XD-9Guy

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Heat & Simple Green here, but I've only cleaned one cosmo packed mil-surp, so I'm speaking from very limited experience.
 
P

point and laugh

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I've used all of the above methods. Brake cleaner is the fastest by far for the metal parts. Mineral spirts for the wood. The heat method, hair drier or steam gets the most out of the wood, but it takes longer and is more work.
I use mineral spirts the most because it is the cheapest and easiest, but the wood will still leak cosmoline on hot days.
 

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