Author Topic: Cosmoline Removal (Read 747 times)

K.K. · « **on:** February 14, 2006, 02:58:19 PM »

Can anyone tell me an effective way to remove the cosmoline from my new Yugo SKS? Someone I know took his the car wash, but that won't fly in my neck of the woods. ANy suggestions?

1911crazy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2006, 04:24:47 PM »

Is this one of the new unissued yugo sks's? om the wood stock. I washed my stock with rubbing alcohol and paper towels a few times to get most of the grime out of it. You could try Murphy's wood soap but i found that alcohol does it better with the yugo stocks. The receiver i let it soak in one of those large blue tubs from walmart with 3 or 4 gallons of kerosene in it. I use a soft parts cleaning brush between letting it soak. After most of the cosmoline is melted off i will clean the gun with G.I. Rifle Bore Cleaner and then reassemble it to the wood after its clean and dry. Take care in cleaning the cosmoline out of the gas tube and bolt too. The firing pin must be taken out of the bolt to clean the firing pin bore out good so slam fires won't happen by the firing pin sticking. I put very little oil on the firing pin when reassembling it.

jack19512 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2006, 02:27:25 AM »

I have always used kerosene and my air compressor. Air compressor always does a good job removing cosmoline from those hard to get areas. Wear eye protection of course.

Mikey · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2006, 02:57:25 AM »

Kerosene, carboreator cleaner, gas, anything like that will clean the cosmo off the metal but the stuff that has soaked into the wood stock is another thing. I use Murphy's Oil Soap and it does a really good job of getting the excess off. You don't want to get the stock too wet or it might warp a bit on you. After I have gotten the excess off and the stock looks clean, a couple of range sessions that warms up the action and barrell usually gets the remaining cosmo to leach out of the stock.

One of my old Mausers was soooo soaked with cosmo that even after the Murphy's I put the stock under a couple of heat lamps for a day and went back every couple of hours to wipe it down again, and the cosmo is still not all out. Mikey.

K.K. · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:32:01 AM »

Thanks for all your help, guys! It is one of the new unissued Yugos. I already have a couple of cases of Wolf ammo to burn up once I get her cleaned out!

darrell8937 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:37:59 AM »

I cleaned the heck out of 48 mauser using methods mentioned here.. she seems slick as a whistle.. but when you get into some heavy firing,, she still drools alittle. probaly always will.

jack19512 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:07:54 AM »

The stock is especially hard to get cleaned. Some have laid the rifle out in the sun and that seems to do pretty good. Not an option right now but something to think about later.

Ocsamschainsaw · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:03:12 PM »

I've always used easy-off oven cleaner, or baking.
Works like a charm...
Though after one time of degreasing an M48 Mauser in the bathtub..yeah..not again. Hoo boy. Nice ring there.

Ifishsum · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2006, 06:07:56 PM »

I put my stock near the woodstove and wiped it down every hour or so. After three evenings no more cosmo, and the stock lightened up quite a bit.

S.S. · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2006, 07:49:53 AM »

I have never been fully successful at getting all of the cosmoline
out of a wood stock. I have had some for DECADES that still sweat it out
in warm weather.

hardertr · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2006, 07:51:32 AM »

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/lowheatmethod2a/index.asp

This looks like a bit of work....but apparently it works.

I have a new Enfield, an SKS and (picking up later today) a Yugo24/47 that are all pretty much caked in cosmoline. If this works, it will sure make life easier.

My new goal in life is to make all of my stocks look like jack19512's K31s!