Since this thread was bumped again, I thought I would share my story.

I guess I have tried everything from diesel to parts cleaners and got varying results. Being into the restoring old cars, I had a bunch of 3M Automotive Adhesive Remover laying around. This stuff is formulated to take off glue without damaging paint.

It cut through cosmoline like a hot knife through butter.

Tj

I got this recipe from an Armorer for the California Department of Corrections. He maintains all of thier weapons for the prisons in Northeastern California. He calls it secret sauce. It is made from equal parts isopropal alcohol. murphys oil soap, and hydrogen peroxide. It is really great. I use it to clean my black powder revolvers. I mix it up by the gallon in a resalable container I got a walmart taht has a lid big enough to stick a large revolver in. I just take the grips off, remove that cylinder, then soak all of the parts. You can see the peroxide working on the black powder residue. It removes most of the carbon build up. Then just a light brushing, and a few patches and presto it is done. The murphys oil soap keeps it from rusting. If it eats black powder residue. It should work well on cosmoline.

Another RWVA instructor friend of mine used this on a few of his Mosins. I have not tried it yet, but his rifles look like custom jobs. I cut and pasted his message. Note... he gives you the secret to a fine finnish for his Finn Mosin:

"I've also used a paste made of whiting and lacquer thinner to draw gunk out of wood. Whiting is an absorbent white powder now used as a paint additive. I found a half-pint box at a Pittsburgh Paint dealer; the 'box' stores didn't have it. Mix a tablespoon of whiting with enough volatile thinner (I've also used acetone) to make a paste, then spread the paste generously over the wood.. The thinner dissolves the gunk and the whiting absorbs it. Once the thinner evaporates, the 'gunked' whiting can be brushed off. As you've discovered, using straight thinner does dissolve the gunk, but wiping the dissolved gunk with a rag just smears it around.

Once I had the worst crud off, I rubbed on some so-called Finn Finish: a paste made from equal parts beeswax, linseed oil, and turpentine. I melted the brown beeswax by putting chunks in a tin can then submerging half the can in a pot of boiling water. After the beeswax melted I removed the can from the water bath and added the linseed oil and the turpentine. I quickly poured the still-liquid mixture into a baby food jar, but any airtight jar (like a Grey Poupon jar) will work. The mixture was allowed to solidify/stiffen up; keep the lid on to keep the turpentine from evaporating."

The 3M stuff TJ tried sounds quick n' efficient.

Works great...just make sure you use a "old" pot You will not want to cook food in it after the cosmoline boil

I stripped mine down and just boiled it off on the stove. Pretty orderless. I did the same with a ton of AK mags that were COATED with that crap. Another think you can do is just hose it down with brake cleaner. It dissolves it very well and blows it clear.

Also a quick trip to the car wash (late at night) and three quarters later you will have hosed off the whole gun and degreased. Apply oil liberally and you are GTG. (At least in my experience!! LOL)

Greg

Lots of good tips! Hell I just did a turkish mauser! Way too long to put in the oven! after the brake clean I ended up sitting it muzzle down in a car with the windows up! It was still weeping two days latter When it was said and done I love the gun

I'd love to see a photo.I've always wanted a Turkish Mauser. I have a bunch of Swedes.

This post has been edited by Gmountain: October 10th 2009 9:21 PM

Will do! My granddad Got it from an Indian out in AZ it went to my dad when he died. I grabbed it!! KICKS like a mule and does it shoot!

PICS SOON

A easy way to remove cosmoline is to use Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner. Works great and it works fast

M1S90

I use wd 40 and a scraper at work. My wife wigged out when I put an exhaust manifold in the oven......

Trichlor works great too. You can still get it in spray cans as circuit board cleaner. Designed to cut through dried soldering resin it makes cosmoline give up pretty fast.

Man you havent seen my Yugo SKS's they're terrible. Its gotta be like 1/8 inch deep in some places

That's the exact gun the last time I used the 3m Adhesive Remover to get it off.

BTW, Those Yugo SKS stored in cosmo are really nice. You're going to like it. That's one well built firearm, excellent machining.

Tj

Thanks for these tips. I think you can find others at surplusrifle.com. I have seen pictures of an "easy bake oven" made with a galvanized trash can and high wattage light bulb to remove cosmoline from larger items (stocks, barrels) and I have also wrapped a stock from a Mosin Nagant in an old towel, then inside a black trash bag, and left in my car on a hot summer day.

What's a hot summer day in Maine- 50 or 60 degrees?