Best way to clean cosmoline?

[Moose242]

I recently picked up a few old Mausers that are just covered in cosmoline. I have had guns in the past with light coats on the bolts/receiver and whatnot, but these things look like some Slavic fuck just dunked them in a giant vat of the goo and put them in a warehouse for the better part of a century.

I have heard of using paint thinner, diesel, simple green, kerosene, etc. but I do not want to damage the finish of the stocks (they are sweating cosmo). What methods have you used in the past?

[Superwho]

I sweat them outside in the sun on a tarp and wipe them down every few hours. It's a looooong process, but gets it done.

[Moose242]

I sweat them outside in the sun on a tarp and wipe them down every few hours. It's a looooong process, but gets it done.

Hmm, I like it. Lawn chair + beer + guns hanging = results!

[GrayStangGT]

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Dallas+TX+USTX0327:1:US

Looks like it will be a good day for cooking guns outside in the DFW.

[brandon01rt]

I just cleaned my Mosin. Lowes sells decreaser by the gallon in the paint dept. I got a 5 gallon bucket and put every piece of metal in there besides the barrell and wood. I poured the degreaser in the bucket and let it sit for a few hours. When I pulled the parts out they were very clean and the cosmoline had all floated to the top. As for the wood, I wiped off the top layer of cosmoline with a little degreaser and set it outside all day to sweat. Be sure and use a tarp!

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[helosailor]

I sweat them outside in the sun on a tarp and wipe them down every few hours. It's a looooong process, but gets it done.

http://www.weather.com/weather/today...+USTX0327:1:US

Looks like it will be a good day for cooking guns outside in the DFW.

Hmm, I like it. Lawn chair + beer + guns hanging = results!

Problem = solved.

"Sweating" them seems to be the best way to go about it without risking damage to any components.

[SS Junk]

Mineral Spirits should work as well.

[Sleeper]

Make a oven out of a metal trashcan and wait. Right now is a great time with them temps. 105 here today.

[Mach1Run]

Wrap in black trash bag and hang it out in the sun. Wipe the cosmo that weeps out off periodically. Repeat until it stops sweating, or you've had enough. Though if it's really soaked into the wood you may never get it all out without stripping the finish.

[CJ]

pull the bolt open and keep the action level and aimed down, so the cosmoline doesn't seep into the wood stock.

[dee]

Mineral Spirits should work as well.

Simple Green works too and is a little less harsh.

[Mr_Fiux]

Alex since I don't have either a backyard or a front yard, I can't just put out and cook my guns for the better part of society to see. So I just use a heat gun to "cook" the cosmoline into liquid form, and watch it oooze out from the front of the muzzle.

[Moose242]

Alex since I don't have either a backyard or a front yard, I can't just put out and cook my guns for the better part of society to see. So I just use a heat gun to "cook" the cosmoline into liquid form, and watch it oooze out from the front of the muzzle.

Same problem here, I do not have a yard but I recon I can put them in my Dad's this weekend and drink his beer.

[Mr_Fiux]

Same problem here, I do not have a yard but I recon I can put them in my Dad's this weekend and drink his beer.

Problem solved. Oh yeah. BUCKETS! Make sure you have a dripping container. I didn't think it would actually be like liquid and I though a towel would have sufficed.

[Moose242]

Problem solved. Oh yeah. BUCKETS! Make sure you have a dripping container. I didn't think it would actually be like liquid and I though a towel would have sufficed.

Holy shit dude, how much crap actually comes out of a cosmo soaked gun?