Pay for Cosmoline cleanup of 91/30?

[squeaky wheel]

I bought a Mosin-Nagant 91/30 recently that was packed full of Cosmoline. I cleaned up most of the Cosmoline on the exterior, but there is much left to do (I haven't disassembled it or even tried to clean the bore or chamber). I don't really have the time or materials and I'm thinking that I would prefer to pay someone else (who knows how to do it properly) do it for me. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[CanTex]

As the days are getting warmer why not take the rifle, put some shop rags under it and wrap it in tin foil, leave it out in the sun on a hot day for a couple hours and then, after the cosmoline has softened up take another try at it. Tools are not expensive, you can get a brush and plastic pics as well as a cleaning kit for under $20 at most stores, Walmart/Acadamy etc. Add a roll of paper towel or some shop rags and you have the tools.

Take it appart, wipe, scrub and pic away till you have removed everything that is not wood or metal. I use toothpicks, Q tips as well as dentist tools in addition to the items above. Over the years I have purchased a number of milsup rifles and learned a lot about them while cleaning them up.

While I am sure you can find someone to do almost everything for you, I wonder at the why of even owning it if you do not have the time to clean it. I say this because it is a simple task, a bit messy, but in doing so you will learn more about the rifle you have, its condition and how it works. Sorry to sound negative, not intended. This is just my suggestion and some of the why.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[dbgun]

Try Youtube.
Cosmoline Removal On The Mosin Nagant !!!.MOV - YouTube


Just my 2¢.

 

[STXdevilsquid]

I just cleaned two using mineral spirits, aka paint thinner made from mineral spirits. Just remove the parts and let them soak, pull out wipe clean, easy. I set my stocks in the sun, worked pretty good, still had some little cleaning.

 

[Hoji]

Brake cleaner

 

[ROGER4314]

I lay the parts and especially the stock out in the hot Texas sun until the oil comes to the surface. I hit it with brake cleaner to wash the oil off then place it back in the sun. Repeat until the oil is gone. That seem to work best.

I took a greasy Enfield stock and submerged it in an industrial solvent tank for 24 hours. That didn't help at all. Later, I took the stock and gave it the Texas sun technique. It cleaned up well enough to take a nice stain and finish.

Flash

 

[Acera]

CanTex have you tried the foil thing? I would guess that would reflect heat and not absorb it like a black plastic trash bag would, defeating the purpose.

I second brake cleaner, used that with good results. Also, while a lot will scream about the danger and health risks, I still use gasoline to clean parts on occasion.

 

[Vaquero]

A couple of mag dumps at Hicksville cooked some out of my sks that I didn't know was there.