SKS caked in cosmoline

[Elenah]

Hello all,
I recently got gifted a pretty crappy Chinese SKS that is CAKED in cosmoline. I don't know what the guy who owned it before was thinking.

I've been trying to clean it but the bolt was this ugly orange color and the firing pin only moved after working it with CLP, a mallet, and pliers for an hour. I tried to hammer out the firing pin retainer to no avail, it barely budged and my hands hurt like crazy. I have a bench vise and I don't think I'm THAT weak. I've been watching YouTube videos while I try to clean it and I think my sks is as bad as it gets. I can provide pictures of needed.

Is it important that I get all the cosmoline out? Is slam firing that big of an issue? The firing pin moves in the bolt now with more ease but doesn't drop with gravity.

Thank you!

 

[TreyG-20]

Is it important that I get all the cosmoline out? Is slam firing that big of an issue? The firing pin moves in the bolt now with more ease but doesn't drop with gravity.

Thank you!

Yes it is an issue. Heat is your friend here. Hair dryer or a torch of some sort. You don't want it to get red hot though and loose its heat treat. Just hot enough to melt out the cosmo. I've also left all the parts in a bag sitting out in the hot sun for a day. Melted most of it out that way.

 

[vmax]

Gasoline always worked for me when cleaning up Mosins

 

[Elenah]

Gasoline always worked for me when cleaning up Mosins

Haha I feel like cleaning guns with gasoline would be a bad idea.

Yes it is an issue. Heat is your friend here. Hair dryer or a torch of some sort. You don't want it to get red hot though and loose its heat treat. Just hot enough to melt out the cosmo. I've also left all the parts in a bag sitting out in the hot sun for a day. Melted most of it out that way.

I'll try letting it sit in the sun tomorrow, I'm scared to do anything with a heat gun because of my lack of experience and I don't want to ruin it. Would it be a bad idea to just soak the bolt in a dish of CLP?

 

[Gordo]

You are about to remove the original packing/preservative!
That increases the value by.....(nothing, but better check with collectors).
When I first modified my SKS by removing the 3 pounds of yak fat, did so by scraping a lot of it off, and putting it in an old paint can.
It's probably still in my garage somewhere,in case I ever sell the rifle, and want to get the premium price for it,
like sellers on GunBroker get.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Carb cleaner and compressed air. Watch your eyes!

 

[Gordo]

P.S.
That yak fat is great for greasing windshield wipers
(of someone you don't like)

Don't get carb cleaner on the stock...

 

[Moonpie]

I liked to use Coleman lantern fuel.
Take it apart. Let the parts soak in the fuel for a few minutes. Scrub off with a bronze or brass bristle brush.

 

[Gordo]

Haha I feel like cleaning guns with gasoline would be a bad idea.

Not as bad as MEK that our government has our troops clean stuff with...

 

[Gordo]

Pretty sure Coleman lantern fuel is just expensive mineral spirits, just like charcoal lighter.

 

[no2gates]

Pretty sure Coleman lantern fuel is just expensive mineral spirits, just like charcoal lighter.

I thought it was kerosene

 

[Eastexasrick]

Pretty sure Coleman lantern fuel is just expensive mineral spirits, just like charcoal lighter.

Coleman lantern fuel is white gas. Excellent cleaner.

 

[Elenah]

P.S.
That yak fat is great for greasing windshield wipers
(of someone you don't like)

Don't get carb cleaner on the stock...

Carb cleaner seems a little more toxic but I can try. On that note I do have a few enemies with freshly washed cars hmmmm..

Thank you for all the great advice! I might ask my husband to brute force it out of there. He's used his head to dent my frying pan, maybe he can hammer this out too.

 

[baboon]

Haha I feel like cleaning guns with gasoline would be a bad idea.



I'll try letting it sit in the sun tomorrow, I'm scared to do anything with a heat gun because of my lack of experience and I don't want to ruin it. Would it be a bad idea to just soak the bolt in a dish of CLP?

A stiff bristle brush and gasoline really is the way to go. Sure good ventilation, no smoking or open flame nearby rubber gloves are all in order.

There is a chance this is a new gun under the cosmoline, that was dipped before it left the factory. A blue no scratch Scotch Bright pad might help.

As hot as it is outside in direct sunlight might loosen some of the external cosmoline, but if it’s been dipped you’re not getting the inside loose. Plenty of newspaper down to add in clean up.

 

[TreyG-20]

I'll try letting it sit in the sun tomorrow, I'm scared to do anything with a heat gun because of my lack of experience and I don't want to ruin it. Would it be a bad idea to just soak the bolt in a dish of CLP?

These parts get hotter by firing them than a heat gun will get it. Let it sit in the sun and get nice and hot, then drop the bolt it into whatever solvent you have laying around. Gas, mineral spirits, clp, brake cleaner, carb cleaner etc...

 

[Gordo]

Coleman lantern fuel is white gas. Excellent cleaner.

Give this guy a cookie, he had the correct answer.

 

[vmax]

Haha I feel like cleaning guns with gasoline would be a bad idea.

Yeah. What do I know...I've only cleaned up 15 or 20 WW2 rifles packed in various types of hardened grease...
I'm just a dumbass

 

[RedArmy]

Carb cleaner seems a little more toxic but I can try. On that note I do have a few enemies with freshly washed cars hmmmm..

Thank you for all the great advice! I might ask my husband to brute force it out of there. He's used his head to dent my frying pan, maybe he can hammer this out too.

Try brake clean, it dries up fast without leaving a residue and it's not flammable, get it from the auto parts store. Don't get it in your eyes. I'd spray it with brake clean and use an old tooth brush to work it off. Then leave it soaking in Hoppes No.9, keep scrubbing with the tooth brush. Make sure the gas tube and piston are free of the crap too. I had a friend that was shooting one that was still filled with cosmoline, the thing actually cycled but was slow, lol. I'll bet the tool kit and everything is caked in that crap.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Damn! Actually gas was used more than anything 60 years ago. Still works great.

 

[Eastexasrick]

Give this guy a cookie, he had the correct answer.

Thank you!
Every kid in Texas I knew tapped a well head for white gas when they were low on funds, city kids called it drip gas. Hard to start the motor, but once it got running it was fine.