Where's this cosmoline?

mikethebike

mikethebike

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So got my first sks izhvesk 1953 from westrifle.

And I'm a little curious. From what others have been mentioning I was expecting to see this rifle covered in a dirty yellowish much, but I barely dirtied a scott towel while rubbing the innards a bit. Yah it was a bit dirty with cosmoline but no way as much as what i expected. Its not even dirtier than when i clean a dirty rifle.
So anywho I gave the bolt and action parts a rough clean with a gun cleaning solution just in case, but still it came out pretty damn clean.

So my question, where is it that I'm supposed to be looking for this cosmoline? Is it in the stock where the barrel sits? because that the only part I didn't take out yet. If it's in that area does it really matter?

On a side note that rifle is a beauty, I'm still not sure if I'm going to shoot it, it's gorgeous!

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Did you take out the trigger group and clean that also. These russian guns don't seem to have the hard stuff on them as bad except the cracks and the stock screws. The crate mine came in looks like they actually poured the the stuff on them as the bottom was swimming in it. Also you haven't got the gas tube out and cleaned them either.
 
Raton57 said:
Did you take out the trigger gruop and clean that also. These russian guns don't seem to have the hard stuff on them as bad except the cracks and the stock screws. The crate mine came in looks like they actually poured the the stuff on them as the bottom was swimming in it.
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ok I'll take the trigger group out and check. But from what I can see while peering in there with a flashlight, doesnt look like much yellowstuff in there.
 
Ive done some work on a friends SKS and now own the hardwood stock off it and it has zero cosmoline whatsoever. Not the slightest scent of it either. There was none under the handguard or in the cleaning kit hole in the buttstock. It was a '54 Tula force matched to his rifle that has a blank dust cover. The rifle was also very clean, I have no idea why.
 
make sure you take the gas tube off and ru a swab down the barrel a few times. would not surprise me if they pre clean them where you bought it from. some places do that.
 
My first SKS was absolutely caked in the stuff, took a couple hours and a full can of Birchwood Casey degreaser to get it clean. It oozed out of the stock for a while too whenever it heated up. The second one was a dream by comparison, a light wipe on the outside and minimal cleaning on the guts. I had varying amounts of Cosmo on my three SVT's as well. Maybe it depends who was dipping them in the cosmoline tank 50 years ago? Not too sure, anyways you got lucky, make sure to clean out the firing pin unless you like slam fires and enjoy that beauty of a Russian sewing machine!
 
sandwman27 said:
make sure you take the gas tube off and ru a swab down the barrel a few times. would not surprise me if they pre clean them where you bought it from. some places do that.
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yah damn it, I cut my fringer trying to pull that lever down. Damn russians. Maybe it was precleaned for me, maybe westrifle took care of that for me, not too sure, but at this point i'm counting myself lucky.
 
Your missing the whole, "new Russian rifle" experience, without the cosmoline. It's much like opening a whole canned chicken for the very first time.
 
Well I took it all apart, bolt, trigger, magazine, gas system and barrel, and well it's completely cosmoline free, so that's that. Pinched and cut my fingers a few times getting it back together but that's the russian feel of it.
 
Westrifle claim that they clean the rifles before sending them to the customer.

I just got a 1954 laminated Izzy. Didn't take it apart but it's very clean on the outside and the bolt and inside of the magazine have some oil on them and not cosmoline.
And again the rifle is so pretty I don't want to shoot it. I already have a 1953 Tula that is not as much of a looker but works perfectly.

I'll try to take pictures of mine and post here soon.
 
Had to clean cosmoline from a SKS in the past... was A PAIN in the behind. Be thankful that your rifle was not full of this mixture from hell.
 
MstrBlstr said:
Westrifle claim that they clean the rifles before sending them to the customer.

I just got a 1954 laminated Izzy. Didn't take it apart but it's very clean on the outside and the bolt and inside of the magazine have some oil on them and not cosmoline.
And again the rifle is so pretty I don't want to shoot it. I already have a 1953 Tula that is not as much of a looker but works perfectly.

I'll try to take pictures of mine and post here soon.
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Yah I hear you, I'm not sure I'm gonna shoot mine either, its really gorgeous, I might have to get another one from Westrifle just so that I can shoot that one.
And yes seems like they clean them and really it's worth the extra few bucks to get a real non refurb matching clean rifle from them.

I have to say most things Russian are pretty damn ugly, but this little rifle is a beauty.
 
mikethebike said:
Yah I hear you, I'm not sure I'm gonna shoot mine either, its really gorgeous, I might have to get another one from Westrifle just so that I can shoot that one.
And yes seems like they clean them and really it's worth the extra few bucks to get a real non refurb matching clean rifle from them.

I have to say most things Russian are pretty damn ugly, but this little rifle is a beauty.
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I have my doubts about it being a non-refurb. Mine is almost definitely refurbished. It looks very similar to this one:
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But of course laminated stock is almost always a refurb. Yours could still be arsenal refurbished but that is actually a good thing. Unless you are going for pure collectability and being a safe queen then a refurbished SKS is much more practical. It's much more presentable and will be safer to operate. Only the nerdiest gun geek will care that it's been untouched. It's like an unrestored classic car. Great museum piece if in good condition but a fully restored example would be much more fun on Sundays :)
 
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