Sks cosmoline removal

I cleaned all my metal parts in mineral spirits and tried a few different tricks with the stock as using an oven definitly was out of the question.
First I vaccuum sealed the stock with rags wraped around it and, put it in the tub with boiling water and hot water. That got lots out and I finished it off with the ol garbage bag in a car. That part might be hard to do this time of year though...
 
I just got my SKS shipped in this afternoon and I broke her down and I dont see anything caked on any of the part. Is it possible that some might be shipped pre-cosmo cleaned?

For instance, heres the bolt carrier...no caked on sticky crap...

001-1.jpg


just a thick layer of gun oil/ lube. Ill probably throw everything into some hot water and clean her up really good anyways, but im just curious.

Edit: The photo sucks, camera wouldnt focus -.-
 
Last edited:
Justhanging, I got both of mine from Lebarons a week ago and was told at the time of purchase that they were cosmo free :) Ive already got the 51' completely broken down and in the process of refinishing the stock! Zero cosmo and zero rust!! I couldnt even get the slightest in cosmo residue to sweat from the stock. Idk if coming precleaned is becoming the norm but I was very happy to not have to deal with the cosmo issue!!
 
Cool...well if its supposed to be noticeable when the cosmo is on, i dont notice it at all. Everything is just covered in oil, which can be rubbed off without any application of heat, so im pretty sure im not mistaking it with cosmo...im new at this tho so i could be lol
 
Rock Out w/ Ur Glock Out said:
Justhanging, I got both of mine from Lebarons a week ago and was told at the time of purchase that they were cosmo free :) Ive already got the 51' completely broken down and in the process of refinishing the stock! Zero cosmo and zero rust!! I couldnt even get the slightest in cosmo residue to sweat from the stock. Idk if coming precleaned is becoming the norm but I was very happy to not have to deal with the cosmo issue!!
Click to expand...

Call me nuts, but I'm kind of glad mine came traditionally caked in the stuff. It is, as someone else put it on here, a "right of passage"
It helped me discover how to fully break down the gun and reassemble it. Plus, it was a Father/Son project we worked on together, and heck, you can always use those :)
 
For the trigger group and magazine you can drop both of these into a pot of boiling water. The cosmoline boils out of all those impossible to reach places in no time flat. Then give the parts a thorough blast with an air compressor and heat them in the oven for a while to sweat out any remaining moisture. The rest of the components I would clean using one or more of the methods mentioned above.
 
It took me all of 30 minutes with bodyshop grade thinner. The stock is to be refinished as well so I quickly used it there too. Clean and cosmoline free.
 
DiMP said:
Call me nuts, but I'm kind of glad mine came traditionally caked in the stuff. It is, as someone else put it on here, a "right of passage"
It helped me discover how to fully break down the gun and reassemble it. Plus, it was a Father/Son project we worked on together, and heck, you can always use those :)
Click to expand...

This is exactly how it was with my first SKS. Good times, even the frustrating parts!
 
Me personally, I don't give a #### if its got cosmo externally in the nooks and crannies, it keeps #### from rusting.

I cleaned all the internals, make sure everything functions perfect, clean the stock and away I go.
 
I wouldn't think that putting a metal barrel in hot water would be good for it. Not just because its water, but heat tends to cause metal to expand. Granted, the barrel will heat up when its fired, but if a firing a few shots causes the rifle to shoot slightly better or worse, hot water must affect it as well. On the other hand, if the metal expands while being heated from firing, and corrosive primer salts are getting into nooks & crannies, perhaps hot water might actually serve a purpose in expanding the metal for cleaning purposes?

Not sure if its been mentioned, but WD-40 seems to work nicely in cleaning up cosmoline, and leaves the metal lubricated as well.
 
liberal-hater said:
Varsol is a solvent which can be used to thin oil base paints. Also an excellent degreaser.

No, it will not harm bluing, or parkerizing, or chrome plating whatsoever. In that regard, it is no different than bore solvent.
Click to expand...

Was just reading the Russian SKS sticky and it mentions that some refurbs have painted parts instead of bluing, so those folks might need to watch out for varsol, depending on the paint I guess.
 
Tyockell18 said:
Me personally, I don't give a s**t if its got cosmo externally in the nooks and crannies, it keeps s**t from rusting.

I cleaned all the internals, make sure everything functions perfect, clean the stock and away I go.
Click to expand...

I thought I was the only person with this mentality. I just make the chamber, barrel, and internals are cleaned and lubed up, and then I wipe down the stock. The other parts of the gun I leave with the cosmo on, because I like knowing that the underside of my gun won't rust.
 
Thanks for the information, my sks was just delivered today.. so I'll be starting this conquest tonight hopefully!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom