So, I have several milsurps in different states of cleanness. Some are common some are rare and expensive. I also have some deactivated. How do you clean the exterior (metal and wood) and the internals of your milsurps without affecting their values?
What do you use to clean your old milsurps?
- Thread starter AlexV
- Start date
I have cleaned 100's of guns in different stages of "Dirty" . How you do it depends on what stage they are @ and what you want in the end.
Milsurps are often covered with grease or similar product.,,,,,,,,,, I would use Varsol , brushes ( of diffent sizes) & a rag.
If some surface rust was present that I wanted off ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I would use fine/ med. steel wool wet with W-D-40.
With the rust , I have heard of some people scraping with a peice of copper or brass , but not used it myself.
If you need more than above , then you most luckly need a refinish job ?
I use ballistol as well and have had no issues. Varsol could cause issues depending on the finish. Do not use any sort of alcohol based cleaner on Russian AKMs as their paint finish is of poor quality and will come off. I use renaissance wax on clean dry wood and metal afterwards to protect. RIG grease on internals (or externals too if you plan on storing for long term, wrap in clingwrap after)
Watch some videos on-line for 'boiling' blued metal and then cleaning with 0000 steel wool or a carding wheel on a grinder. Converts rust to black oxide. Takes time but it preserves the metal and remaining bluing without affecting the finish. Wood I've used brake clean to wipe off gunk and crap and then usually apply some BLO to reseal the wood. You can steam dents out with a cotton rag and water using an iron as well. Don't sand anything! Recently did a couple older rifles this way and they turned out excellent.
AlexV, your question has been asked by thousands of people.
Best thing, if they're still in original cosmoline, and you don't intend to use them, LEAVE THEM ALONE.
If you want to display them only, clean the outside and leave the internals full of cosmo.
If you want to shoot them, then that will depend on much elbow grease you want to involve.
That old cosmoline can be very hard to get out of all the corners and out of the stock. Usually if the rifle was coated when it was new and put into long-term storage, the stuff hasn't soaked into the wood too far and with a bit of effort will wipe away.
I like to use a blow dryer, for drying hair, at high heat to soften the cosmo and wipe it off. I do small sections at a time or it just gets too messy.
Lots of different methods and they all work, some are easier than others.
To get dirt and grime off depends on where and when the dirt and grime got onto the firearm. Some collectors will not even look at a firearm they would like in their collections, if they've been cleaned, other than to deter rust.
Some stocks have been slathered with OIL and it's soaked into them, to the point of making them useless for shooting.
The wood gets softened etc.
If it's just grime from storage conditions where you keep them. Toothbrushes, rags, bore brushes, PROPER FITTING SCREWDRIVERS are your friends.
When push comes to shove, there is just no easy way to do the job well.
Best thing, if they're still in original cosmoline, and you don't intend to use them, LEAVE THEM ALONE.
If you want to display them only, clean the outside and leave the internals full of cosmo.
If you want to shoot them, then that will depend on much elbow grease you want to involve.
That old cosmoline can be very hard to get out of all the corners and out of the stock. Usually if the rifle was coated when it was new and put into long-term storage, the stuff hasn't soaked into the wood too far and with a bit of effort will wipe away.
I like to use a blow dryer, for drying hair, at high heat to soften the cosmo and wipe it off. I do small sections at a time or it just gets too messy.
Lots of different methods and they all work, some are easier than others.
To get dirt and grime off depends on where and when the dirt and grime got onto the firearm. Some collectors will not even look at a firearm they would like in their collections, if they've been cleaned, other than to deter rust.
Some stocks have been slathered with OIL and it's soaked into them, to the point of making them useless for shooting.
The wood gets softened etc.
If it's just grime from storage conditions where you keep them. Toothbrushes, rags, bore brushes, PROPER FITTING SCREWDRIVERS are your friends.
When push comes to shove, there is just no easy way to do the job well.
