Clean off the gunk

[shootin bottlecaps]

In a spur of the moment decision, I just bought a $99 special, Mosin 91/30. I will have to wait 10 days to pick it up. I figure it will take at least that long to assemble the necessary cleaning supplies to get rid of 50 years worth of grease, grime, filth etc that they pack them in. What recommendations do you all have for getting this gun cleaned up and ready for business? Thanks, Jack

[woolleyworm]

Use hot hot hot water or if you have one of those hand-held steamers, use it to get off all the major stuff. Then disassemble everything and scrub with mineral spirits or some bore cleaner. Ed's Red borecleaner is supposed to work well, but I have yet to try it. Have plenty of gloves, drop mat to catch any dripping cosmoline and rags. You'll find that it's a pain in the kester to get it all removed, but it sure does a fine job of preserving a gun. Give the bolt and receiver a very detailed scrubbing.

[JLA]

I disassemble the bolt and other small parts on the rifle that will fit in a boiling pot and boil them in soapy water. Dawn really does get grease outta your way..

For the barreled action you can either use the hot soapy water from boiling the small parts and an old tooth brush or you can use brake parts cleaner. either way will require that you completely re-lube the entire rifle if you dont want it to rust up.

My preferred bore solvent is Butchs bore shine, But I have been messin with Montana Xtreme bore solvent and its proving to be even better than Butchs. So either of those 2 will do you justice. Just be careful of the Montana Xtreme, itll melt your sinuses if you smell it directly from the bottle...

[old semperfi]

a good quality mineral spirits and then very hot soapy water will do the trick...old semperfi

[JUNKKING]

Simple Green works wonders. Also a little CLR in some water will clean any rust and grease away.

[gdmoody]

Be careful not to get the brake cleaner on the wood, don't ask me how I know!!

[JUNKKING]

I ruined a pair of ruger red emblem grips with brake cleaner just sort of made them all sticky and began to melt in my hand.

[polishshooter]

The only thing that works almost as good as gasoline but is a HELLUVA lot safer is Denatured Alcohol.

Mineral Spirits did not work well for me and I have cleaned at least 100 of those buggers...ranging from "Lightly preserved" to "I'll try to use up ALL the cosmoline on THIS one and maybe we'll run out so we can have a break...." ones...

The spray "Goof Off" works as well and is safer yet, but finish up with the alcohol....

If you use gasoline, be OUTSIDE away from any sparks or flame and for gosh sake do NOT smoke


For gasoline I put a LITTLE in a metal coffee can at a time, and used an old paint brush to paint it on and work it in, over a metal pan to catch the gunky runoff. Final rubdown is with a rag, You will get enough gas on the rag in the process you don't need to dip it first, although I have done that too....

This is the QUICKEST, but also the most DANGEROUS method....

Do NOT put the rag in the garage when you are done, EITHER.

Also, if you are lucky enough to have an old section of gutter you can seal the ends on, or an old metal window planter box that doesn't leak, simply remove the barreled action from the wood an as you are working on cleaning the wood, let all the metal parts soak in the gas....

When you are done with the wood the metal will clean up fine, even makes the "cosmoturds" you will push out the barrel of the BAD ones come out easier....


I refrain though from too much chemicals on the wood, and after I strip all the metal off it, I usually use some type of a water based cleaner on it....too much chemicals and you will have to figure on sealing the wood again....if you plan on sealing or oiling the wodd again, use 'Easy-Off" oven cleaner on it...but it WILL remove old finish....