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How To Build A Budget "Sniper" Rifle Part 2.1 - Cosmoline Removal for the Mosin-Nagant
I've decided to write this article because one of our fellow ZSDW'ers (ViolentKisses) found an excellent deal on Mosin-Nagant "round receiver" 91/30 rifles in a thread called "Deal or Pass - The $90 Century Arms Russian M91/30 Rifle." I have long felt that the Mosin-Nagant rifle is the ultimate "beginner survival" rifle because of its low price and its high value. It is accurate and reliable, and shoots a full caliber cartridge relatively accurately. In light of this, I've decided to write up an article regarding my method of cosmoline removal. There are many different ways to do this, but mine is simple and inexpensive and it doesn't require the construction of a "solar oven."
What is cosmoline? Well, there's a short answer and a long answer to this question. Cosmoline is a wax- like, petroleum-based preservative/lubricant that is used in many countries to protect military hardware from corrosion and rust. It's extremely effective in its job of preventing rust but its surprisingly difficult to remove. In fact, it's virtually impossible to remove all of the cosmoline on the rifle without completely refinishing the stock and metal of the rifle. However, with a little bit of elbow grease, a clean and properly prepared work space and an hour or two of work, you can remove 95% of this film and bring the rifle back to 100% functionality.
In this tutorial, I will not go directly into the breakdown of the rifle - it is much too time consuming and would take up a considerable amount of space on the page. I have attached several links to fully-illustrated directions that go into specific detail regarding assembly and disassembly of the Mosin-Nagant and it's bolt. These will come in very handy for new Mosin-Nagant owners of any type because each rifle disassembles the same way!
Tools Required
COSMOLINE REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS
Here's a few tips that'll help make this process smoother. Keep your workspace clean by throwing away your used paper/shop towels. You will use a lot of them. If the weather will accommodate working outside, do so. Work in a well-ventilated area.
1. Completely disassemble the rifle and bolt and place on newspaper-covered workspace. Make sure to wear your rubber or latex gloves to keep from making your hands nasty during disassembly procedure.
3. BOLT
When you purchase a Mosin-Nagant, often time you will receive a plastic bag full of rifle accessories, including a leather ammunition pouch, sling, "take down tool," oil can, and cleaning tools. These parts are also typically covered in dense quantities of cosmoline and should be cleaned if you intend to use them. The sling and ammunition pouch are both extremely useful and should be cleaned, and the sling should be installed after the stock dries.
8. FINAL CLEANUP AND REASSEMBLY
After removing the cosmoline from all of the metal surfaces of the rifle, you should detail clean the rifle using your rifle cleaning kit, bore solvent and general purpose gun oil. Thoroughly clean the bore of your rifle using a bore brush, solvent and your bore sheets. Make sure to lightly lubricate all metal surfaces for rust prevention and pay close attention to places on the bolt that have metal-on-metal contact.
What is cosmoline? Well, there's a short answer and a long answer to this question. Cosmoline is a wax- like, petroleum-based preservative/lubricant that is used in many countries to protect military hardware from corrosion and rust. It's extremely effective in its job of preventing rust but its surprisingly difficult to remove. In fact, it's virtually impossible to remove all of the cosmoline on the rifle without completely refinishing the stock and metal of the rifle. However, with a little bit of elbow grease, a clean and properly prepared work space and an hour or two of work, you can remove 95% of this film and bring the rifle back to 100% functionality.
Tools Required
(1) Mosin-Nagant rifle, covered and filled with cosmoline
- (1) Large table or floor, covered in several layers of old newspaper
- (1) Pair of rubber or latex gloves
- (1) Slotted screwdriver, preferably with broad tip for disassembling the rifle
- (1) Large Tupperware (or similar) container
- (1) Large can of WD-40
- (1) Old toothbrush
- (2) Rolls of disposable blue "shop towels" or heavy duty paper towels
- (1) Empty trash can, with liner in place for cosmoline saturated towels
- (2) Old (disposable) T-shirts
- (1) Very hot water, about I liter/quart.
- Rifle cleaning kit, caliber 7.62 - 8mm
- Bore solvent (Hoppe's No.9)
- Firearm Lubricant Spray (Rem-Oil or Break Free CLP)
- .30 Caliber bore patches (or an old T-shirt cut into 2 inch squares)
COSMOLINE REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS
Here's a few tips that'll help make this process smoother. Keep your workspace clean by throwing away your used paper/shop towels. You will use a lot of them. If the weather will accommodate working outside, do so. Work in a well-ventilated area.
1. Completely disassemble the rifle and bolt and place on newspaper-covered workspace. Make sure to wear your rubber or latex gloves to keep from making your hands nasty during disassembly procedure.
- Disassembly and Reassembly Instructions for the Mosin-Nagant from SurplusRifle.com
- Disassembly and Reassembly of the Mosin-Nagant Bolt from SurplusRifle.com
3. BOLT
- Thoroughly spray WD-40 onto one of your old and used tooth brushes, and begin scrubbing and cleaning the cosmoline off of all of your bolt components.
- After thoroughly scrubbing each bolt component, take a clean paper towel or shop towel and remove all of the cosmoline/WD-40 mess.
- Spray bolt components with second coat of WD-40 and repeat the first half of "Step Three." There should be no visible cosmoline on any of the bolt components - if there is still junk there, clean more vigorously until there is no more cosmoline visible. Make sure to check each little crevice and ensure that they're clean.
- Reassemble bolt using directions from step one and place cleaned bolt in the large Tupperwear container. Clean toothbrush with WD-40 and a paper/shop towel.
- Similarly to "Step Three," spray your toothbrush down with WD-40 and vigorously scrub all of the metal components that aren't directly attached to the barreled action (receiver, trigger components, barrel, sights).
- Make sure to wipe the mess off of each part and to repeat cleaning on each part, as instructed in "Step Three."
- Place cleaned components into the large Tupperwear container, next to the bolt.
- The stock components and hand guard are the most challenging part of the cosmoline clean-up because underneath the cosmoline is a lacquer or shellac finish that will not stand abuse from heavy duty cleaners or gun oil. The stock is the most time consuming part to clean.
- The easiest way to clean the stock is using an old t-shirt and hot water. Lightly dampen one of your old and disposable t-shirts with hot water and remove the comsoline from the stock and hand guard. Make sure to get into all of the cracks and crevices. The cosmoline should come off pretty easily if the water is very hot. Do not saturate the stock, hand guard or the t-shirt as it may cause the stock to swell.
- Repeat until you've removed as much cosmoline as possible.
- Quickly dry the stock and hand guard with your other spare disposable t-shirt and set in an area where it can air dry overnight.
- If you proceed carefully and do not saturate the stock with water, this method should cause no damage, discoloration or swelling to the stock or it's finish. Make sure to allow the stock to air dry overnight before reassembling the rifle!
- EXTRA: You can expedite the drying process by setting up the stock and hand guard and directing a fan towards the stock. This will help the stock dry more thoroughly.
- Using the Mosin-Nagant cleaning rod, push the cosmoline out of the barrel from the receiver-side toward the muzzle. There should be a considerable amount of cosmoline inside the bore of the rifle. Clean the cosmoline off of the cleaning rod and place inside the large Tupperware container with the other clean parts.
- The receiver, barrel, sights and trigger parts have been soaking in WD-40 for some time and the cosmoline should be loosened up considerably. Spray everything down again (especially the trigger parts) and thoroughly clean using your old toothbrush.
- The trigger components will likely be very nasty - make sure to clean them thoroughly. Take care to not lose trigger retention pin, which can fall out very easily.
- Remove as much cosmoline as possible. It may be beneficial to use the warm, damp t-shirt used on the stock to remove cosmoline from the receiver and chamber area of the barrel.
When you purchase a Mosin-Nagant, often time you will receive a plastic bag full of rifle accessories, including a leather ammunition pouch, sling, "take down tool," oil can, and cleaning tools. These parts are also typically covered in dense quantities of cosmoline and should be cleaned if you intend to use them. The sling and ammunition pouch are both extremely useful and should be cleaned, and the sling should be installed after the stock dries.
8. FINAL CLEANUP AND REASSEMBLY
After removing the cosmoline from all of the metal surfaces of the rifle, you should detail clean the rifle using your rifle cleaning kit, bore solvent and general purpose gun oil. Thoroughly clean the bore of your rifle using a bore brush, solvent and your bore sheets. Make sure to lightly lubricate all metal surfaces for rust prevention and pay close attention to places on the bolt that have metal-on-metal contact.
To Part 3 - Ammo Selection Guide
 LJ26's Weapons and Practical Skills Corner by (LJ126) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. Based on a work at www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com. |
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Latest page update: made by LJ126
, Apr 30 2010, 11:46 AM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| zhunterd | 1,000 yards 1942 91/30 Russian Mosin-Nagant (P/U) sniper rifle | 4 | Feb 4 2012, 12:06 AM EST by Sharpie41 | ||
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Thread started: Feb 2 2012, 11:37 PM EST
Watch
I am glad I have been buying mosin nagants. This helps reinforce what could be done with one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2M1hC4c0tc |
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