Educational Zone #23 - Cosmoline Removal

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Educational Zone #23 - Cosmoline Removal - Page 3

I then use an air compressor to blow any remaining stuff out.

Keep at it until it is completely clean.

I use an old toothbrush to get at the small areas on the bolt and other areas.

Just keep repeating, "Cosmoline is our friend. Cosmoline is our friend."

The sight assembly took some extra work, but came clean.

Notice how the Mineral Spirits is getting dirty.

When it is too dirty, I just change it and start over with a fresh supply.

Lastly, I wash the stock.

I bought some "greenie" pads and use this and the Mineral Spirits to clean the stock.

Then wipe it dry and let a fan blow on it for about an hour and it will be totally dry and ready for refinishing.

My buddy Tman lightly sanded the stock.

This particular stock had no valuable cartouches on it, and there was no reason not to lightly sand it.

He then stained it and finally rubbed it down with a satin finish.

I do not "bleed out" all the oil in the stock. In fact, I'm not sure it is even possible.

I wash it in mineral spirits and then let it dry in the sun for about 30 minutes. It will be so dry that it will have a kind of gray color on the surface. But after finishing it, when it gets hot, it will bleed again.

I know some folks have self-built ovens where they heat up the stock in an attempt to bleed out all the oil. I've even heard of guys hanging their stocks in the hot attic in the summer, over a box of cat litter, to get out as much cosmoline and oil as possible.

My experience is that no matter how much you get out, if you shoot it a lot on a hot day, it is going to bleed oil.

An intresting thing I've noticed is that even with a poly finish such as I use, the oil will bleed out and I just wipe it off the stock. It doesn't seem to hurt the finish at all.

You'd think that it would "lift" the poly, but it doesn't. I just wipe it off.

Here's the finished product, after reassembly.

And here I am, blazing away with it at the range.

Notice the smoke coming out of the barrel.

It shot great. Not a single failure of any kind.

Conclusions:
C&R collecting is a great and not-too-expensive hobby. Refinishing these fine old weapons to "better then original" condition is a fun way to spend a weekend.

Give it a try. You'll enjoy it.