First Time Cleaning of Miltiary Surplus Firearms - Page 2

asbraun4 · 03-31-2008, 05:16 PM

Wow that first post looks like a LOT of work. I'm buying a mosin 91/30 from a gun show this weekend and its my first old rifle ive ever bought....is there a way i can buy this from the gun show and not have to clean it out like Cyrano mentioned. I want to start shooting it immediately, or soon after buying it.

Capt'n Mil Coll · 04-01-2008, 02:23 AM

Good for you Asbuaun4. I love old WWII long rifles. I have about 120 right now and am still looking for a few more for my one of every one from WWII.

oldjarhead · 04-01-2008, 02:25 AM

Asbraun4, Clean it first...at least run a patch through the bore. A couple minutes of your time is worth the element of safety.

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-01-2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrano

You might try polishing it with Simichrome metal polish to remove the black sports of tarnish. It's a paste in a tube, meant for use on steel. It is possible to bring things like your bolt body up to a mirror finish using this. That also has the advantage of smoothing the action as well. But I think you can see now why, while I'll use boiling water to melt off Cosmoline from the barreled receiver, I much prefer mineral spirits for moving parts.

Ok, so I did some polishing (mothers mag polish, they didnt have simichrome) last night and the bolt looks great! But now when I dry fire ( I am a dry firing wh*re) the bolt handle moves up a millimeter or two. When I chamber a spent cartridge and dry fire it doesnt move since the expanded cartridge does not allow any movement between the bolt, the extractor and the chamber. But why is it when it is empty the bolt moves up? Did I make something TOO smooth? What exactly is the mechanism that holds the bolt handle down?

Quote:

Originally Posted by asbraun4

Wow that first post looks like a LOT of work. I'm buying a mosin 91/30 from a gun show this weekend and its my first old rifle ive ever bought....is there a way i can buy this from the gun show and not have to clean it out like Cyrano mentioned. I want to start shooting it immediately, or soon after buying it.

It is very much worth it to clean first. It only took about 2 hours for me to break down the rifle into pieces, use a hair dryer (a hello kitty hair dryer nonetheless) and get the cosmo out of the stock while wiping it down with solvent. Boil the bolt, (which I strongly do not recommend, This left the pits very visible with the tarnish produced and made it susceptible to rust. Pouring boiling water on it is better or use brake parts cleaner or mineral spirits) boil the chamber and receiver (again use parts cleaner or MS or simple green), brush the bore down and run a few patches down it. Lightly oil the bolt pieces, the magazine assembly, the trigger group, the interruptor, very lightly oil on the outside of the barrel, a little more on the inside of the receiver and chamber, reassemble, wipe it down and marvel at my own work. Believe me, it feels so good to know that you have taken the time to get to know your rifle intimately and taken care of it properly and then assembled it to your satisfaction. THis makes the shooting all the more gratifying. But make sure to take it to a gunsmith before you fire it just to make sure the headspace is correct. Mine did this in 10 minutes at no charge.

asbraun4 · 04-01-2008, 07:04 PM

What if the headspace isn't correct? That's the first time I've heard someone mention that. Glad I know that now or i wouldn't have taken it to a gunsmith

WISCSHOOTER · 04-07-2008, 01:19 PM

Thanks for the post Cyrano. It will come in handy.

MrsShooter · 04-07-2008, 11:15 PM

Has anyone ever tried using white gas to remove the cosmolene? I was told that or mineral spirits as Cyrano said. Not quite sure what white gas is, but supposedly it takes it right off.

GlockMeister · 04-07-2008, 11:28 PM

Is white gas that silent but deadly stuff? lol

vcpilot79 · 04-11-2008, 01:15 PM

lolol...white gas is the byproduct of a good mexican meal! hahah...hi everyone, first of i just want to say how informative this forum is and want to thank everyone for all of their insight. i picked up my very first firearm just this tuesday. i haven't even fired it, but i love the history that my M91/30 has. I took it apart yesterday to clean it and spent a lot of time with patches and hoppe's solvent to clean out the barrel and seemed like i wasn't making any progress!! i will try the hot water technique and see how it goes. My question is about the sight. currently the sight is a little of center to the left. what is the standard sight position and how do i get it there? Also, what is the propper size bristle brush to run through the bore? the one that i got seems a little small. how do i tell if it is a proper fit?

texnmidwest · 04-11-2008, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcpilot79

lolol...white gas is the byproduct of a good mexican meal! hahah...hi everyone, first of i just want to say how informative this forum is and want to thank everyone for all of their insight. i picked up my very first firearm just this tuesday. i haven't even fired it, but i love the history that my M91/30 has. I took it apart yesterday to clean it and spent a lot of time with patches and hoppe's solvent to clean out the barrel and seemed like i wasn't making any progress!! i will try the hot water technique and see how it goes. My question is about the sight. currently the sight is a little of center to the left. what is the standard sight position and how do i get it there? Also, what is the propper size bristle brush to run through the bore? the one that i got seems a little small. how do i tell if it is a proper fit?

DON"T move the front sight until you have fired it!!!! The rifles should be sighted in my the arsenal. Sometimes they are off to one side a bit. Look to see if there are witness marks on the front of the sight. These are put there to show where the sight is when it is sighted in. If the witness marks are lined up do not change a thing until you see where it shoots.

As mentioned about Hoppe's along will take a while to remove the cosmo. Try mineral spirits it works well and does not overpower you with odor. For the chamber brake cleaner, gun scrubber, carb cleaner etc. will do a wonderful job. The proper size brush is 30 caliber for the bore. If you want to brush the chamber then the 20gauge brush.

sc928porsche · 04-15-2008, 03:23 PM

Before attempting this, be sure that you are in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area, and to use gloves. The quickest and cleanest chemical solution I have found to remove cosmoline is gasoline.

I also recommend that if you do this, that you don't smoke at the time.

Cyrano · 04-15-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc928porsche

Before attempting this, be sure that you are in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area, and to use gloves. The quickest and cleanest chemical solution I have found to remove cosmoline is gasoline.

I also recommend that if you do this, that you don't smoke at the time.

porsche, the reason mineral spirits are used intead of gasoline to remove Cosmoline is mineral spirits are far less volatile than gasoline. You do not have to worry about striking a spark and blowing yourself up, which IS a concern with gasoline and gasoline vapor. Yes, prewar Marine gunnery sergeants used to de-Cosmoline firearms using gasoline; but recruits used boiling water in galvanized trash cans. Marines are sometimes thought to be dumb, but they ain't never stupid!

I would also disagree with you concerning the cleanliness of gasoline as a solvent. I've cleaned metal car parts with gasoline as a field expedient measure, and the parts reeked of gasoline until I cleaned them with something else.

Gasoline belongs in your gas tank, not on your workbench. It's too dangerous to use as a solvent in my opinion. But, to each his own. Welcome to the forum, and enjoy yourself here.

sc928porsche · 04-16-2008, 06:12 AM

Unless your work bench is outside, don't put gasoline on it. Also, when you are through using the rags, be sure to wash them with soap and water and hang them on a line to dry befor disposing of them.......Spontanious combustion can occur if you don't. Never store gasoline in and enclosed area even if it is in an approved container.
The slight "white film" left by gasoline can be cleaned with a simple wash with soap and water. Be sure to dry immediately and put a light coating of oil on the metal parts.
I do apologize for not remembering that there are people out there who might not know the dangers involved with handling volitle materials.

vcpilot79 · 04-16-2008, 06:58 PM

thanks guys! i finally took it and shot off a box of rounds today. what a great rifle! my shoulder is a little sore, and i found out that i am a horrible shot, but i can't wait to take it out again. I used winchester rounds that i bought at Big5, are those rounds corrosive? what is the proper way to clean it after each time i use the rifle?

Cyrano · 04-16-2008, 09:48 PM

vcpilot, welcome to the forum.

I believe the US-made Winchester rounds are non-corrosive. Thus, you can omit the Windex patches those of us who shoot milsurp ammo use. I generally run a bronze brush through a few times, then Hoppe's No. 9-soaked patches until they come back clean; then a couple or three patches to dry out the barrel and the chamber, then an oil patch. I remove the bolt and clean it with Hoppe's and oil and perhaps a touch of brass brush if needed. When I go to replace the bolt, I'll take a dab of fluid grease and lube the receiver before replacing the bolt. (I've found my Mosins prefer grease to oil there; Louis the Mosin Kahuna at our gun club is right.)I'll also wipe down and oil the magazine and the trigger.

It takes longer to write how to do a routine cleaning and lubrication than it does to DO one. So, you can see it's not hard!

vcpilot79 · 04-17-2008, 07:18 PM

thank you!

seabee1984 · 04-29-2008, 11:24 AM

i was plannig on just shooting the piss out of m44 but now i think i just might wait and clean it first

Mike82 · 05-01-2008, 04:27 AM

the winchester 7.62x54r ammo is NOT USA made......they import the rounds from czech i believe....but yeah, the ammo is in fact non-corrosive tho. and it's brass-cased

woohoo

762x39FMJ · 05-12-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Marines are sometimes thought to be dumb, but they ain't never stupid!

Not this one! I used mineral spirits and it took the cosmo right off. Gasoline? Man that took some nads! Lucky you didn't pull a Richard Pryor type of stunt doing that!

White gas AKA naphtha is camp stove gas. Try cleaning your parts in that could also result in removal of all of your body hair and your house. Same as gasoline. It is also oily like kerosene.

Use the methods in the post by Cyrano to remove cosmo safely.

Soldier Medic · 05-15-2008, 08:23 AM

Ha ha ha ha........ owning my M-44 and 38 dose not seem to be so great when i see the up keep on these rifles(J/k). U would swear that my rifles were Dipped in Cosmo through out the whole war and then some. I think they were finally taken out of the hot cosmo sometime after Dessert Storm.......

04-07-2008, 01:19 PM	#26
WISCSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: MILWAUKEE Posts: 101	Thanks for the post Cyrano. It will come in handy. __________________ Their not movin', You're clear.

04-07-2008, 11:28 PM	#28
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,483	Is white gas that silent but deadly stuff? lol __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-16-2008, 06:12 AM	#33
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: living in Alabama now Posts: 239	reply Unless your work bench is outside, don't put gasoline on it. Also, when you are through using the rags, be sure to wash them with soap and water and hang them on a line to dry befor disposing of them.......Spontanious combustion can occur if you don't. Never store gasoline in and enclosed area even if it is in an approved container. The slight "white film" left by gasoline can be cleaned with a simple wash with soap and water. Be sure to dry immediately and put a light coating of oil on the metal parts. I do apologize for not remembering that there are people out there who might not know the dangers involved with handling volitle materials.

05-01-2008, 04:27 AM	#38
Mike82 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi USA Posts: 1,027 Images: 7	the winchester 7.62x54r ammo is NOT USA made......they import the rounds from czech i believe....but yeah, the ammo is in fact non-corrosive tho. and it's brass-cased woohoo __________________ No Trespassing! Violators Will Be Shot! Survivors Will Be Shot Again!

03-31-2008, 05:16 PM	#21
asbraun4 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 12	Wow that first post looks like a LOT of work. I'm buying a mosin 91/30 from a gun show this weekend and its my first old rifle ive ever bought....is there a way i can buy this from the gun show and not have to clean it out like Cyrano mentioned. I want to start shooting it immediately, or soon after buying it.

04-01-2008, 02:23 AM	#22
Capt'n Mil Coll Military Rifle Collector Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 2,293 Images: 12	Good for you Asbuaun4. I love old WWII long rifles. I have about 120 right now and am still looking for a few more for my one of every one from WWII.

04-01-2008, 02:25 AM	#23
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mansfield, MO Posts: 817	Asbraun4, Clean it first...at least run a patch through the bore. A couple minutes of your time is worth the element of safety.

04-01-2008, 07:04 PM	#25
asbraun4 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 12	What if the headspace isn't correct? That's the first time I've heard someone mention that. Glad I know that now or i wouldn't have taken it to a gunsmith

04-07-2008, 11:15 PM	#27
MrsShooter Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 14	Has anyone ever tried using white gas to remove the cosmolene? I was told that or mineral spirits as Cyrano said. Not quite sure what white gas is, but supposedly it takes it right off.

04-11-2008, 01:15 PM	#29
vcpilot79 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: coastal california Posts: 49	lolol...white gas is the byproduct of a good mexican meal! hahah...hi everyone, first of i just want to say how informative this forum is and want to thank everyone for all of their insight. i picked up my very first firearm just this tuesday. i haven't even fired it, but i love the history that my M91/30 has. I took it apart yesterday to clean it and spent a lot of time with patches and hoppe's solvent to clean out the barrel and seemed like i wasn't making any progress!! i will try the hot water technique and see how it goes. My question is about the sight. currently the sight is a little of center to the left. what is the standard sight position and how do i get it there? Also, what is the propper size bristle brush to run through the bore? the one that i got seems a little small. how do i tell if it is a proper fit?

04-15-2008, 03:23 PM	#31
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: living in Alabama now Posts: 239	Before attempting this, be sure that you are in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area, and to use gloves. The quickest and cleanest chemical solution I have found to remove cosmoline is gasoline. I also recommend that if you do this, that you don't smoke at the time.

04-16-2008, 06:58 PM	#34
vcpilot79 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: coastal california Posts: 49	thanks guys! i finally took it and shot off a box of rounds today. what a great rifle! my shoulder is a little sore, and i found out that i am a horrible shot, but i can't wait to take it out again. I used winchester rounds that i bought at Big5, are those rounds corrosive? what is the proper way to clean it after each time i use the rifle?

04-16-2008, 09:48 PM	#35
Cyrano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 2,356	vcpilot, welcome to the forum. I believe the US-made Winchester rounds are non-corrosive. Thus, you can omit the Windex patches those of us who shoot milsurp ammo use. I generally run a bronze brush through a few times, then Hoppe's No. 9-soaked patches until they come back clean; then a couple or three patches to dry out the barrel and the chamber, then an oil patch. I remove the bolt and clean it with Hoppe's and oil and perhaps a touch of brass brush if needed. When I go to replace the bolt, I'll take a dab of fluid grease and lube the receiver before replacing the bolt. (I've found my Mosins prefer grease to oil there; Louis the Mosin Kahuna at our gun club is right.)I'll also wipe down and oil the magazine and the trigger. It takes longer to write how to do a routine cleaning and lubrication than it does to DO one. So, you can see it's not hard!

04-17-2008, 07:18 PM	#36
vcpilot79 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: coastal california Posts: 49	thank you!

04-29-2008, 11:24 AM	#37
seabee1984 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7	i was plannig on just shooting the piss out of m44 but now i think i just might wait and clean it first

05-15-2008, 08:23 AM	#40
Soldier Medic Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 69	Ha ha ha ha........ owning my M-44 and 38 dose not seem to be so great when i see the up keep on these rifles(J/k). U would swear that my rifles were Dipped in Cosmo through out the whole war and then some. I think they were finally taken out of the hot cosmo sometime after Dessert Storm.......