Recommended "Cleaning/Housekeeping" supplies for new collector
Hi all. I am new to the gun owning/collecting scene. I currently have a Mosin Nagant 91/30 in transit and am in the final stages of my Mauser purchase. I have been reading up on removing the cosmoline off of them and am very thankful to Cyranos post on the subject. That being said I need some advice on what type of lubricants or other supplies I should buy to keep these old wardogs fighting strong.
Well....Since you asked I guess I'm asking before, during, and after (longterm) also any oil or grease anyone can recommend. I have alot of firearm experience in the shooting/handling department but not really in the maintenance department. (we have armorers for that )
Well I'll take a stab at it. You need Hopp's#9, 30 cal patches, 30 cal.bore brush, good cleaning rod and jags ( I like the one piece fiberglass cleaning rods)Gunsmith screwdriver set,(fits screws better so they won't strip) bore light, rifle workstand, assorted small brushes, Marvel Mystery Oil.
That will get ya started,I'm sure I've forgotten a few things. Everybody
has a different opinion on the chemicals and oils they use,but alot of shooters use Hopps#9 for cleaning their firearms. Good stuff.
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Well I'll take a stab at it. You need Hopp's#9, 30 cal patches, 30 cal.bore brush, good cleaning rod and jags ( I like the one piece fiberglass cleaning rods)Gunsmith screwdriver set,(fits screws better so they won't strip) bore light, rifle workstand, assorted small brushes, Marvel Mystery Oil.
That will get ya started,I'm sure I've forgotten a few things. Everybody
has a different opinion on the chemicals and oils they use,but alot of shooters use Hopps#9 for cleaning their firearms. Good stuff.
Either a 9mm, 10mm or .45 brush to clean out the chamber real good. Would be a great addition. Q-tips, cut up a shammy into little squares and use them for oil patches, Scotch-brite pads (plastic) cut up into little squares and run through the bore gets a lot of gunk out.
I use a 9mm for my SKS chamber. Wrap a patch around it and add a little Hoppes and you're in business!
I've caught a LOT of crap on another board for this one, maybe rightfully so but I stand by it:
On a first clean !ONLY! on a Milsurp, DOT4 brake fluid will completely and totally remove *E*V*E*R*Y*thing in a gunked up or old bore, Copper, Lead, Powder residue and rust, especially if it's chrome lined. (You WILL end up with at least one SKS, It's unavoidable)
Plug from chamber end.
Fill the bore with DOT4, agitate till all air bubbles are gone.
Do NOT get it on polymer, painted areas including gun sights or shellac finishes, if you do, remove it immediately!
Wait 30 minutes.
Dump out DOT4.
Scrub the living crap out of the bore with a brush w/a patch around it.
Then a ScotchBrite pad piece.
Dump BOILING water through barrel 3 or 4 times.
Dry the bore.
Mop with Hoppes#9 again and again and again.
Thoroughly dry the bore then oil it.
Brake fluid is toxic to your skin so try not to get it on you.
Brake fluid also draws moisture so make SURE you you get it all removed.
I did my Romy SKS like this. I couldn't get the bore clean no matter how much I worked on it.
I did the above procedure on it and the bore was like a mirror!
I did a friends Enfield the same way. VERY dark bore, rifling looked REAL bad.
After repeating the above procedure four or five times, the bore brightened up quite a bit. It had lots of rust in it but hadn't pitted fortunately. The rifling looked MUCH better and shot pretty well afterward.
Well, if you shoot milsurp ammo, you'll definitely want something to neutralize the corrosive salts in the primers of the ammo. Windex with ammonia is a popular item. Soapy water, or ammonia/water mix of some sort, followed by your favorite bore cleaner is great. But I have a strict regiment of about 5 chemicals I use to clean all of my rifles after I shoot any corrosive through them. Oh don't forget to at least wipe the bolt face off after shooting too. Might get a little blowback or something from the corrosive ammo on it. Always a good idea after shooting milsurp ammo out of any milsurp rifle.
Any gun oil really will work on the bolt to keep it lightly lubed. I like CLP, but I have some Hoppes gun oil in the little orange bottle too. It will also suffice for any light rust spots too if you happen to have any of them. I like to use a one piece cleaning rod. Get one that is long enough to clean all your Mosins (when you undoubtedly get another, and another and another...). I have broke countless aluminum rods cleaning. Bore snakes are great too.
As for tools, I might suggest picking up a cheap (or expensive whatever really) kit of dental picks so you can get in the nooks and crannies to clean stuff out. These are handy tools to pick around the bolt, or inside the chamber where the bolt head goes in the locking lugs when you close the bolt. Qtips are handy too. An old toothbrush is a good tool too. Dip it in some mineral spirits, that will help with cosmo removal. Definitely think that some good punches are ideal. I bought a cheap kit out of a magazine, Chinese POS. Brass punches are good for drifting sights. Thin steel punches, or even a skinny nail will help remove the barrel band retaining springs. Good gun vise or like item to hold your rifle while cleaning it. Even a jug to stick some of the bolt pieces (firing pin and spring, bolt head, cocking knob) that will fit in it (like a gatorade jug or something like) and some of the other smaller pieces if they are all soaked in cosmo. Even the interrupter and spring, trigger and sear, magazine spring will fit in. Fill with some mineral spirits 1/3 or 1/2 way. Shake lightly a bit, let sit on its side so the pieces soak in the mineral spirits, and repeat a few times. The mineral spirits in this method work pretty good to get all the cosmo off of the parts. I've got an old gatorade bottle lid I drilled some small holes, I use after I shake them with a holeless lid to dump out the mineral spirits in to another jug. Then your parts are still in there wet. Wipe all the mineral spirits off the parts and reinstall.
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Last edited by Iron_Colonel; 11-19-2009 at 11:26 PM.
IC thanks for the valuable information! I think I pretty much have it figured out on what I need to purchase, etc. The one thing I seem to be missing is exactly how to remove cosmoline from the wood? I read the Sticky but I am not planning on baking the furniture, Id rather stick with liquids that can remove it but leave a finish. Anyone have any more details on that?
Also...What is up with the firm belief that no matter what, 1 mosin nagant will morph into 10?
well on the 1 to 10 thing I started about 3 months ago with 1, for myself, and the look my dad had when he seen them at the store I work at, I bought 1 for him as well. 2 weeks after i bought #2 I found a third 91/30 at Gander with brass caps and snatched her from a possible bubba. Now after #3 it took 4 weeks i believe for me to find an excellent M44 at work and snatched that 1 up as well. Haven't seen another 1 I like since #4 3 weeks or so ago so yea they do multiply, quickly in my case
On removing cosmo try a black trash bag in a car with the windows shut on a hot day in the sun. the melting temp is 135 F if i remember right. just check on it every now and then and wipe off the cosmo. Or better yet fire it till she crys for joy, my M44 did when I was at the range last. Hope this helps ya.
My favorite oil is Break Free CLP. It's good for lubrication and protection. For Cosmo removal I use mineral spirits. I use just a bit of Wilson Combat grease on the bolts. For the wood, I use Murphy's Oil.
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Mineral spirits all the way for cosmo removal, especially on the metal parts. I would advise wiping as much cosmo off as you can with dry paper, paper towels. I wouldn't waste the money on the name brands for that task that are soft. But I suppose that is your own prerogative.
Dip a toothbrush and lay it on pretty thick depending on how thick the cosmo is. It usually does a pretty good job of getting thick stuff off. Same for the stock. Depending on how bad it can be, a toothbrush may be necessary, but shake most of the mineral spirits off of it if you have to use it on a spot on the stock so it won't ruin the finish if you want to keep it in tact. Typically, a damp mineral spirits rag does pretty well with cosmo removal on a stock.
I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but rubber gloves are a good idea too. I just picked up the Costco brand and they are still going strong. Sometimes get two or three uses out of them. Makes clean up easy. You get oil on them, use some mineral spirits on a rag to get rid of the oil. Get some that are tight fitting, so you have minimal glove material to get stuck on or in something as you're working.
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Mosin Nagant evangelist on a mission to convert YOU!
If you are buying a Mosin, why bother with a Mauser? After the first MN, you will want to buy 37 more.
What you need to do is, if married, buy the wife nice jewelry, so she doesn't kick your butt out for buying 38 but wanting another 183 Russian rifles in the next 3 years.
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My favorite oil is Break Free CLP. It's good for lubrication and protection.
+1. Also couldn't do without my Hoppes #9. Something addictive about the smell for gun owners when you open the bottle. Kinda like the smell of good scotch to an alcoholic.
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+1. Also couldn't do without my Hoppes #9. Something addictive about the smell for gun owners when you open the bottle. Kinda like the smell of good scotch to an alcoholic.
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one addicted to the smell of that stuff. Your OK in my book GlennM.
__________________ Everybody's weird, they just hang out with like minded people to feel normal.
I guess I'm asking before, during, and after (longterm) also any oil or grease anyone can recommend. I have alot of firearm experience in the shooting/handling department but not really in the maintenance department. (we have armorers for that 
)
well on the 1 to 10 thing I started about 3 months ago with 1, for myself, and the look my dad had when he seen them at the store I work at, I bought 1 for him as well. 2 weeks after i bought #2 I found a third 91/30 at Gander with brass caps and snatched her from a possible bubba. Now after #3 it took 4 weeks i believe for me to find an excellent M44 at work and snatched that 1 up as well. Haven't seen another 1 I like since #4 3 weeks or so ago so yea they do multiply, quickly in my case 
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one addicted to the smell of that stuff. Your OK in my book GlennM.
