As a millennial, I feel like I was part of the last generation that dealt intermittently with Cosmoline. Millennial gun ownership often started with the Mosin-Nagant, which was often slathered with Cosmoline. It’s been years since I’ve dealt with this thick, brown, wax-like substance made from petroleum. The Russians covered everything in the stuff, especially their guns, so it became common knowledge to remove the junk from wood, metal, and more.
I have an addiction to .32 ACP firearms, and when a Bersa Lusber 844 came up at a local auction for 150 dollars, I raised my hand without even looking at the gun. After looking closely, I realized why they kept it in the box for auction. It was slathered in that sticky brown substance we all love. After taking possession, I knew I had a chore, but that’s okay; I got a weird .32 ACP on the cheap.
Since I had a chore and realized a lot of new gun owners might not have the same knowledge about removing Cosmoline that I had gleaned from numerous small gun forums, I now had a chore and an article I could write to help pass that knowledge onto the world. Since Russian imports have dried up, the likelihood of running into that sticky brown wax is unlikely, but always possible.
Removing Cosmoline – The Supplies and First Steps
Let’s start with the supplies to get this show on the road.
Rag
Tooth Brush
Blow Dryer or Heat Gun
Mineral Spirits
Disposable Container
Gloves and Eye Protection
Hot Water and Dawn Soap
You don’t need anything too crazy. Everything can be found at your local Walmart or under your wife’s side of the sink. I went to Goodwill and got an old Tupperware container for almost nothing. A good rule of thumb is to be prepared to throw away nearly anything you plan to use to clean Cosmoline off a gun, except for the heat gun/hair dryer and eye protection.
Ultimately, the mineral spirits could be optional. You can get away without using Mineral Spirits, but they make life much easier. If you plan to use mineral spirits, be aware that they are harsh on wood finishes and can be harsh on polymer. I’d remove any wood or plastic stocks, grips, and parts before exposing them to mineral spirits.
I like using shirts as rags. The size makes them easy to use for large parts of a gun. The thick nature of Cosmoline eats a rag up quickly. A small work rag doesn’t always do well. Old shirts are cheap and disposable.
The Wipe Down
Predictably, the first thing we can do is use the rag to wipe away any exposed cosmoline on the outside of the gun. I wiped down the old 844 with glee and removed layer after layer of the junk from my gun. It seemed to keep expanding and flowing out of the gun. Once you’ve removed most of the material, you can strip the weapon.
Field strip the gun and begin wiping it away. Get into as many nooks and crevices as you can. You might break out the toothbrush to get into the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of the gun. Clean off the stock, any grips, the barrel, and beyond. My magazines were even soaked in Cosmoline, so I had to pay special attention to the inside and outside of the magazines.
We can break out the heat once we’ve wiped down every nook and cranny. I suggest doing this outside because heat melts the stuff, making a huge mess that’s nearly uncleanable. When I was 16, I got a Mosin for my birthday, and my mom still brings up the mess I made in her kitchen, cleaning it up.
Bring the Heat
You can use a dedicated heat gun. If you don’t have a heat gun, you don’t need to buy one; a hairdryer is much cheaper. Keep the weapon stripped and put the parts and pieces on a big rag or towel that you don’t mind throwing away. Start applying heat. You can apply heat to plastic, wood, and metal.
The heat will melt the Cosmoline and cause it to puddle like a liquid. You don’t even need a ton of heat to melt Cosmoline. It causes the nasty stuff to drip off and even puddle inside parts of the gun. With the heat melting the brown junk out, you might need to pour it out of your weapon. The Cosmoline was so thick on my gun that I felt like I poured a cup of it out of the gun.
I don’t know if the guy at Bersa got paid based on how much Cosmoline he applied, but it certainly seems like he should get a bonus. Typically, the heat step is pretty quick, but the junk obstructed the barrel of my handgun so that it poured out of it for 67 seconds. I’m not exaggerating.
As you heat different parts of the gun, you must wipe them down. Be cautious not to burn your precious paws on the hot parts of the weapon. You’ll follow a pattern of heating the gun and wiping the gun down with your rag.
Heat and repeat over and over until you’ve removed as much of the Cosmoline as possible.
Find Your Spirits
After you apply the heat, it’s time for mineral spirits. You can consider this optional. It’s not needed, but it makes the process a lot faster. Mineral spirits are also a harsh chemical, so do this step outside. Do all the cleaning outside. Mineral spirits dissolve quickly, so if you’re using a handgun, it’s smart to have some kind of container.
Finding a container that fits a rifle can be a lot harder. With a rifle, pour the spirits on a rag and wipe it down. With that in mind, you should wear gloves and eye protection whenever you handle material meant to strip metal.
Keep a wet rag and a dry rag to apply mineral spirits and wipe them away. Mineral spirits dissolve Cosmoline, so they are incredibly effective at cleaning out the thick gooey crap. You can pop it in a container and pour the mineral spirits over it. If it’s a handgun, throw the lid on and let it sit. Swish it around if necessary.
After applying mineral spirits, the gun should be stripped of nearly all Cosmoline. If that’s the case, congrats. It’s likely not entirely stripped, but it’s as stripped as it will get. Cosmoline has a way of getting into every crevice and corner, and it can be impossible to reach.
The Alternative To Mineral Spirits (And the Solution to Wood and Plastic)
If you don’t want to use mineral spirits or you need to clean wood and plastic, we are turning to our final step: applying hot water and Dawn dish soap. If Dawn’s good enough for baby ducks, it’s good enough for cleaning baby Bersas. We need hot water, like real hot water. You might even want to set it on the stovetop.
Hot water can help remove Cosmoline because it melts Cosmoline. You don’t need boiling water; it should be as hot as good coffee. With that in mind, don’t be dumb and burn yourself. If you can’t handle hot water safely, you can’t handle a gun safely. Use the hot water to wash away the first layer of Cosmoline.
Once the first layer is removed, you can get some warm water, like doing dishes, and mix in some soap with a rag. Scrub the gun, the stock, and the plastic grips. Depending on the amount of Cosmoline on the gun, you might have to change the water a time or two. With this in mind, don’t use your sink!
Get a bucket or container with hot water and soap. Scrub, scrub, scrub! You can get the junk off the gun eventually. Once you’ve scrubbed the weapon to its limits, you need to dry it off. Once dry, remember to lubricate and apply oil to prevent rust.
READ MORE HERE: How to Break Bad Shooting Habits
The Eternal Fight Against Cosmoline
Cosmoline is a very effective rust-proofing material, but it’s a pain to clean up. My hands are still a little brown after cleaning up my little Bersa. The stuff was everywhere on my gun, and it was a nostalgic reminder of the days of cheap Russian firearms. While those days have passed, I’m sure Cosmoline will continue to haunt gun owners for decades to come.
Now you know how to win the fight; knowing is half the battle! (The other half is my wife’s hair dryer.)
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