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Gun Degreaser

mackcrane
Got a gun that was packed in cosmolene or whatever, got the most off of it, but still a lot of oily residue left. What's the best degreaser to use? We use starting fluid at work, but I didn't know how that would affect the bluing. Thanks.
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9 comments

Date Votes
  • Garth
    Check out bdsuperlube.com on the web. I have been using their product over 10 years now. Its a solvent, lubricant, rust inhibitor/remover. Wish more people knew about them. I tell everyone I can. CHECK THEM OUT! Best
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  • 260
    brake parts cleaner
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  • Garth
    As has been stated, its blued. Brake parts cleaner will potentially will remove the bluing. Bdsuperlube.com. Best
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  • Nwcid
    I usually use brake parts cleaner too.

    Just remember this is a degreaser so it WILL take ALL the oils out of the gun so make sure you oil the gun before putting it away.
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  • beantownshootah
    Any organic solvent (eg kerosene, naphtha, mineral spirit, etc) will dissolve cosmolene, which is basically a liquified petroleum jelly.

    Naturally, some of these are cheaper, and SAFER than others! IE gasoline could work. . .but that does NOT make it a good idea to try.

    If this is the route you want to go, I'd take a look at mineral spirit (ie paint thinner). FWIW, I think starting fluid is naptha.

    Typically non-chlorinated brake cleaners contain either methyl ethyl ketones, or other organic solvents. "Gunscrubber" contains the same stuff, and none of these should damage gun bluing.

    On the other hand, that doesn't make them entirely safe to your skin or lungs, and some types of plastics can be damaged by them.

    Note that you don't need super fancy products to degrease. "Simple green" (which is basically a type of soap) will work, as will any number of other similar products. Mixing the stuff up in WARM water will help, since cosmolene softens with heat.
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  • Wolf.
    Yeah, I was just going to say....Simple Green and heat as BTS said. But the other products mentioned will probably do well, too.

    Take off the wood. Heat up the gun with a hair dryer or a heat gun (do not get it very hot, just heat it up). Then using a spray bottle, saturate the gun, including the bore, in Simple Green and let sit for about ten minutes. Scrub the nooks and crannies with an old toothbrush or a similar gun brush. Rinse in hot water. Repeat if necessary.

    I doubt you will have any residual cosmoline, but if you do, you can use brake cleaner (pretty cheap stuff at WalMart or car parts store) in a spray can. Use the little straw in the nozzle to blast out anything that is left. Either way, SG or brake cleaner, the gun is now degreased and should be coated in a protectant.

    Let the gun dry completely (the brake cleaner evaps in seconds) or hasten the process with the heat gun or hair dryer. Then spray on a coating of the gun care product, Breakfree CLP, getting it into the nooks and crannies. Wipe down with paper towel or cloth. This stuff is very good. Run a patch through the bore with BF-CLP on it
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  • merrbarb
    Hello Mackcrane:
    As you can sees there are many solutions to the problem of removing cosmoline. When I received my 1903s - 03s from the DCM I tryed to removed the gross amounts but the many crevases and hidden holes in the metal parts were not able to be scrubbed or otherwise free of the sticky stuff. I researched the internet - Googled "cosmolene" and found all the above solutions, plus more (oven, mom's dishwasher, cloths washer & dryer, etc.) Below is one method that I found that worked for me.

    I got a suitable length piece of 4-inch diameter PVC pipe, welded a cap on the end, placed the metal parts in the tube and poured in boiling water. Capped the end. And let it sit. I also turned end for end a couple times. The pieces, including the barrel, action, bolt came out as free of the grease as I had intended.

    Then I sprayed with a suitable gun oil. It worked for me. Good luck!
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  • mackcrane
    Thanks guys, I have starting fluid and some mineral spirits, I'll try them.
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  • tsr1965
    quote:Originally posted by Garth
    As has been stated, its blued. Brake parts cleaner will potentially will remove the bluing. Bdsuperlube.com. Best



    Most gun scrubber/degreasing solvents are made by some of the same manufacturers of good brake cleaner's. They are merely put in the same cans with different lables. They are the same thing, only marked up a bit for more profit. I use the NAPA brand, that is unchlorinated.

    Best
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