Suplus Mags -- Getting the cosmoline off - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Suplus Mags -- Getting the cosmoline off

Posted: 10/30/2016 2:13:43 PM EDT

Now that I am planning on shooting my FAL I thought I would clean up my surplus mags that I bought 10 years ago or so. I have a few Steyr mags that are wrapped in a thin waxy paper (visqueen?) and totally covered in cosmoline.

I cleaned up one mag by scraping off the paper and spraying with brake cleaner? It took me quite a while to do 1 mag.

Is there a better way? Can I put the whole thing in a solvent for a while? DoI need to get the paper off first?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Update: I googled. It looks like the consensus is to disassemble the mag and soak in a solvent. Make sense?

Posted: 10/30/2016 2:28:06 PM EDT

[#1]

Cosmoline melts at 130 degrees. When I was buying AK mags years ago all I did was disassemble them and put them in hot water with a little dish soap in it. Then wipe them off and oil them up.

Posted: 10/30/2016 3:13:44 PM EDT

[#2]

Hot soapy water should work. Or you could soak the parts in turpentine or mineral spirits.

Posted: 10/30/2016 3:24:25 PM EDT

[#3]

Thanks guys. I will report back.

Posted: 10/30/2016 3:37:40 PM EDT

[#4]

Rubbermaid tub full of acetone, gloves & a brush. Let them sit in there for a bit. I cleaned about 200 HK & FAL mags like this in about an hour

Posted: 10/30/2016 4:21:00 PM EDT

[#5]

I am of the opinion that "cosmolene" is not the same stuff in all cases.
I have run across some stuff that wipes off well with WD40 and other stuff that barely moves even with harsh solvents

Many times some heat is the thing that works best .

Any solvent that does a decent job will also soak all sorts of nasty things through your skin and head to places it will do harm so gloves and ventilation is a really good plan.

I favor doing nasty stuff outside

Posted: 10/30/2016 4:23:38 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
I am of the opinion that "cosmolene" is not the same stuff in all cases.
I have run across some stuff that wipes off well with WD40 and other stuff that barely moves even with harsh solvents

Many times some heat is the thing that works best .

Any solvent that does a decent job will also soak all sorts of nasty things through your skin and head to places it will do harm so gloves and ventilation is a really good plan.

I favor doing nasty stuff outside

View Quote

Agreed. I have 1 mag sitting in gasoline WAY out back. I am a total scaredy cat when it it comes to gas.

Posted: 10/31/2016 11:17:14 AM EDT

[#7]

I only have used Mineral Spirits and a brush. Outside with gloves and eye pro.

Posted: 10/31/2016 11:27:40 AM EDT

[#8]

I think I used Dawn dishwashing soap for mine and it worked like a charm.

Pretty much all that is listed will work

Posted: 10/31/2016 3:04:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

Agreed. I have 1 mag sitting in gasoline WAY out back. I am a total scaredy cat when it it comes to gas.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I am of the opinion that "cosmolene" is not the same stuff in all cases.
I have run across some stuff that wipes off well with WD40 and other stuff that barely moves even with harsh solvents

Many times some heat is the thing that works best .

Any solvent that does a decent job will also soak all sorts of nasty things through your skin and head to places it will do harm so gloves and ventilation is a really good plan.

I favor doing nasty stuff outside

Agreed. I have 1 mag sitting in gasoline WAY out back. I am a total scaredy cat when it it comes to gas.

Gas worked pretty well. Still brushed everything off but this worked for me. Thanks guys.

Posted: 11/1/2016 1:05:27 PM EDT

[#10]

Option one:
Run 'em through the dishwasher on the pot scrubber cycle.
Be forewarned: this may precipitate domestic strife. But it works remarkably well.

Option two:
Stack them in a USGI .30 ammo can with the top removed (10 FAL or M-14 mags fit perfectly).
Bake in oven at lowest setting (usually 200 degrees) for an hour or so.
See above warning.

Option three:
Put mags in USGI .30 can as above.
Cover with gasoline.
Close lid.
Come back in a few days. Wear gloves.

Posted: 11/1/2016 9:54:58 PM EDT

[#11]

Don't use gasoline!!!

Diesel fuel works just as good and not near as flammable

A boiling pot of water works pretty good. Just oil them after they dry unless you like rusty mags

Posted: 11/2/2016 2:42:27 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Don't use gasoline!!!

Diesel fuel works just as good and not near as flammable

A boiling pot of water works pretty good. Just oil them after they dry unless you like rusty mags

View Quote

Having parts in a small tub of gas in the garage is not going to pose a significant safety risk provided one's not a complete moron.

Posted: 11/4/2016 9:05:19 AM EDT

[#13]

We used a double boiler to remove cosmoline. It takes about 20-30 minutes (Depending on how hot the water was) for a weapon, but it came out hot and after wiping it off and then letting it sit for about 5-10 minutes for it to self-dried in all the small areas that you can reach. The oiled and reassembled. Go to go. Yea old technology but it worked. Just remember to change the water as needed and DO NOT BURN YOURSELF, the water is HOT.

Posted: 11/4/2016 7:30:29 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Agreed. I have 1 mag sitting in gasoline WAY out back. I am a total scaredy cat when it it comes to gas.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I am of the opinion that "cosmolene" is not the same stuff in all cases.
I have run across some stuff that wipes off well with WD40 and other stuff that barely moves even with harsh solvents

Many times some heat is the thing that works best .

Any solvent that does a decent job will also soak all sorts of nasty things through your skin and head to places it will do harm so gloves and ventilation is a really good plan.

I favor doing nasty stuff outside

Agreed. I have 1 mag sitting in gasoline WAY out back. I am a total scaredy cat when it it comes to gas.

E85 is better than gasoline if you want to go that route. E85 or denatured alcohol takes cosmo right off.

Posted: 11/5/2016 6:53:29 AM EDT

[#15]

Bucket full of Simple Green. Let them sit for a bit then rinse them out. They'll be clean AND springtime fresh!

Posted: 11/5/2016 7:26:42 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Bucket full of Simple Green. Let them sit for a bit then rinse them out. They'll be clean AND springtime fresh!

View Quote

Just don't use this method on aluminum mags. Simple green and aluminum don't go well together.

Posted: 11/5/2016 7:45:05 AM EDT

[#17]

I hanged my mosin outside in the sun a few summers ago and melted every bit of cosmolene off

Posted: 11/5/2016 7:52:26 AM EDT

[#18]

C&r guys that do this a lot make an oven with some metal, usually a piece of metal ducting or something similar and a shop light with an incandescent bulb of course.

Posted: 11/10/2016 12:03:34 AM EDT

[#19]

I had a few steyer mags that were new and had a reddish tinge of cosmolene residue on them, I figured they were just gonna be ugly and that was it. I sprayed one of them with carb cleaner and immediately cleaned all of the rust brown cosmolene off. They now look factory new with grey park!

Posted: 11/10/2016 12:46:00 AM EDT

[#20]

Hair dryer.

Paper towels.

WD40.

Just a little elbow grease.

Posted: 11/11/2016 10:48:10 PM EDT

[#21]

Kerosene and a brass brush works wonders on removing old cosmoline.

Posted: 11/16/2016 10:24:04 AM EDT

[#22]

I prefer boiling them.

Shotgun bore brush for heavy deposits or dirt clumps.

Keep the water hot and they will dry themselves when you pull them out.

Wipe with fave lube and done.

Posted: 11/16/2016 11:24:18 AM EDT

[#23]

When SG had that sick deal on Balkan War AK mags several years ago, I found kerosene worked best for whatever was on those.

Posted: 11/22/2016 5:56:31 PM EDT

[#24]

I removed the spring and follower and placed them in one of those cheap foil pans from dollar store and threw them on the Grill for a few minutes, it really gets it off in a hurry!! then you just wipe them down with CLP.

Posted: 11/30/2016 10:09:06 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
When SG had that sick deal on Balkan War AK mags several years ago, I found kerosene worked best for whatever was on those.

View Quote

I got a bunch during that sale too! 10 packs packed full of Cosmo and wrapped in plastic.

Hot soapy dishwasher & soft brushes work for me.

Dry and wipe down everything with Ballistol before reassembling.

Posted: 11/30/2016 10:47:38 PM EDT

[#26]

I also recommend getting a bottle brush off Ebay. That really helped me get the insides of the mag cleaned of cosmo. I used mineral spirits. Mineral spirits have also worked great on all my other FAL parts. Imbel kits are sometimes loaded with cosmo. Mineral spirits I highly recommend. And it's alot safer than gasolene!

Posted: 12/4/2016 2:36:00 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I hanged my mosin outside in the sun a few summers ago and melted every bit of cosmolene off

View Quote

I don't know what the wearher is like where you are, but this is exactly what I did with surplus AK mags. Its a messy substance that seems to get everywhere, so keep your work outdoors and wear your dirty clothes. Like others said, a little time and elbow grease is all it takes.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Suplus Mags -- Getting the cosmoline off

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