Newb questions Mosin Nagant Cleaning

[tinknocker104]

If this has already been covered, my apologies. I did a search and came up empty.

Removing the barrel bands, I scared up the shellac finish on the stock. I was told to use denatured alcohol and a Q tip, soften the shellac around the scared area and blend. Has anyone done this and how well does it work?

I have a 91/30 that has orange paint in the numbers, on the rear sight, the serial number on the barrel and the serial number on the butt plate. Do collectors remove the paint or leave as is? And, why is it painted?

Cleaning the barrel, I rubbed off what appeared to be black paint. I thought it may have been dried cosmoline but I think I read somewhere on here, the armory used black paint to touch up a bad bluing job. Anyway, the bluing was fine underneath what may have been paint. I've often wondered if my dealer touches up the rifles. Any thoughts?

Last, does anybody ever touchup the paint on the metal caps, on the handguard ?

Thanks

[Junk Yard Dog]

Use the Q tip with a tiny bit of Vodka, or other alcohol, work one tiny area at a time carefully. Leave the paint, it will fall out on it's own over time. Next time stick the tips of a pair of needle nose pliers ( I use my leatherman tool) into the joint at the bottom of the band with the cleaning rod out. This will spread the band open slightly and make it slide off the barrel easier. Nobody touches up the paint, and only Molot has been suspected of fixing finishes, regular dealers don't make enough money on these rifles to bother fixing shellac scratches.

[Ironnewt]

BTW, Welcome aboard Check JYD's videos on how to do just about anything with these pieces of history.

[Judi and her Mosins]

Well I did not ruin mine,..I took the cleaning rod out first. Then used a tad oil and they slid right off. Wow, I feel like I really am learning here..Judi and her Mosin's

[tinknocker104]

Use the Q tip with a tiny bit of Vodka, or other alcohol, work one tiny area at a time carefully. Leave the paint, it will fall out on it's own over time. Next time stick the tips of a pair of needle nose pliers ( I use my leatherman tool) into the joint at the bottom of the band with the cleaning rod out. This will spread the band open slightly and make it slide off the barrel easier. Nobody touches up the paint, and only Molot has been suspected of fixing finishes, regular dealers don't make enough money on these rifles to bother fixing shellac scratches.

Thank you. I opened the band as wide as I could with a small screw driver. It was damn tight all along the fore end of the stock. Thanks for the tip. Hopefully I won't have to take that Mosin apart anymore. Enjoying my rifles

[ffeng31]

I have a 91/30 that has orange paint in the numbers, on the rear sight, the serial number on the barrel and the serial number on the butt plate. Do collectors remove the paint or leave as is? And, why is it painted?


Thanks

The Red Letter rifles are a topic of regular discussion. There is no answer to your question other than these Red Letters show up from time to time and all seem to have similar features. /25\ on the barrel , large 2 on the stock , red markings as you described on yours. For the most part they all have proven to have good bores and are devoid of the typical refurb marks. I have two that are just as I have described. With the jury being out on the origin of the markings and paint I would leave the rifle as it is. May be nothing , and may be something , lots of speculation but no hard facts......Just dont lick the red , one of the theories is that the paint is laced with cyanide.

[Gunowner99]

Enjoy your rifle.

[tinknocker104]

BTW, Welcome aboard Check JYD's videos on how to do just about anything with these pieces of history.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Gunowner99]

Yup, he's the man!

[tinknocker104]

I have a 91/30 that has orange paint in the numbers, on the rear sight, the serial number on the barrel and the serial number on the butt plate. Do collectors remove the paint or leave as is? And, why is it painted?


Thanks

The Red Letter rifles are a topic of regular discussion. There is no answer to your question other than these Red Letters show up from time to time and all seem to have similar features. /25\ on the barrel , large 2 on the stock , red markings as you described on yours. For the most part they all have proven to have good bores and are devoid of the typical refurb marks. I have two that are just as I have described. With the jury being out on the origin of the markings and paint I would leave the rifle as it is. May be nothing , and may be something , lots of speculation but no hard facts......Just dont lick the red , one of the theories is that the paint is laced with cyanide.

LOL... There is a /25\ on the barrel and a large 2 on the stock. The bore is bright with crisp rifling. 1938 Tula. FWIW, my dealer messaged me stating it's orange crayon from the armory. Thank you, you guys rock.

[tinknocker104]

Well I did not ruin mine,..I took the cleaning rod out first. Then used a tad oil and they slid right off. Wow, I feel like I really am learning here..Judi and her Mosin's

Yeah, I generously lubricated the stock and the bands. I was still a beast to slide off and on.

[ffeng31]

BTW.............

[Gunowner99]

I second that emotion!

[bunkysdad]

A little shellac scratched off on my 43 Izhevsk when I disassembled it, and I have never worried about it. With a little delicate work with the alcohol, and a few times rubbing lemon oil on it the place isn't even a issue. I shoot it, clean it, and don't need to fully disassemble too often anyway. After the initial cleaning, it gets much easier. Welcome to the forum. Look forward to seeing you around

[etprescottazusa91]

I have three refurbed's in cosmoline that I really need to clean up some time, well at least I haven't scratched them yet.

[Ironnewt]

I have three refurbed's in cosmoline that I really need to clean up some time, well at least I haven't scratched them yet.

Only 3 needing work?

[Gunowner99]

You can work on mine!!

[qz2026]

Sometimes the barrel bands are just tight. The method of expanding the joint with a screw driver seems to work fine for me unless, that is, if they are already expanded to the max which I have seen too. But, don't use denatured alcohol on these finishes - it will melt the finish. Personally, I would leave any scraping damage on the hand guard alone. I tried to blend a boo-boo once and it didn't turn out well at all.

On the red rifle, DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, remove the orange paint. These rifles are unique and have very consistent markings (/25\, big "2" on forestock, excellent bore...) and that's all we know about them. Many of us have theories, as with other non common varieties of these rifles. If you are still thinking about doing that, send the rifle to me and I'll give you a refurb with no orange paint

Dealer's don't touch up the paint - the commies did that during refub - "commie bluing". Like the dog says, it will fall off by itself in time. I've seen it flake off with cleaning solvent. I have many where the barrel is two colors - paint and non paint . Leave the nose caps alone. They are just fine in their original (refub) condition.

Everything sounds nice but and if you discuss a particular rifle, then

[musketjon]

I have a '28 Izhevsk that has the red paint but no /25\.
Jon

[qz2026]

Yeah, I've noticed that. I have one without the /25\ where the color is distinctly red, not orange. And I've seen /25\ with no orange. I've also seen the /25\ virtually scrubbed where I needed a magnifying glass to see it. I've also seen where the stamp is only 1/2 a stamp (or less). Some have color, some don't. Who knows? I will say that I have noticed this on non PW ARMS orange rifles from several importers which appear to be older imports than what is currently coming in. All the PW ARMS reds that I own have the /25\ - with one of them coming through Molot. But, I will make no blanket statement about this one way or another. Every time I do, someone comes up with the/an exception . Who's the importer on yours BTW?