The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Jolly Green Chopper wrote:Hot Water followed by more hot water through the barrel seems to be the single cheapest and most effective ingredient for cleaning corrosive agents out of any Mosin-Nagant.Many forum members have used it .It may be a bit messy but it works. Read about it here on the forum first.

Junk Yard Dog wrote:Once, by accident I picked up the wrong pot and poured two cups worth of good tea down the bore. I was some pissed as it was a cold day and I was looking forward to that tea, had to make another pot. Didn't hurt the rifle any.

rlchemist wrote:Nice thread, I've learned a lot here.

When removing cosmoline from the stocks, after first removing all metal parts, I lay the stock up near the fireplace for 20-30 minutes. Get up, wipe off the melted junk with an old cotton T-shirt, turn the stock around and leave it there for another half hour or so. Don't put the stock too close to the flames, but just near enough to warm the wood so the cosmoline will melt.

In an evening or two a great deal of the preservative will come out. It's pretty easy and can be done when watching TV, surfing, or reading the current issue of your favorite magazine.

Of course, this doesn't work so well during the summer months or if you are living in a moderate climate region--but here in Montana we have rather long winters with the fireplace going most of the daylight hours.

Jesse wrote:Hi guys,

This is a great post, it's been very helpful.

I'm getting my first MN in a few weeks, which is also my first gun I've had since a kid (which my dad cleaned back then), so I'm a bit paranoid making sure I'm going to do all the right stuff. JYD and others have given me some advice so far, with this and the above info and the cleaning article I've put together a quick dot point list (based mainly on the cleaning article). I know everyone probably does things a bit different, but I'd be much obliged if someone could give this a quick look and just make sure I'm not making and obvious errors. Also I have 2 remaining questions: I'm assuming the muzzle protector goes on after you've flushed with water and before scrubbing the bore? Also, I was just going to use the original MN cleaning rod/gear that comes with it, using new solutions and patches though of course! Is that acceptable or is it better to use modern gear? Thanks for advice as always!


Initial Clean

- Leave stock wrapped in paper, inside black plastic bag in the sun. Wipe clean.
- Clean with citrus based cleaner, wipe and dry.
- Use toothpick for under bands
- For metal, use Kerosine (If no evidence of painting).


After Firing

- Strip down rifle
- Hot water down bore and receiver
- Spray barrel & receiver with Gun Scrubber, wipe down
- Run 1x patch through
- Spray Gun Scrubber into feeder/interrupter assembly
- Repeat for trigger assembly (optional)
- 1x patch soaked in Gun Scrubber
- Pour generous amount of Gun Scrubber into chamber and scrub with chamber brush
- Scrub area again with chamber brush soaked in Sweets 7.62.
- Wash bolt head with water
- Soak bolt and magazine assembly in a pan filled with solvent
- After soaking, use small Phillips head with patch to clean bolt head
- Squirt bolt head, body, cocking piece and guide again with Gun Scrubber, and clean inside and out
- Ensure metal is dry and not oily/greasy
- Repeat process with magazine assembly
- Coat all with gun oil
- Spray spring and firing pin with Gun Scrubber, wipe dry and coat with gun oil
- Run several patches of Sweet's 7.62 down bore
- If it looks dark, run J&B Bore Paste as directed

Junk Yard Dog wrote:If you notice, the cans have a little cosmoline on them to preserve them.