cleaning cosmoline
 

so i bought a spare barrel for my new 03a3. its covered in cosmoline. whats the most effective way to clean this gunk at home?? in the army i used a big parts washing bin. dont have access to that here.

Water, preferably running and as hot as you can stand and Simple Green (lots of it) has worked well enough for me.

I use heavy duty PVC gloves when I do it. Keeps the gunk off you but helps insulate your hands so you can stand to keep them under the hot water.

If you don't want to be environmentally friendly, half a dozen cans of break cleaner and a pile of rags makes quick work of it.

I don't envy your task. Good luck.

i got an old tub i use to wash mower blades and get gunk off small parts so break cleaner works i can just put it in some old bottles after im done.

hotwater sounds unpleasent and time consuming. wont be mucking with it till late spring anyway it can sit till then.

go to your local home depot/lowes the paint department will sell gallon cans of acetone or lacquer thinner for a whole less money than brake cleaner. If you wash your parts in a tub then you can filter and reuse it too.

Brake Cleaner that I pay a dollar for at the Dollar Store

^^^^^Yup^^^^^

I use mineral spirits. I've been told by gunsmiths that brake cleaner is to harsh on bluing. Not sure of the truth in that, but I'd rather play it safe.

mineral spirits it is then i dont want to ruin the finish

check this out. seems to work really well.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/pdf/cosmoline.pdf

thats a fantastic pdf!! hand steamer seems doable outdoors. i cant use my tap water since its softened and has a slight salt content. salt + heat = rust. but a hand steamer makes it doable with distilled water.