First Mosin

kyguy1 · January 6, 2017, 06:05 PM

Got my first Mosin, from local gun shop. It's a 1926, hex receiver, izhevsk marked. Matching bolt and receiver. Pretty good condition, nice finish. Has hammer and sickle marking on receiver. Overall really happy with it. First impressions, man it's heavy, but I like it! Love the weight of it and how it feels. Bolt action is pretty smooth. Trigger seems nice. It has a lot of what I assume is Cosmoline on it, especially in the bolt area, and receiver. I think some of that is brake grease too, as the guy at the shop told me he had put some in it to keep it lubricated. It seems to have very little wear. I can't wait to get to shoot it some. But first I have to clean out and remove this gunk/grease/cosmoline or whatever it is. I can do it myself, or the gunshop who sold it to me said they would do it for like 30 bucks for me. I just want to get this gunk out and get it to where it's ready to shoot, then I will be good to go to keep it cleaned and maintained myself. In the meantime, I'll keep learning all I can about it. Should I let the gunsmith clean the cosmoline out for me and get it ready to fire? Or should I try and do it myself? Thanks.

Ernest T · January 6, 2017, 07:33 PM

I'd say clean it yourself. It is a good way to get to know how the rifle works and goes together, since you need to strip it down to get all the cosmoline off. Its not a hard process, and there are many "how to do it" videos and guides online.

Be sure to really clean the chamber area. Leaving cosmoline in the chamber will contribute to the "sticky bolt" syndrome common to many Mosins. If you leave cosmoline in there the bolt gets harder and harder to open as you shoot.

Plus cleaning off the cosmoline is sort of a right of passage for first time Mosin owners.

kyguy1 · January 6, 2017, 08:49 PM

Yea I'll probably try and just do it myself. Although I may still let a gunsmith fix it up nice for me smooth it up a bit. I think my stock is postwar,not 100% but pretty sure, it looks to be laminate and has what I think is the refurbishment mark from Ukraine, although the stock also has the triangle Izzy marks too. The receiver and bolt are definitely prewar, they are matching serial numbers. Still trying to figure that out.

tobnpr · January 7, 2017, 03:58 PM

Refurbed stocks (and often receivers) will usually l have a "diver's flag" (my term)- a square with a diagonal line across the corners.

I've had dozens of rifles come where the bolt was never completely disassembled and cleaned, nor was the front of the receiver at the barrel breech/locking lug recesses. Be sure to flush that area well, using a 20 gauge chamber brush in a cordless drill if you can. The area in front of the lug recesses is difficult to reach, is often neglected and a source of "sticky bolt" and other issues.

CDR_Glock · January 7, 2017, 04:59 PM

30 dollars is a bargain for a painful process. I'd opt for that.

I modified mine into an Archangel with a Timney Trigger.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

jersurf101 · January 8, 2017, 09:53 AM

cleaning the cosmolene out of my 91\30 was the fun part for me. I stripped the rifle down to its pieces and soaked them in mineral spirits and wiped them off. I steamed the stock over a pot of boiling water to get the cosmolene out of it. In hot climates or just the summer I bet the sun would do it. I would be careful though as I am not sure if the hot sun would warp the wood. This process taught me a lot about my rifle and I am glad I did not hand her off to a gun smith to do it.

Berserker · January 8, 2017, 12:38 PM

I got lucky mine was clean. Bought it at Dunhams.

T. O'Heir · January 8, 2017, 12:44 PM

"...clean out and remove this gunk/grease/cosmoline or whatever it is..." Doing it isn't difficult. Messy, it is. Really just requires mineral spirits and something big enough to drop the whole thing into. (Best to take the stock off.) Leave it there for 24 hours, then wipe off the gunk with rags, oil the metal and BLO the stock. No need for boiling water for the stock, but it might need more than 24 hours.
Mosin are usually shellacked and not oiled as well. Stalin wouldn't spend the money and his minions had a whole lot more rifles to look after. Shellac is cheap.
Do not dump the gunk down any drain. It's petroleum grease and is toxic. Don't leave the rags laying around either.
$30 is robbery. Guy is selling a rifle that is not ready to shoot. Mind you, if the thing was really cheap.....

TRX · January 9, 2017, 07:06 PM

The bolt comes apart without tools, like a puzzle toy. Clean it out and then oil it lightly before reassembly; there are all sorts of specialized gun lubricants, I use plain old 3-in-1 oil.

Removing the stock is a really good idea. No telling what kinds of ick, guck, and schmutz is embedded between the stock and metalwork; it's a good idea to pull it all apart. Some models require driving pins out of the barrel bands. Don't worry, it's a Russian rifle, so working on one isn't rocket surgery. There's a nice photo set of complete disassembly here: http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinDisassembly.htm (don't take the extractor off the bolt or take the firing pin loose from the cocking piece, at least, not unless they're broken or otherwise damaged...)

Model12Win · January 10, 2017, 05:22 PM

I'd save them DOLLAH DOLLAH BILLS YAWL and do it myself the RIGHT way.

jimbob86 · January 10, 2017, 06:38 PM

Cleaning it yourself is easy, will cost you about 10 bucks for paint thinner and maybe 5 more for something to soak it in (a salvaged section of rain gutter and some heavy duty plastic will work) and a paint brush ....and you'll learn a lot about the gun in the process. Put the extra 15 bucks toward ammo.

tobnpr · January 12, 2017, 09:48 PM

Depends on how much of, and type of, cosmoline...
I've had consistencies from thick sludgy oil to near solid grease.
Light coating, to filled solid- including the bore.

Entire rifle, done "correctly", thirty bucks wouldn't come close to covering my time.

Model12Win · January 12, 2017, 09:50 PM

Who knows how thorough they will be.

I'd stop hand wringing, be a man, and do it myself (as any man should). No maps, no directions, no dang instruction manual. That is the MAN way!!!

Ernest T · January 13, 2017, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Who knows how thorough they will be.

I'd stop hand wringing, be a man, and do it myself (as any man should). No maps, no directions, no dang instruction manual. That is the MAN way!!!

Hell yea! You can take any firearm apart with a screwdriver and an hammer, and if you break anything you always have your duct tape for the repair. Go for it!

Model12Win · January 13, 2017, 11:28 AM

Well if I could somehow guarantee that the gunshop would:

A. Clean the gun extremely thoroughly, getting every nook and cranny perfectly clean.

B. Not damage the rifle in any way during the process, especially the fragile wood finish.

All for 30 dollars... then okay, sure. It's somewhat of a chore, but personally I'd rather take the time, do it RIGHT, get it CLEAN on the first go, and maybe learn a thing or two about the rifle in the process. Taking apart a three line rifle is as easy as it comes.

iraiam · January 14, 2017, 06:32 AM

I spent a few hours cleaning each of my Mosin rifles when I got them. For only 30 bucks, you probably won't get a very thorough cleaning. If you are unsre how to disassemble/assemble it, there are tons of Youtube videos that show how to do it.

redraif · January 18, 2017, 03:23 PM

Glad I stumbled upon this... getting my first tonight...

kilimanjaro · January 18, 2017, 04:03 PM

$30 may just get you a pot of boiling water dumped over the metal and wood. Take it apart and enjoy the process.

A 1926 Mosin should be much better made than the WWII examples, take care of it.

doofus47 · January 20, 2017, 10:55 AM

$30 is not much, but if you have the time, you probably will enjoy doing it yourself. It's your rifle now.

Lot's of advice (and people to give more advice) in the curios and relics forum.

January 6, 2017, 06:05 PM	#1
kyguy1 Member Join Date: October 31, 2016 Posts: 80	First Mosin Got my first Mosin, from local gun shop. It's a 1926, hex receiver, izhevsk marked. Matching bolt and receiver. Pretty good condition, nice finish. Has hammer and sickle marking on receiver. Overall really happy with it. First impressions, man it's heavy, but I like it! Love the weight of it and how it feels. Bolt action is pretty smooth. Trigger seems nice. It has a lot of what I assume is Cosmoline on it, especially in the bolt area, and receiver. I think some of that is brake grease too, as the guy at the shop told me he had put some in it to keep it lubricated. It seems to have very little wear. I can't wait to get to shoot it some. But first I have to clean out and remove this gunk/grease/cosmoline or whatever it is. I can do it myself, or the gunshop who sold it to me said they would do it for like 30 bucks for me. I just want to get this gunk out and get it to where it's ready to shoot, then I will be good to go to keep it cleaned and maintained myself. In the meantime, I'll keep learning all I can about it. Should I let the gunsmith clean the cosmoline out for me and get it ready to fire? Or should I try and do it myself? Thanks.

January 6, 2017, 07:33 PM	#2
Ernest T Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2015 Posts: 104	I'd say clean it yourself. It is a good way to get to know how the rifle works and goes together, since you need to strip it down to get all the cosmoline off. Its not a hard process, and there are many "how to do it" videos and guides online. Be sure to really clean the chamber area. Leaving cosmoline in the chamber will contribute to the "sticky bolt" syndrome common to many Mosins. If you leave cosmoline in there the bolt gets harder and harder to open as you shoot. Plus cleaning off the cosmoline is sort of a right of passage for first time Mosin owners. Last edited by Ernest T; January 6, 2017 at 07:40 PM.

January 7, 2017, 03:58 PM	#4
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Refurbed stocks (and often receivers) will usually l have a "diver's flag" (my term)- a square with a diagonal line across the corners. I've had dozens of rifles come where the bolt was never completely disassembled and cleaned, nor was the front of the receiver at the barrel breech/locking lug recesses. Be sure to flush that area well, using a 20 gauge chamber brush in a cordless drill if you can. The area in front of the lug recesses is difficult to reach, is often neglected and a source of "sticky bolt" and other issues. __________________ Remington 700/Savage Rebarreling /Action Blueprinting 07 FFL /Mosin-Nagant Custom Shop/Bent Bolts Genuine Cerakote Applicator www.biggorillagunworks.com Last edited by tobnpr; January 7, 2017 at 04:07 PM.

January 8, 2017, 12:44 PM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...clean out and remove this gunk/grease/cosmoline or whatever it is..." Doing it isn't difficult. Messy, it is. Really just requires mineral spirits and something big enough to drop the whole thing into. (Best to take the stock off.) Leave it there for 24 hours, then wipe off the gunk with rags, oil the metal and BLO the stock. No need for boiling water for the stock, but it might need more than 24 hours. Mosin are usually shellacked and not oiled as well. Stalin wouldn't spend the money and his minions had a whole lot more rifles to look after. Shellac is cheap. Do not dump the gunk down any drain. It's petroleum grease and is toxic. Don't leave the rags laying around either. $30 is robbery. Guy is selling a rifle that is not ready to shoot. Mind you, if the thing was really cheap..... __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

January 12, 2017, 09:48 PM	#12
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Depends on how much of, and type of, cosmoline... I've had consistencies from thick sludgy oil to near solid grease. Light coating, to filled solid- including the bore. Entire rifle, done "correctly", thirty bucks wouldn't come close to covering my time. __________________ Remington 700/Savage Rebarreling /Action Blueprinting 07 FFL /Mosin-Nagant Custom Shop/Bent Bolts Genuine Cerakote Applicator www.biggorillagunworks.com

January 6, 2017, 08:49 PM	#3
kyguy1 Member Join Date: October 31, 2016 Posts: 80	Yea I'll probably try and just do it myself. Although I may still let a gunsmith fix it up nice for me smooth it up a bit. I think my stock is postwar,not 100% but pretty sure, it looks to be laminate and has what I think is the refurbishment mark from Ukraine, although the stock also has the triangle Izzy marks too. The receiver and bolt are definitely prewar, they are matching serial numbers. Still trying to figure that out.

January 7, 2017, 04:59 PM	#5
CDR_Glock Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2010 Posts: 704	30 dollars is a bargain for a painful process. I'd opt for that. I modified mine into an Archangel with a Timney Trigger. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

January 8, 2017, 09:53 AM	#6
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	cleaning the cosmolene out of my 91\30 was the fun part for me. I stripped the rifle down to its pieces and soaked them in mineral spirits and wiped them off. I steamed the stock over a pot of boiling water to get the cosmolene out of it. In hot climates or just the summer I bet the sun would do it. I would be careful though as I am not sure if the hot sun would warp the wood. This process taught me a lot about my rifle and I am glad I did not hand her off to a gun smith to do it.

January 8, 2017, 12:38 PM	#7
Berserker Junior member Join Date: April 6, 2015 Location: WI & UP Posts: 284	I got lucky mine was clean. Bought it at Dunhams.

January 9, 2017, 07:06 PM	#9
TRX Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2008 Location: central Arkansas Posts: 400	The bolt comes apart without tools, like a puzzle toy. Clean it out and then oil it lightly before reassembly; there are all sorts of specialized gun lubricants, I use plain old 3-in-1 oil. Removing the stock is a really good idea. No telling what kinds of ick, guck, and schmutz is embedded between the stock and metalwork; it's a good idea to pull it all apart. Some models require driving pins out of the barrel bands. Don't worry, it's a Russian rifle, so working on one isn't rocket surgery. There's a nice photo set of complete disassembly here: http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinDisassembly.htm (don't take the extractor off the bolt or take the firing pin loose from the cocking piece, at least, not unless they're broken or otherwise damaged...)

January 10, 2017, 05:22 PM	#10
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	I'd save them DOLLAH DOLLAH BILLS YAWL and do it myself the RIGHT way.

January 10, 2017, 06:38 PM	#11
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Cleaning it yourself is easy, will cost you about 10 bucks for paint thinner and maybe 5 more for something to soak it in (a salvaged section of rain gutter and some heavy duty plastic will work) and a paint brush ....and you'll learn a lot about the gun in the process. Put the extra 15 bucks toward ammo.

January 12, 2017, 09:50 PM	#13
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Who knows how thorough they will be. I'd stop hand wringing, be a man, and do it myself (as any man should). No maps, no directions, no dang instruction manual. That is the MAN way!!!

January 13, 2017, 11:28 AM	#15
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Well if I could somehow guarantee that the gunshop would: A. Clean the gun extremely thoroughly, getting every nook and cranny perfectly clean. B. Not damage the rifle in any way during the process, especially the fragile wood finish. All for 30 dollars... then okay, sure. It's somewhat of a chore, but personally I'd rather take the time, do it RIGHT, get it CLEAN on the first go, and maybe learn a thing or two about the rifle in the process. Taking apart a three line rifle is as easy as it comes.

January 14, 2017, 06:32 AM	#16
iraiam Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2012 Location: Lakewood, CO Posts: 1,057	I spent a few hours cleaning each of my Mosin rifles when I got them. For only 30 bucks, you probably won't get a very thorough cleaning. If you are unsre how to disassemble/assemble it, there are tons of Youtube videos that show how to do it. __________________ NRA Lifetime Member Since 1999 "I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few public officials." George Mason

January 18, 2017, 03:23 PM	#17
redraif Member Join Date: January 3, 2013 Posts: 59	Glad I stumbled upon this... getting my first tonight...

January 18, 2017, 04:03 PM	#18
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	$30 may just get you a pot of boiling water dumped over the metal and wood. Take it apart and enjoy the process. A 1926 Mosin should be much better made than the WWII examples, take care of it.

January 20, 2017, 10:55 AM	#19
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	$30 is not much, but if you have the time, you probably will enjoy doing it yourself. It's your rifle now. Lot's of advice (and people to give more advice) in the curios and relics forum. __________________ I'm right about the metric system 3/4 of the time.