Brown Goo on Mosin Bolt

[Gastrok]

I put 40 rounds through my Mosin Friday and when I got home I didn't have time for a full cleaning so I flushed the barrel and action with water and some Windex, coated the barrel, action, and bolt with CLP and put it away.

This morning I pulled the bolt to start cleaning it and found it totally covered in brown/amber "goo". What's worse is that when I wiped this goo off the metal had white "stains" in a number of places where this goo had been sitting. I was so horrified that I cleaned the stuff off before thinking to taking some pictures. There was a moderate amount of this stuff in the action but none in the barrel.

I know what your thinking...cosmoline. I'm certain it's not - I've taken this rifle down a number of times and it's been thoroughly cleaned and de-cosmo'd (steam, mineral spirits, etc.). The only appreciable amount of cosmoline left in the gun is under the rear site, and a very small amount does ooze out from time to time when the gun gets hot. When I get around to buying some punches I'll take care of that.

Any ideas what this might be? My only theory is maybe some sort of reaction between the Windex and CLP.

Thanks in advance.

G

 

[TheKrazyRaven]

I use that same combo to Clean mine and never had "brown goo"

Sorry i couldn't be if more help but figured that info might help narrow it down

 

[majspud]

The only remnant 'goo' I had was from the lacquer used on Romanian 8mm ammo.

MS

 

[ARV]

If I had to guess, you missed the inside of the action where the lugs lock, and there was still some windex or something there. The moisture & salts caused some rust that mixed with the liquids. That sat on part of your bolt, and etched it giving you the frosted white areas. I find the hardest place to get to is the face of the locking shoulders, because there's no real good way to reach them. I take a much larger bore brush (308 chamber brush I think) and use that to work some windex (followed by solvent & oil) soaked patches into that area to get the back sides that a normal cleaning wont touch, along with a tooth brush in there to scrub at them.

ETA: Thats a bad description.... I mean the area that the flat parts of the locking lugs actually touches.

 

[Gastrok]

If I had to guess, you missed the inside of the action where the lugs lock, and there was still some windex or something there. The moisture & salts caused some rust that mixed with the liquids. That sat on part of your bolt, and etched it giving you the frosted white areas. I find the hardest place to get to is the face of the locking shoulders, because there's no real good way to reach them. I take a much larger bore brush (308 chamber brush I think) and use that to work some windex (followed by solvent & oil) soaked patches into that area to get the back sides that a normal cleaning wont touch, along with a tooth brush in there to scrub at them.

ETA: Thats a bad description.... I mean the area that the flat parts of the locking lugs actually touches.

I think this is it. I normally run a 20 gauge brush through the action but I didn't do that this time before putting the gun away. Thanks.

 

[martin08]

Forty rounds through a Mosin will heat it up. Cosmoline that isn't accessible through a regular cleaning will start oozing out from pores and crevices that weren't evident before. Very common to have a milsurp "bleed" over the first few range sessions, even after successive cleanings.

 

[Gastrok]

Forty rounds through a Mosin will heat it up. Cosmoline that isn't accessible through a regular cleaning will start oozing out from pores and crevices that weren't evident before. Very common to have a milsurp "bleed" over the first few range sessions, even after successive cleanings.

Yes, it could be a possibility, but I'd run 300 -400 rounds through this gun previously, include one 100-round session. Is it possible for cosmoline to cause the "etching" on the bolt?

 

[50 BMG]

I tell folks who are collecting old war horses like this to buy a air compressor. Just a small one is all you need. Clean the areas as you normally would and blast with air. if anything is left behind it soon gone.Then repeat the process. I also after using Windex use Ed's red and dip the barrel end i the solution. Using a nylon bore brush run it thru 20 times or so. i then use a nylon chamber brush and soak it with the solution and repeat. Then wipe it down and back to the air compressor.

I know this sounds like a long process but once you do it a few times you can clean the rifle in no time. Also place a bore plug in the muzzle end. Fill the bore all the way past the chamber area just shy of spilling out. Again using Ed's Red. After sitting over night you will be shocked at the goo that will come out.

Also when you say "etching on the bolt" do you mean scoring? A normal amount of wear will be seen on the bolt from use. Remember some of the bolts parts could be new because they were replaced when the rifle was refurbed and placed away for storage.

I hope you found this helpful.

 

[ARV]

50, The etching I was referring to (and what I picture him referring to) would be similar to what you would see in a "frosted" bore.

 

[Gastrok]

I will see if I can get a decent picture of this "frosting"...

 

[Gastrok]

This was the best I could do with the iphone, but I think it shows the etching/frosting pretty well. I'm guessing that some 0000 steal wool will fix this?

 

[50 BMG]

It almost appears you are getting blow back from the round firing.

 

[ARV]

Did you store it with the bolt open or closed? I'm guessing open, only because the discolored area looked like the area that touches the back of the receiver when its open. If the bolt was closed, I would expect the discoloration to be in a different area. 000 steal wool and some oil would be what I would try, but its a warhorse, gives it character

 

[Gastrok]

Did you store it with the bolt open or closed? I'm guessing open, only because the discolored area looked like the area that touches the back of the receiver when its open. If the bolt was closed, I would expect the discoloration to be in a different area. 000 steal wool and some oil would be what I would try, but its a warhorse, gives it character

Yes it was open. So now it has some mojo.


Sent from my handheld electronic thingamabob.