[Sparticus]

The “stuff” on your stocks is called cosmoline and was used for long term storage. The Russians used to just dunk the rifles in barrels of boiling water until they were clean when pulling them out for re-issue. As mentioned, oven cleaner works. So does wrapping the stocks in black plastic and leaving it on the dash of a car in the hot sun.

[hiredhand]

The "stuff" on your stocks is called cosmoline and was used for long term storage. The Russians used to just dunk the rifles in barrels of boiling water until they were clean when pulling them out for re-issue. As mentioned, oven cleaner works. So does wrapping the stocks in black plastic and leaving it on the dash of a car in the hot sun.

COSMOLINE....that's the stuff! I couldn't remember the word! We were seriously thinking about doing the boiling water dunk on the stocks. We poured boiling water over the metal and removed it that way initially a couple of years ago...along with some dish washing liquid to emulsify the stuff so it would wash away. It's annoying that this stuff weeps out in the heat, but I think I'll keep it that way.

The Yugoslavians must have really super soaked this one rifle, because we have two that were purchased as unissued. But the one seems to be thoroughly impregnated through and through. The other doesn't weep grease when it's hot. Maybe it the cosmoline was hotter when they poured it on the one? ...hard to say.