new cz with cosmoline infestation

[entropy5]

I just put a CZ 75BD on layaway at Gander Mountain. It is brand new covered with cosmoline. What is the best agent to clean it with? Kerosene? Hoppe's? Something else? And will the stuff be down in the "works"? Do I need to detail strip (hope not;) ) it to clean, or can I soak it in something then rinse it out? I've read that boiling the parts (taking the grips off first)in water then thoroughly drying it out with a hairdryer works fairly well.

TIA

[SonnyD]

Don't detail strip it, it's not neccessary, and it shouldn't be covered in cosmoline!, just heavy oil. What I do is first. Take the slide off, and remove the grips, and then spray everything with GunScrubber. Do the same with the slide, the gunscrubber will flush everything out, and it will dry by itself. Then use your preference of lubricants, and oil the usual places, ie, all the pivot spots like the trigger, and sear/hammer hook area. It doesn't take a lot of oil. Do the slide rails and contact points, I also use a grease on the firing pin block on the bottom of the slide where it contact across the hammer. Not a lot of grease, just a dab on your finger. It stays longer then oil, and eases friction. You might want to dissasemble the mags to and dry the inside of the mag bodies out.

Regards Sonny

[entropy5]

Thanks. When I handled the gun, it didn't feel oily, rather, it felt crusty and whatever it was was yellow. This led me to think dried cosmoline.

[Blitzer]

Gun scubber will make of mess of you ASAP, use it outside or in the garage with the doors open!

Try Eezox for a lube.

Advanced Technology Triple Action Solution that cleans, lubricates, and preserves firearms. It is one of the finest treatments that you can give your guns.

Synthetic EEZOX Premium Gun Care is a total gun-care system with ONE PRODUCT for all guns. This includes black powder guns. Since EEZOX is not petroleum based, it will not affect the seasoning of a muzzleloader bore. EEZOX enables your firearm to function as designed by the manufacturer.

* Cleans, lubricates and protects - EEZOX DOES IT ALL

* Eliminates stiff actions, jamming and residue build-up

* Harmless to powders and primers

* Non-flammable (not a petroleum based product)

* Dry to the touch on guns in use or stored

* Functions from +450F to -95F

http://www.eezox.com/gun-care.html

[SonnyD]

I was pretty much impressed with EeZox when I first hear about it several years ago on hs2000, but after seeing independant tests I was less impressed with it. exposed metal treated with Eezox was pretty rusted. Havn't heard much about it sense.

Regards Sonny

[entropy5]

Got the definitive answer: not cosmoline. It's just grease. Normal cleaning with a degreaser will do it.

[Rob1035]

my new 85b was covered in grease. no big deal.

[Pecos Bill 1911]

I recently bought an old military pistol full of decades-old grease and was finding it a little difficult to degrease. I took it all apart and removed the grips from the frame. I placed all of the parts on paper towels on top of a non-stick cookie sheet. I placed the cookie sheet into the oven at 200 degrees for around ten minutes. Most of the grease melted off onto the paper towels. The remaining grease was so soft it easily wiped away. If you try this at home, then save yourself some grief and don't tell the wife! I have also used Simple Green and a soft-bristled tooth brush to degrease gun parts - good way to avoid fumes. Best Wishes! Pecos Bill out.