Cleaning new/old mags?

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Howdy All!

I just got some new/old surplus mags for my new to me AK47's, they are covered with maybe cosmoline? a greasy gook . . . my questions, should I try to just wipe it down with a rag? Will this stuff have migrated to the inside of the mag? Can I just soak it in paint thinner?

[Trey45]

Cosmolines enemy is heat, boil them, skim the floating cosmo off, then dry the mags with a hair dryer. Tada!

Edit:
An electricians heat shrink gun will work, you just need to be careful you don't scorch the finish on the metal, I also forgot to add, you should dissassemble the magazines before you boil them, and obviously boil them in a pot you won't ever use for food.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Cool thanks, I'll get my new/old pot I picked up for double boiling loob out and boil away!

Thursday I should have my AK's, my cases of wammo came yesterday, I just wanna be ready! (My 91 year old neighbor overheard my talking with the ups driver as I was carrying to the cases, so he says to me later "when is the revolution starting?" I tell him, I'm not sure but I'm ready!)

[looseprojectile]

Most magazines do disassemble. I use some kind of hydrocarbon solvent. To include gasoline. It's cheaper. Use a lot more caution than the person who had a fire doing this. Soak, dry and wipe the parts down with a lightly oiled cloth.
My favorite way is to use two stroke mix and just blow the parts off after soaking with compressed air. This way every nook and crannie is protected with a fine coat of oil.

To answer the old mans question I would say, "It's already started, it's just that the shooting part hasn't begun yet". Anyone seen prices of food lately?
FRNs are really loosing it.
These facts are not political or humorous or off topic. They are real! Here and now.

Life is good

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

So . . . thought I would be smart, since my wife had left the oven on, I turned it off, and as soon as she left to take the dog for a walk . . . I took the four mags and stuck them in the oven with the arch up, thinking the cosmoline would just run out . . . didn't work real well, so I got them outside before the house stank anymore, and opened the windows . . . before my wife returned!

I got on here, and saw the mention about taking them apart . . . while the were still hot, I wiped down the outsides, and think that they may come apart from the bottom, but . . . since I'm not a big fan of springs fling out into my face . . . what do you think?

The tops seem to have a latch, maybe it opens up, or is the catch to hold it into the gun? (I do not have the guns yet)




The bottoms look like it may just slide off . . . but . . . ?




What would you do?

[S.R.Custom]

What would you do?

Boil 'em in a pot of water... outside.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Boil 'em in a pot of water... outside.

But . . . how do I get them dis-assembled?

[lead-1]

See that square nub sticking thru the floor plate in the third picture, push that in with a bullet or a screwdriver and slide the floor plate off. Slowly slide it off and put your thumb across the bottom of the mag because the spring will do funny things when the floor plate is removed, Watch your eyes. Everything just slides out of the mag body. Happy cleaning.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

OK, Thanks!

I got it open apart!

[gray wolf]

Put the spring back the same way--if the spring has an angle to it and it is put back a$$ backward it can put down pressure on the front of the follower instead of up pressure = JAM.
I clean my pistols and small parts in a large plastic coffee can filled half way up with Kerosene
the small parts go in a little basket. Take the grips off if you like. My 45 when at it's worst has to soak for 5 minutes and then I brush off everything I can see-- I pick it up and down in the can and let the Kero drain off 1/2 dozen times--put on an old rag and let it drain off.
The Kero has a little oil in it so after it is dry I oil and grease as needed. Been cleaning my hand guns this way for years and no problems. The 45 is Field stripped.
I do a total break down about every 4th cleaning and the inside of the pistol is always pretty clean.
Sorry to get off on cleaning hand guns but I do the mags the same way.
You should learn how to take those and any other mags apart and put them back together
without a hitch--they are part of the weapon system.
OK I am done.

Sam