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Judi and her Mosins wrote:
.Bill Happy Birthday,... I am glad you posted this green mold thing. Has anyone else had this happen before? Judi and her Mosin's
Mildew is common enough to find when you collect anything antique, guns, cars, furniture, just another product of long, and often haphazard storage of things people no longer consider important. Mold however is not common unless you collect things from the back of the icebox. Mold means it came from a very damp environment and had no care for a long time. I would be far to embarrassed to hand somebody a moldy weapon, some people have no pride at all to sell something in such poor condition, at least make a token effort to wipe it off. Bills birthday? Happy birthday Bill!
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Thanks for the Birthday Wishes! I was 70 on Tax Day and I never in a million years thought I would live this long to be honest about it. I sprayed the bleach cleaner into the barrel channel very carefully and wiped it out real good. You guys had me scared a bit! I also let it sit out in the 20 degree weather the other night before wiping it down with Balistoll and reassembling it. Wow that baby has a nice trigger for what may be a straight Russian gun. I tore another one down yesterday afternoon and no mold or anything other than some flora and seeds in the packing grease. Interesting thing is the 1909 Izhevsk has a 1908 Tula receiver on it and is for sure Finnish while the whole rifle is on a 1915 marked stock. I love the Finnish! If they made Spam they would package the squeals too I bet!
I know there are seriously many people who do not shoot things and have never seen mold inside of a rifle including me! I just hope they at least open and inspect for rust and if they shoot for safety. I have found some serious arguments that support these actions over the years but never any green stuff before. Buddy came into the shop the other afternoon and mentioned this place stinks (like the mold?) so you know the doors will be open out there today! Bill
zeebill wrote:.......... Buddy came into the shop the other afternoon and mentioned this place stinks (like the mold?) so you know the doors will be open out there today! Bill
Maybe it's not the "mold" making that stink in your shop??? What did you eat the night before? I usually blame it on the dog. He is a 13 year old Beagle, so everyone expects it! I'm only 61,.... I wonder when I will get that "common courtesy" extended to me! Dolk
PS: I disassemble everything I buy and make sure there is no rust or "bad things" under the wood line. This is a good post to remind the new guys that it should always be done. Better to know, then not, and it hurts nothing.
Never seen that mold before, thank goodness... I always break the rifle down and clean it. Sometimes the rifle doesn't want to cooperate, like sights won't come off, screws won't budge or barrel bands won't come out. I just leave those alone and clean around them. I recently got a VZ-24 in that had been caked in grease at one time but most of it had dried to a thin paste. I noticed under the wood line that rust had started under the grease but not penetrated the bluing. After washing the barrel there was still a rust sheen. I removed that with Blue Wonder and the rifle looks virtually new now. When I first got it, I kind of rolled my eyes and questioned my decision making to purchase the rifle in the first place. But, now I am more than happy with it. If I decide to store them long term, I may spray them with cosmoline or slap on the axle grease but for now, each one accept my GEW88 contract rifle is ready to shot and out for me to enjoy and lovingly fondle. I know that there are other guys that don't touch these rifles. Personal choice, I guess.
Clean the house with bleach/water mix, and air it out for spring, that should do it.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
posted awhile back about one of my 91/30's from aim that was a 80 buck special, having mold in the stock. Took me by suprise and hauled it outside and washed it out from far with a hose and some detergent and other chemicals that I had on hand and then let it sit in the summer sun for awhile. Been good since and I haven't died, but was diagnosed with asthma this year
rusko75 wrote:posted awhile back about one of my 91/30's from aim that was a 80 buck special, having mold in the stock. Took me by suprise and hauled it outside and washed it out from far with a hose and some detergent and other chemicals that I had on hand and then let it sit in the summer sun for awhile. Been good since and I haven't died, but was diagnosed with asthma this year
Asthma? Well, you better watch the molds from now on, lay off the cheap cigars too.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
I have never seen the mold before and will not feel hurt if I never see it again!
Dolk now that you mention it I did have a Taco salad for lunch and that did have chili and beans on it?
The other two M91's are done now and there was no further green crap. Aired the shop yesterday and it smells like the normal oily smell again like a shop should. The last one turned out to be on a 1898 Izhevsk receiver with the Tikka 1941 barrel and the bore cleaned to very nice. Now a range trip for I have 5 of them to shoot. I am fixing to have another spring cleaning out there once it gets warmer. The heater is running this AM again as the temp was in the 30's last night. I am still sitting on the open heater vent to stay warm! When the heck is Summer going to be here? Bill
It was 27 last night, frost on the truck this morning, and I lit the fire here in the shop, but I should only need that for the morning. We had snow a few days ago.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
zeebill wrote:
Dolk now that you mention it I did have a Taco salad for lunch and that did have chili and beans on it?
That might account for some of the smell, but I doubt it had anything to do with the "green" mold or we would all be having the same problem!
zeebill wrote:The heater is running this AM again as the temp was in the 30's last night. I am still sitting on the open heater vent to stay warm! When the heck is Summer going to be here? Bill
I slept last night with the window open because it was nice outside. "one of many" reasons I live in California! Although, it is supposted to be colder today. I think all the way down to 72 degrees outside!
I am glad you posted this green mold thing. Has anyone else had this happen before? Judi and her Mosin's
I'm only 61,.... I wonder when I will get that "common courtesy" extended to me! 
Never seen that mold before, thank goodness... I always break the rifle down and clean it. Sometimes the rifle doesn't want to cooperate, like sights won't come off, screws won't budge or barrel bands won't come out. I just leave those alone and clean around them. I recently got a VZ-24 in that had been caked in grease at one time but most of it had dried to a thin paste. I noticed under the wood line that rust had started under the grease but not penetrated the bluing. After washing the barrel there was still a rust sheen. I removed that with Blue Wonder and the rifle looks virtually new now. When I first got it, I kind of rolled my eyes 
and questioned my decision making to purchase the rifle in the first place. But, now I am more than happy with it. If I decide to store them long term, I may spray them with cosmoline or slap on the axle grease but for now, each one accept my GEW88 contract rifle is ready to shot and out for me to enjoy and lovingly fondle. I know that there are other guys that don't touch these rifles. Personal choice, I guess.
