91/30 Stock Bedding

I recently acquired a 1936 non-matching Izhevsk 91/30. The stock is an un-refurbished pre-WWII version. It was very filthy but was not shellacked and the metal of the rifle had original patina so it was obvious that this rifle did not experience the post WWII refurbishment process. Once I removed the barrel and action from the stock, I saw that it appeared as if the interior of the stock had been coated with something. Whoever did it, they were pretty sloppy. Can anyone tell me what this stuff is and should I leave it as is? The action seems to fit well but the barrel has a lot of wiggle room at the end. Thank you for you help!

What is the texture? cosmoline can become quite firm with a hard waxy texture with age.

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So many different compounds. Best to leave the mess as is.

The better way :
Accurizing the Mosin-Nagant Rifle, Part II: A Year Later | Louisiana Gun Classifieds Discussions - Bayou Shooter

+1 72usmc

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Originally Posted by ssgross

What is the texture? cosmoline can become quite firm with a hard waxy texture with age.

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Very smooth in some spots and hard peanut butter in others. I've never seen this in my other Mosin rifles, but you can never tell what the heck the Russians did!

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Originally Posted by Singer B

Very smooth in some spots and hard peanut butter in others.

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Test an area not pressed down by the barreled action, like your 6th pic, with a drop of kerosene and an AP brush. If it readily melts away, it's just dried cosmoline or other grease. One of my mosins was still caked with cosmoline inside and out when I got it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ssgross

Test an area not pressed down by the barreled action, like your 6th pic, with a drop of kerosene and an AP brush. If it readily melts away, it's just dried cosmoline or other grease. One of my mosins was still caked with cosmoline inside and out when I got it.

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Thanks, I'll try it.