Cosmolene

[shogan]

I'm looking for a source for Cosmolene or it's equivalent for long term storage of various types of bullet launchers and parts. This will be for cashe type storage. Any home brew options available?

[W.E.G.]

http://nra.nationalfirearms.museum/collector/conservation.asp

[MikeC]

Try this link (http://www.schafco.com/cosmoline.asp) out.

BTW, BMW uses cosmoline to protect cars in shipping.

[ThunderGod]

Mmmm, Cosmolene...

[Bwana John]

Try the blue waterproof trailer wheelbearing grease.

[TapperMan]

Brownells (http://www.brownells.com) has it.

[shogan]

Gee... thanks folks! One and all!

[Bentley8]

Although cosmoline changes formulation somewhat from place to place, it's basically heavy petrolatum with anti-corrosion chemicals added, mostly copper sulfate, and some wax or shellac.

Although heavy petrolatum is available, your typical pharmacy should have some, it's not exactly cheap. Kissing cousin to heavy petrolatum is light petrolatum, which is a lot cheaper. It's commonly available as Vaseline.

As long as the rifle isn't stored in high heat, where the Vaseline runs liquid and can slide off the rifle, a thick coating of the stuff is great. Better still, it's a LOT easier to clean off than cosmoline. If you want to make it thicker/stickier, melt a little white wax into it. You can add isopropyl alcohol to it to thin it a little so it'll spread on with a brush, but then cure to a firmer finish.

I was thinking about creating batches of light petrolatum with a bit of wax and copper sulfate and selling it as CosmoLite, but I never got around to it. It would give you the benefit of corrosion prevention and long-term storage without the difficulty in removing it. Come to think of it, I just might make a batch this winter.