Krag Collectors Association Forum

Received a buttstock oiler in today for my 1898 Krag. This is the smallest oiler I have ever seen. Lol. I need to get the 3 cleaning rods now. Think I will get them from Grandpa's Parts.

I have not seen a setup like this before for installing the cleaning rods and oiler in the buttstock. I'm guessing the oiler goes in first followed by the cleaning rods? Only it makes sense to me. Does the oiler easily come out after the rods are removed?

Thanks, Scott. (The last pic is from this forum. Thanks to whomever.)

When you pull the cleaning rods out, the oiler should easily dump out or be pulled out with nimble fingers. Paul often reminds people that soldiers used to stick a couple cleaning pads over the cleaning rods before closing the cover to keep the rods from moving around. I never have needed to do this but it is a good idea. Granpas gun parts is a great place to get what you need for your Krag if he has it in stock.

Got it, Thanks!

I usually put in cleaning pads to stop movement and keep things quiet.

The oilers were filled with "Cosmic Oil", a form of cosmoline.
I do not know the original viscosity of this lubricant/preservative.

Nowadays, it is best to leave the 'oiler' empty. A leaking oil-bottle would create a real nasty mess in the butt-trap!

The ends of original rods and the inside surface of the butt-plate door often show evidence of things being allowed to 'bang around',
so, a folded cleaning patch is a good idea to keep things quiet and cushioned.
(I've always taken this precaution ... never saw it mentioned in a manual or original source ... it just made sense from gun experience).

Yup, I clean all of mine out before I put them back in the buttstock with the exception of my Garand grease pots. Stuff is thick and the little pots are sealed pretty good. I also always put in cleaning patches for padding and use if need be.

More on 'cosmic' oil:

I did a 'google search' and found an interesting mention of "cosmic" in a British report that covered lubricants for the Vickers Machine Gun.
The British work cited mention of cosmic oil in the "Rules of Management for the U.S. Model 1903 Rifle".
The British obtained some U.S. cosmic and analyzed it. Their findings are interesting and describe the product:

Mineral Jelly = Vaseline

I imagine the 'Cosmic' was warmed-up to liquify it for pouring into the 'cartridge size' Krag Oilers.
When the Cosmic cooled to a jelly-like consistency, the applicator on the cap could 'spoon' the Cosmic Jelly out of the oiler.

Hmm... Interesting choice of "oil" for a rifle oiler. Wonder why they would use cosmoline as a grease instead of actual grease or oil? Odd. Cosmoline is most generally used as a preservative, not for lubrication. As mentioned, it was used when weapons were stored to prevent rust and corrosion. Very strange choice to put in a buttstock field service/cleaning kit.

BTW, I have cleaned large amounts of old dried up cosmoline from many surplus weapons over the last 3 or 4 decades. I sure would not want to add any BACK to them. LOL!

Not defending cosmoline one way or another but how much lubrication does one need for a bolt action rifle if it is going to see field use? Or not see field use such as intermediate use meaning not daily but also not long term storage. And don't most non-synthetic greases dry out after awhile?

When I obtained this Krag, a model 1892 that was updated to model 1896 features, (in 1897), I found the bottom of the barrel & stock channels, 'loaded' with cosmoline.
The cosmoline was the consistency of vaseline, although darker in color and different in smell.
The grease was easy to remove. (I regret not saving some of this old cosmoline in a small clear bottle).

IMO - In the "Field", (while "Hiking through the Philippines"), a dab of 'cosmic' on cams and wear surfaces and a coated patch of it, through the bore, would be a good thing.
Sperm-Whale oil was also used and was probably wiped on external metal surfaces to impede rust.
Sperm oil is very thin and would likely leak out of a Krag oil 'bottle'.

Packing guns for 'long-term' storage is a different strategy.

IMHO, cosmoline is not a good lubricant. Not it's intended purpose as far as I'm concerned.

My bolt action rifles do not get grease of any kind. They get light synthetic oil on the contact surfaces of the bolt before heading to the range and after a cleaning when returning.


Edit: That's a very good looking Krag you have pictured there butlersrangers!