German long term weapon storage?

[DukeIronHand]

After finding out the magazine follower in my BNZ43 was phoney (courtesy of this place) I ordered a new one that fit all the reported BNZ parameters - milled, unmarked, and holds the bolt open after the last round.

It arrived today in beautiful shape (barely used) and during the examination of my “BNZ” mag follower I detected the distinct odor of cosmoline. Now I get, even assuming this was somehow a WW2 German follower, it could have been in a dozen countries over the decades but it got me wondering. Cosmoline (by memory) was developed in the late 1800’s to do what it does.
Further I get the Germans during the late 30’s and the war years were probably in no position to worry about long term weapon and parts storage like the Americans but did they use Cosmoline at all? On most old guns you almost always can detect a trace of it in some nook or cranny but I don’t recall finding any on a K98. Were any preservation attempts made on the weapons on leaving the factory? Or because of circumstances were they quickly in the hands of the troops?

 

[OttoVonBismarck]

I believe cosmoline is only applied to rifles going into mothball style storage. Germany did not preserve weapons the way a USSR or USA would as they did not make it into the 60's as a global power that would have necessitated the need for stockpiles of rifles for a future war. West Germany being stripped of its prussian mindset wasnt too enthusiastic about preparing for another war. Their defense program was half hearted at best and heavily bolstered by NATO. They probably would not have armed up as much as they did had it not been for us pressruing them to in the 1960's; and by then it was a focus of arming troops with HK G'3s and walther P'1s and not a mass civilian army with surplus K98's the way the Soviets intended to with the WW2 surplus.

 

[RyanE]

Further I get the Germans during the late 30’s and the war years were probably in no position to worry about long term weapon and parts storage like the Americans but did they use Cosmoline at all? On most old guns you almost always can detect a trace of it in some nook or cranny but I don’t recall finding any on a K98. Were any preservation attempts made on the weapons on leaving the factory? Or because of circumstances were they quickly in the hands of the troops?

You can often find rifles that still have traces of the grease used by the Wehrmacht, Waffenfett TL/6006. The grease was applied in the areas between the stock and rifle and also around the bayonet lug.

 

[DukeIronHand]

You can often find rifles that still have traces of the grease used by the Wehrmacht, Waffenfett TL/6006. The grease was applied in the areas between the stock and rifle and also around the bayonet lug.

Looks very “Cosmo-ish.”
And probably is or something quite similar. Guess all my 98’s have had some cleaner-owners.
Thanks.

EDIT: Wonder if this explains the black staining you always find on stock wood especially up in the bayonet lug area. I’ve always assumed it to be a combo of the metal finish (bluing) and oil.

 

[R.W. Parker]

A rust-inhibiting grease was commonly used by all manufacturers of military small arms, to be removed by the individual soldier at time of issue. The length of time that arms would remain in storage could be either short-term or long-term of course, depending on the situation.

After the rust inhibitor was removed from the accessible parts of the weapon, that which remained between wood and metal protected against dampness as well as corrosion caused by acidic compounds in the wood.

It's conceivable that some of the "last-ditch" types fielded by Germany and Japan received no such treatment, as they were likely pressed into service immediately after manufacture. But to my knowledge the application of corrosion inhibitor is pretty much military tradition, whether the arms were destined for long-term storage or not.

Richie

 

[OttoVonBismarck]

You can often find rifles that still have traces of the grease used by the Wehrmacht, Waffenfett TL/6006. The grease was applied in the areas between the stock and rifle and also around the bayonet lug.

Love how you drop pictures as evidence. Completely removes any doubts. A greasing agent was in fact applied who knew not me