Restoration Help

[Tanis]

Right, so I need some help restoring an old girl to at least decent shape again.

It's in good condition, given that it probably hasn't seen a cleaning rod over 30 years, and has been shoved away in a closet for 30 years, but it's got some moderate surface rusting. Not enough to leave gaping gouges in the metal, but enough to make a mess out of it. Which annoys me cause when I stripped the wood off it, it had absolutely beautiful, pristine metal underneath. Alas.

Anyways, it needs some cleanup work on it, but this is the first time I've ever undertaken such a task (most I've done thus far is stripping and cleaning out packing grease from my Longbranch), and thusly need some help. Suprisingly, through an hour or so of searching the forums, I was unable to find anything.

So.

What do you all recommend for cleaning up moderate surface rust? A friend said I should use turpentine and pumice, but I figured second opinions can't hurt.

And, yes, it is a Milsurp, and no, I'm not gonna tell you what it is, for fear of you all laughing at me. It was free, and let's leave it at that.

 

[Slash5]

Very fine steel wool, 0000 and Hoppes #9.
I always used oil until I tried Hoppes - never go back.

 

[J.P.]

Yup, rub that metal with 0000 steel wool and some oil (like kroil oil), or hoppes #9 should work, never tried. I'd recomend brownells oxpho blue if you're so inclined (I get it at wholesale sports). Now, why dontcha tell us what she is? Ain't nothin wrong with polishing a turd ya know.

 

[woodchopper]

It cant be that bad show us some pictures too


after all you got it for free.

 

[Tanis]

Fine, I'll show you.

It's a Remo II 16 gauge, a bolt-action shotgun built off a Gewher 98 action after World War I with a new stock.

Nothing special, but has sentimental value for the friend who gave it to me.

Anyways, pics:

... Dang, I really need to learn to take better pictures...

 

[desporterizer]

The pics aren't that bad. Seems like somebody went through a lot of trouble to make a shotgun though.

 

[Tanis]

Well, after World War I, the Germans didn't have much options on what they could make, so I imagine making a shotgun was a better option than making nothing at all.

 

[Claven2]

Wann know something funny? I think that stock is probably worth more than the rest of the gun combined. A stockmaker would easily charge you $1000 to hand craft that puppy today, though in an open sale, it might be worth $100 or so. Would clean up REAL nice for the right sporter project...

If you want to salvage the whole rifle, you need light bronze wool or #0000 steel wool, penetrating oil and Hoppes No.9 and a piece of sheet brass.

Scrape all crusties off with the brass using the sharpest edge, then rub until the rust is gone with wool soaked in hoppes. Soak in penetrating oil and repeat as necessary.

When done you can decide to refinish or not.

 

[Tanis]

Well, like I said, the rifle itself holds sentimental value to the friend who gave it to me, so I'm moreso doing it for him than myself.

Though, I'd rather not have to reblue it.