restoring old gun

monkey nuts

monkey nuts

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Ok heres the scoop. I got this sweet little 308 given to me buy family member that passed this year. The gun has got to be 30 years old. im not shure. Anyway it shoots wicked. makes me feel like a real pro. The problem is it looks like total hell. Like its been lost in a swamp for a couple years hehe. I can't aford to send it away for reblueing and stuff. So i need to fixer up my self. Shurly there someone here that could point me in the right direction. Im pretty handy but never restored an old gun before. Thanks PS Ive been looking at these cold reblueing products and stuff but not shure about witch to buy or try.:50cal::confused:
 
Before you do anything , what do you have? Many a valuable gun has been depreciated by a home gunsmith trying to save some money. A picture would help ID the gun also.
 
Its a CIL model 950C Stamped canadian industries ltd. Montreal canada. also says made in usa.thats all stamped on the action. on the barrel it says proof tested cal. 308 WIN. Ill try to get some pics if you think its worth anything. Thanks.
 
this was originally made by savage, model #110C and D. CIL is a trade name and guns marked as such are not generally valuable collectors items. birchwood casey's super blue can be used to reblue an entire gun. it's not in the same league as hot blue or many of the enameled finishes, but it can be done. i've got several old guns cold blued and they have lasted for years with a fair bit of use.follow the directions carefully. the same with birchwoods casey's wood finnish solutions. follow the directions. good luck
 
12magnum said:
this was originally made by savage, model #110C and D. CIL is a trade name and guns marked as such are not generally valuable collectors items. birchwood casey's super blue can be used to reblue an entire gun. it's not in the same league as hot blue or many of the enameled finishes, but it can be done. i've got several old guns cold blued and they have lasted for years with a fair bit of use.follow the directions carefully. the same with birchwoods casey's wood finnish solutions. follow the directions. good luck
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X2 the Super blue stuff is great just make sure you degrease every inch go over it a couple of times. Super blue as per instuction. Make sure you have a quality gun oil to finish it off it will help with the curing.
 
Ok now how about the rust and old blueing that has not wore off yet. Im guessing it should all be sanded off. what grit? or products should i use for this? Thanks.
 
If you're going to use that super blue here's an even better way than the instructions (which is rare). Take off the stock etc, so you've got the barreled action. Clean it up with degreaser and remove the old bluing using your favorite method if you wish (preferred actually) Now the good stuff. Put it in the oven at 210 degrees (approximately) for an hour or so. It should be very warm to the touch, but you should be able to handle it. This will really open up the pores on the metal and make it take the bluing VERY well. Then hit the barreled action with lots of bluing agent and work it in vigorously with a toothbrush (used is fine if its clean) keep dousing it with bluing agent and working it in with the toothbrush constantly for ten to fifteen minutes. Make sure to get hard to reach areas over and over. This is much longer than the instructions, in terms of allowing the agent to blue the metal. Once you're all done, clean it with cold water and do a good job of the cleaning. Then dry it and oil it generously. What you will get is a very, very dark bluing job that has been absorbed by the pores of the metal significantly more than following the instructions would have gotten you. Want a maxi-super-awesome job? Re-warm it before you oil it and hit it very generously with G96 while it's about 200 degrees and let it cool in the G96. Wipe off any huge excess afterwards. Short of Armacoating the thing, I think that's about the best you can get.
 
Buy the Birchwood Casey Blue kit, it should come with some degreaser, rust remover, and cold blue.

Here's a guide: reblue guide

I've also heard that heating up the metal parts about to be blued with boiling water is a good way to achieve a darker blue.

Wear gloves and don't burn yourself. The blue you end up with can last for a very long time if done properly.

Parkerizing is also an option.
 
Hmm cool ideas. Ill be doing this over the winter. Be looking forward to more comments and ideas. Thanks again, time for bed now going deer hunting in the morning. With alittle luck ill be back with a 4 point or better hehe.
 
I'm also a big fan of the Birchwood Casey cold blue. I reblued a Model 62A Winchester several years ago, and it looks GREAT!
Birchwood Casey makes a Rust and Bluing Remover that does a great job, but you will still want to sand the metal to get out dings and scratches and provide a good surface for an even blue. I used 600 grit wet paper to sand off the blue, and to heat the metal, I used hot water in my laundry sink, with dish soap as a degreaser. Rinse under hot water, apply blue, wash again, buff with #0000 stell wool, repeat. I did about 6 applications and it has a lovely deep-blue (not black) finish which is not quite as glossy as the original, but looks "factory applied". Very cheap to do.
Birchwood Casey makes a Stock Refinishing Kit which is excellent, though you'll want to buy extra sandpaper and a flexible sanding block. Sand down to about 400 grit, dampen the stock, and buff off with fine sandpaper or steel wool. Apply the stock filler and stain, that stock filler really helps! Then finish with as many coats of Tru-Oil as you can, buffing between coats with steel wool when dry. After the final coat, buff once more with fine steel wool if you want a stock with no shine. These products really make your stock look fine.

I don't generally like chemical strippers, but I do find that they are the best way to strip a stock. Sanding the old finish off can cut edges off the stock or create flats on rounded surfaces if you're not very, very careful. Just use a good stripper and steel wool.
 
Don't sand the rust and old blue off, use finest steel wool #00000 or a chemical rust remover. You just want to remove the rust and blue not the metal. If when the rust is removed, there is a lot of pitting, you could protect the action and barrel insides and sand or bead blast to give a matt finish, then blue.
 
210 degrees is too hot to handle without gloves and probably hotter than necessary for the job. I'd suggest more like 110-125 and you will find that pretty warm to the touch after a while too.
 
20 year's ago I picked up an old No.4 2 groove Enfield.

I got out my hacksaw and gut it off at 19 inch's. Set the original site back on and soldered it there.

Degreased the whole thing with some gasoline and spray painted with matt black Tremclad.

It's still there and going strong. And I have beat the crap out of it. Used it at +30 to -40, and have left it in my car trunk thru the winter.
 
Great ideas guys thanks. Ill see if i can get some before and after pics of the project. For thoughs interested and post them here. I wont be starting the job till after xmas i think. I have to go to the city for xmas presents, so ill pick up the supplys im going to need then. In the mean time im open for more good advice. thanks again later.:cheers:
 
Cil 950c 308 Sa

I have a fairly new CIL 950C in 308 - everything except a stock.
Are you interested in some horse tradin? I have been trying to get a stock for it for 4 years now, anybody know someone that may have one kicking around?
 
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We don't know how bad the barrel and action are. Without a picture or seeing the barrel it is hard to give instructions or advise. Before you SAND the barrel take the finest steel wool(I believe it is #00000) put some oil on the barrel and try to remove any surface rust. This steel wool and oil method sometimes removes the surface rust if it is light and actually leaves most of the original bluing , giving a look of a worn gun but not a rusty gun. If it is pitted badly ,you can't really remove the pits with out removing the metal around the pit and then maybe you should consider parkerizing or one of the paint type of finishes(dura-coat,I believe is one name).
 
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