Smoothing out a shotgun with toothpaste?

too messy for me. for my mossberg i cleaned all the oil outa the action peices (brake cleaner works good for that) then sit down and watch some tv and rack that mofo a few hundred times, now its like cutting butter with a hot knife.
 
I don't know who would be dumber.The one who told that story,or the one who actually put toothpaste in the action of a gun.
I think someone has been pulling your leg.
 
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If I was to try something like that I'd use Valve grinding compound instead, put it on any parts that rub together or anywhere you see a bit of wear.
Valve compound is very abrasive so don't go to crazy.
or just sit in front of the tv and pump like a madman:)
 
IIRC, there was a pulpy gun magazine that came out in the early '80's - "Full Auto for Manly Men of Action and Adventure" or some feckin' thing like that. I remember the paper was essentially top-grade newsprint, and the writing tended toward the "There I was, ass deep in a rice paddy, popping Charley with my '60" school of literary excellence.

Anyhow, they tested a Valmet (I think it was a Valmet) by filling a 30 round magazine with alternating cartridges and Crest toothpaste. Thumb in a cartridge, lay a line of toothpaste over it, thumb in another cartridge. Then they ran the entire disgusting (if somewhat minty) mess through the gun with zero stopppages. This seemed quite the accomplishment to the gunwriters involved. Can't help but wonder what happened when the factory had their rifle returned to them, smelling like a granny's candy dish and gummed up with mysterious white crud.

Mayhap this is the origin of the story you've heard, filtered through 20+ years of hearsay and goofiness.

I'm inclined to agree with the others who've chimed in - use the gun lots and it'll smooth up shortly. Keep the toothpaste for date night.

Dan
 
captonion, the dumby who taught me to do it was a master gunsmith for 40 years with great success with the firearms he built. He also repaired alot of guns that people used valve grinding compound on because they don't make an ultra fine compound. Its better to take a little at a time than take too much and have to put it back. As for running an action dry you risk galling the metal and that can make for a nasty mess.
Unregistered my advice is pick a something with a nice minty smell.
Dave
 
I have used Fast Orange hand cleaner (with pumice) on rough parts before, I never used toothpaste but I have heard that it makes a great polishing compound for fine work.

Why do you thik we use it on our teeth?

I have also heard that many toothpastes do more damage than good on our teeth, so always use the good stuff.

BTW, Fast orange is great for cleaning rusty spots but it will remove blueing.
 
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I work the "clean/dry" action a few hundred times, then strip and look for all the high wear areas. I then lightly massage these areas with a block behind some 800, 1200,grit sandpaper then synthetic-wool-polish the offending areas (to make the area more uniform/flat).

I've never had a problem and the results are always super slick/smooth. Refinishing is usually required which is just a little cold-blue in a hurry, or paint for that better finish (Armacoat is good stuff) :)
 
I've had an 870 for 5+ years, put at least 15000 rounds through it, duck and goose hunting, skeet and sporting clays, its still not quite right.:D Oh well, back to the club next weekend for a couple hundred more:D, and Waterfowl season fast approaching, maybe next year it will smooth out.;)

7.62mm
 
Ishootguns said:
He also repaired alot of guns that people used valve grinding compound on because they don't make an ultra fine compound. Its better to take a little at a time than take too much and have to put it back.
Click to expand...

He is not the only one who has had to fix firearms that were damaged by valve grinding compound.

It is far to abrasive for most of the polishing jobs you do on firearms and because some of it will embed in the metal it will keep chewing up parts if it is not fully cleaned out. Notice that is called Valve GRINDING Compound not Valve POLISHING Compound and is often used to grind parts into an interference fit.

There are different grades of polishing compounds available such as Clover Compound that can be bought at most industrial supply shops, like Acklands, that are far better.

As far as toothpaste goes, it is not really abrasive enough to do much polishing to anything but the softest metals.
 
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