870 Express Finish

[Lord Bodak]

So, my first shotgun has arrived! It's an 870 Express Turkey. Took it apart, cleaned and lubed, etc, this evening. So now I have a question about the finish. It's rough. I knew that it was, but I'm surprised by just how rough. I'm not sure how to go about getting oil on the thing. Patches leave little bits of string behind on the finish if I try to use them, and that's certainly not a good thing. What is everyone using?

 

[sm]

Mineral Spirits, then CRC Brakleen - now it it really ugly huh?

Now ya got a choice

1) RIG Grease [ Rust Inhibiting Grease]

2) Good car wax with Carnuba in it

3) Johnson's paste wax.

What ya got handy? Use that one. See, multiple choices ain't hard.

Kinda partial to the mud, blood, dust and spilt coffee mine is sporting now...gives it ...I dunno character.

 

[Rupestris]

Patches leave little bits of string behind on the finish if I try to use them

Thats because the cut patches are already frayed around the edges. Use an old t-shirt for the exterior wipe down.

Congrats on the new arrival!

 

[romulus]

Get yourself a 1" stencil brush (for faux finishes, in the paint dept at Home Depot) Use it both to brush off the fuzz and to "paint" on a light film of oil. No fuzz, right amount of oil on the weapon. What could be better...

I'm curious, what in G-d's name does Remington use for blasting media? Black Beauty? Whatever they can find at the locall quarry? Sheesh...

 

[sm]

I'm curious, what in G-d's name does Remington use for blasting media? Black Beauty? Whatever they can find at the locall quarry? Sheesh...

Ain't that the truth.

Well the PORES do hold RIG and wax well. Only problem is when these are applied, makes using the finsh for a emergency file kinda hard - reduced down to emery board texture.

 

[A Cleaner]

Socks, man.

I have found, if saturated with exactly the right amount of oil, an old clean sock works like magic. I know it's a little unconventional, as they do not sell "old clean socks" in the Gun Care department of any store. Oh, and you'll also feel silly the first time you pull it over your hand, like it's some ridiculous oil-soaked sock puppet.

For best results, make sure the sock is worn enough to not have any loose fibers on the outside anymore but not worn all the way through. Hanes crew socks after 6-8 months of wear are ideal in my experience. Before using sock, wash it without fabric softener. Then spray on or drip out a little oil, wipe the gun, repeat until coatability is achieved.

Socks, man.

 

[115grfmj]

I use socks too

Actually black business socks, don't leave any string on the finish.
The finish will actually smooth out abit over years of wiping, and handling.
Mine has.

 

[Red Label]

I actually had to refinish mine, it was just too ugly! I stripped it down with paint stripper and then stained it and finished with Tru-oil. Looks pretty respectable now

 

[JohnBT]

Birchwood-Casey SHEATH for me. Hold your rag behind the barrel, spray gently, and use the now damp rag to spread it around. Don't forget the underside of the rib if you're going out in the rain.

John

 

[HSMITH]

You guys are working too hard again. Spray it down with NON-chlorinated brake cleaner, get it good and clean and let it dry. Then give it the KRYLON TOUCH!!!!!! The paint will smooth out the texture quite a bit, and choice of color is almost limitless. I did mine in a swampgrass sort of camo pattern. $6 for two cans of paint will do a lifetime of touchups too. The other major upside to the paint is you can forget about rust, it just isn't going to rust after it is painted. The inside is easy enough to keep from rusting with a coat of CLP or the like.

 

[sm]

HSMITH -

Yeah I use the CRC Brakleen, I just prefer the wood and blue look.

Now *somewhere* in rural TX in truck toolbox is Wingmaster. It used to have the most beautiful wood and blue. Due to a fire in one part of a warehouse, and not t attended to, [water / smoke damaged] the blue turned to rust, the wood molded. Nobody knew the gun was there, the owner was out of town and more pressing matters to attend to when he arrived back.

Wood removed from metal, sandblasted that metal, and used some Spray Paint for Marine applications, think dark Coyote Brown. Wood was sanded down and Ox-Yoke Grey stained, satin (left really dull) poly finish.

Kinda grows on ya...not "camo'd" per se' , but that sucker does not reflect light, and if you set in down in the middle of road( dirt, gravel, asphalt) , against a tree, in a boat... it does not reveal itself.

No streaks, blotches ,or patterns as in camo pattern. It sure does protect the gun and camo it though.

It has *siblings* too - a Marlin 60,Marlin 336 in 30-30 and Ruger Service Six . Work guns you might say.

 

[Wags]

Lord Bodak: Use whatever gun oil you choose. But I recomend applying it with a standard old fashion shaving brush. A couple drops goes a long ways and you can get those hard to get place like under the vent rib, and inside the action. I was introduced to the shaving brush while I was one of Uncle Sam's Mis-guided Children almost 3 decades ago. A shaving brush is what your looking for. It will last you for years, and if you use the same lubricant for all your firearms then you only need one brush. Good luck.

Wags

 

[HSMITH]

Steve, my express would rust after just two days of being wet and kicked around in the bottom of the duck boat. That and with certain wind directions we can get acidic rain from the smog out of Chicago and Milwaukee both. Krylon to the rescue!!!!!!

On this gun I used the Krylon camo series paint, and it is VERY durable. The finish of the express gives it a tremendous 'bite' on the metal.

I am a wood and blue kind of guy too, it's just the reddish tint and pits that irritate me.

 

[Black Majik]

Hmm... I guess I'm of the abnormal.

I used my FINGER!

Dab a little oil on my finger or on the finish, and run it along the finish. I use that gray cloth to wipe it down afterwards. That cloth is a lot stronger than the patches so it wont tear or leave strands from the finish.

Thats what I've always done I save patches in the process

 

[Lord Bodak]

Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. I ended up picking up a stencil brush as recommended by romulus, looks like that will do a good job. I'll try it out and see how it works.

 

[Lord Bodak]

The stencil brush seemed to work pretty well. That finish really does soak up oil, a lot more than any of my other guns do.

Has the Express always had this finish? At the gun show yesterday, I saw a lot of old 870s for sale. Wingmasters were all very smooth and blued, just like they are now, but the older Expresses seemed different. Not smooth like a Wingmaster, but not rough like a new Express. I'm guessing it wears over time.

 

[romulus]

Shaving brush...hmmm. The white boar bristle might be perfect for dusting off the fuzz (badger would be way too soft, not to mention expensivo.) I'll have to pick up a cheapy English Leather brand at Walgreens. Excellent suggestion.

 

[Bwana John]

Spray it down with NON-chlorinated brake cleaner, get it good and clean and let it dry. Then give it the KRYLON

For my swamp 870 that had a perminate red rust dust oxidation on the reciever from too many dunkings, that was the best finish.