Cleaning up a GP100

[hatchetbearer]

Hello All,

I bought a stainless GP100 for a song a few years back for a song, but the previous owner had removed the irons and added a scope mount, and a laughably large red dot.

I recently got around to purchasing new Irons and getting them installed, but when the scope mount was installed, it looks like the pins were driven out with a nail, and there are small gouges and scratches on the rear sight pin hole, and the cylinder. Is it safe to take some fine sandpaper and scrub it out, or am i going to destroy the finish?

 

[Waywatcher]

You could probably sand, depending on how deep they are.

If you do it, disassemble the gun into its subcomponents, and mask off the areas you don't want to work on. In your example, I would mask off everything except for the top strap flank(s). Always, always, always, sand with the already established grain direction, and do not reverse sanding direction on the piece. (In practice it should look like you are 'petting' your gun with sandpaper.) IIRC, I think I had decent results with 320 grit and then 400 grit.

Green Scotch Brite Pads seem to be a decent match to final finish, although the maroon pads are better. Depending on your level of perfectionism, you may or may not be satisfied with the results. For it to turn out decent, it's going to take a while.

 

[gamestalker]

I have a stainless that I accidentally ran over with the truck tire, took it off and set it on the tire to take a leak and forgot. It didn't damage the gun, but it did put some rather ugly gouges in it. I used some very fine lapping compound and it removed them quite nicely. If the damage is too deep to lap out, try a good gun restoration business but expext to drop a few bucks. After using the compound it will be shinny rather than the brushed look common to most stainless finishes. To give it back the near original brushed look, lightly buff it with a drill and a fine stainless brush. Be sure to buff in the same direction of the original brushed lines, or it will come out looking scratched rather than brushed.

 

[jhansman]

I have a stainless that I accidentally ran over with the truck tire, took it off and set it on the tire to take a leak and forgot. It didn't damage the gun, but it did put some rather ugly gouges in it.

Now there's a testimonial!

I used very fine emery cloth and water to get scratches out of mine and then polished it lightly with jeweler's rouge to get that satin finish. Worked like a charm.