Major cleaning needed, PLEASE HELP!?!?!

[BadJuJu]

I am a new member and I was hoping that you guys might have some good suggestions on some cleaning. My father-in-law-to-be hase a few very old guns that need some MAJOR work. he has 2 .22LR, 1 .410G single shot and an even older side by side 12Ga with hammers. all have rust on the outside of the barrels and are quite pitted but the 12Ga is by far the worst. there is no stock for the 12Ga and the rust is soo bad we cant even get it to break top see how bad the inside of the barrel is. he has a solvent tank tha the uses for car parts and he was going to start with that and then we were going to try a brass wheel to see if we could scrub to crud off. the .22lr's are not as bad and they work fine but they need some good cleaning and the stocks are pretty nasty.

if anybody has any suggestions on the 12GA PLEASE let me know, we would love to get it working again.

i will see if i can get some pics this week if that will help the advice process.

thanks guys.

 

[Clemson]

Use Breakfree CLP (Walmart sporting goods section) and 0000 steel wool on the rust. If the bluing underneath the crud can be saved at all, you will do it with the steel wool and oil.

Clemson

 

[BadJuJu]

ill see if i can pick some up tonight, thanks. i was also suggeted to try diesle fuel to help break up the rust, any thoughts?

i should also be able to get some pics tongiht so you can see what we have.

thanks again.



PS. if we do in fact get the 12ga working, any idea where we can get a new stock and fore grip for it with out breaking the bank?

 

[Clemson]

Diesel fuel just smells worse. It won't do any better than steel wool and oil.

Once you can see what the 12 ga. looks like, you can worry about a stock. Is the original stock missing? Broken?

This outfit sells some generic stocks: http://www.gunstocksinc.com/index.html

Clemson

 

[JP1954]

,,,,

there is no stock for the 12Ga and the rust is soo bad we cant even get it to break top see how bad the inside of the barrel is.

Although it goes without saying it doesn't hurt to say it.....Make sure to treat it like it's loaded till you make sure it's not.....

 

[TheVillageSmith]

Response to Badjuju

Badjuju,

Clemson pretty much has it right. Strip the furniture and let the weapons soak in clean mineral spirits for several days. The method of choice for removing rust is to use 000 stel wool soaked in oil and lightly rub in a circular motion. Don't try to grind out the pits yourself. Thats a job for a pro. Also, the 12 might possibly have damascus bbls', in which case you DO NOT want to fire it.
Remember that having tools is one thing, having the proper tools and knowing how to use them is another. If the 12 & .22's are in bad shape, clean them up and hang them on the wall. If you like, let me know the manu'f and SN of the 12 and I'll let you know whether a restoration project is feasible, whether it's a wall hanger or an heirloom.
about 15 years ago while working deer season in Maryland, and old scruffy guy walks into the shop with a hideous, filthy shotgun and asks me to do a full clean, furniture refinish and respring. I thought the guy was a local bum. Turns out he was Mr. Ehler of Ehler spices and the scattergun was a '25 L.C. Smith worth about $40k. 'Ya jess neva know.

Adrian

 

[BadJuJu]

well the .22's both function, we took the semi-auot out the other weekend and bas pretty nice...just dirty. my wife to be is now laughing at me bacause of that last statment. the stock needs to be oiled and wiped down and the barrel could use a little tlc. the 12 on the other hand, we can fin no markings of any kind on the barrels. i did find some kind of logo on the lower part of the action near the hinge but we cantmake it out due to the rust. once we get it clean ill let you know. to be continued, im getting yelled at.