Completely rusted 1851 colt copy

[MonteCristo]

Hi everyone. I am trying to at least partially rehab a Colt Navy copy (CVA) I think that my cousin fired and put away about 20 years ago. I have it torn down to the frame, but can not get the trigger crew or cylinder removed. It was severely rusted, and I have used penetrating oil, and some good old hammer strikes on a brasspunch to try and dislodge the cylinder, but nothing seems to be working. Any thoughts?

 

[Sistema1927]

Thoughts? Not worth the trouble.

 

[H&R Glock]

Excellent wall hanger project. How about a picture?

 

[arcticap]

There's a 50/50 mixture of acetone and transmission oil that is touted as a great penetrant.
Another idea is to use heat, such as soaking in heated transmission oil only over a period of days on a hot plate for so many hours a day.

People have mentioned using an impact screwdriver.
There's also putting it in boiling water before trying to use any kind of torch.

And while it might be unorthodox, there's a widely used non-toxic product called Evaporust that melts away rust.
However it's not usually used as a penetrant, but rather to remove surface rust.
But I don't see why it couldn't be tried to see if it can dissolve the rust that has frozen the cylinder.
It's supposed to be soaked in the liquid overnight.
But shouldn't hurt the metal if it's left for a longer time since it's not an acid.
A quart only costs about $10.
However it will remove bluing.

Check it out:

 

[Reeferman]

Heat the gun up to a couple hundred degrees then submerge it in a pan of whatever you are going to use.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

20 years ago CVA was supplied by Armi San Marco so when you get it unfrozen, you can look for any replacement parts you need on Ebay. There are several gunsmiths who part out old guns there. Good Luck with your rehab project!

 

[LonesomePigeon]

I never thought of using Evapo-Rust to help loosen screws but I have used it to remove rust as well as bluing; it works well for those things.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Boil it for a while is good idea. Go as far as to put it in oven to get the temp way up. Take it out occasionally and impact it with fairly hard faced mallet. I'm more in agreement that maybe you should consider it a wall hanger since it's that bad. Face it. By the time you piece meal it back together you probably would have a smooth bore and could buy a new one a lot easier for about the same cost and time.

 

[arcticap]

Whatever you do, don't throw the parts away.
Depending on condition, there are people on other forums looking for ASM parts.
Does this 1851 have a brass or steel frame, and is it a .44?
Don't give up on it too easily since someone else may be willing to try taking over the project where you leave off.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Whatever you do, don't throw the parts away.
Depending on condition, there are people on other forums looking for ASM parts.
Does this 1851 have a brass or steel frame, and is it a .44?
Don't give up on it too easily since someone else may be willing to try taking over the project where you leave off.

From sound of it it's a wreck. Hard to say without pixs of it. Thing is it seems it was put away uncleaned to boot. If the barrel bore is ruined then most likely the parts not worth anything. Would like to see pixs.

 

[J-Bar]

I would worry about chamber wall integrity. Cracks and/or erosion in chamber walls would make it unsafe to shoot, even if you can resolve the cosmetic issues.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Need pixs. But from initial description I would trash it.

 

[hdbiker]

After a lifetime of being a maintenance man and mechanic, the best rust cutting penetrating solvent I've found is
B'laster 16-PB Penetrating Catalyst. Sold at my local farm supply store, KEEP TRYING hdbiker

 

[Snidely70431]

You might try removing rust with electrolysis. I used the process on some old 1903A3 30-06 Springfield demiliterized actions and the Parkerized finish was not harmed. I do not know what the effect on a blued finish would be.

https://www.instructables.com/howto/remove+rust/

 

[MonteCristo]

Thank you all for the tips. I've had it soaking for the better part of a week.. Boiled it tonight. The propane torch is probably coming soon. In the meantime enjoy the pics. This thing will never be shot again, but it could be fun to see if I can get it functional. I took some pictures, and will try to get them uploaded

 

[skeeterfogger]

Have to admit it's not as bad looking as I thought it would be.
Torch will definatly get it hotter then boiling. Be good if you can get the cylinder to turn some to break it loose.
If all fails and you have the tools you might think about drilling out the locking pin for the base pin and see if it will unscrew. If it will then you could press the pin out of the cylinder. If it works you can tap the base pin locking pin hole for an allen set screw for easy install.

 

[44 Dave]

And why not shoot it? Recently shot a 1860 Army built in 1862 that has basically no rifling left and it hits what is aimed at.

 

[Obturation]

Others may have different experiences but ill tell you honestly, ive never in my life seen a penetrating oil help anything break loose. All it does is help it catch on fire when you have to take it apart for real. It can help lubricate something that is stiff but it doesnt disolve rust and it doesnt cause something to move that otherwise wouldnt, to me its a waste of time and oil. Heat is your best bet along with impacts. Sometimes a shock can help, heat and drop in water and other times a can of computer duster held upside down can freeze things and cause them to contract, once they return to room temperature the bond may be broken because the parts have moved at a different rate than each other. Im an auto mechanic from the salt crusted land of lincoln, i deal with brutally rotted steel 10 hours a day - 5 days a week and it stinks.

 

[arcticap]

Here's the before and after photos of a rust bucket flintlock that the bore was soaked with Evaporust.
It was posted on the TFL forum this past week.
I would soak the revolver in Evaporust until the cows come home.
Even an old breech plug requires leverage to remove it, as well as being held tight in a vice without damaging other parts.
And the cylinder isn't even threaded on to the arbor.
Try to go slow and not overdo it with a torch.
There's probably a frozen section but overall the revolver doesn't look that bad.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

And while it might be unorthodox, there's a widely used non-toxic product called Evaporust that melts away rust.
However it's not usually used as a penetrant, but rather to remove surface rust. But I don't see why it couldn't be tried to see if it can dissolve the rust that has frozen the cylinder.
It's supposed to be soaked in the liquid overnight. But shouldn't hurt the metal if it's left for a longer time since it's not an acid.

Soak it for 24 hours in Evaporust. Rinse with water, and dry it with compressed air if you have it, or hit it with WD-40. Then hit it with a very good soaking of Liquid Wrench. Either dunk it into the stuff or over several hours keep applying the stuff...., then with proper screw drivers, see if that doesn't get things moving.

When you do get it apart, inspect the parts and if they are serviceable then fully remove any rust, then degrease. You can add an "antique patina" to the exposed steel by smearing the surfaces with generic, store bought, yellow mustard. Let it go brown, knock it off with a tooth brush, and repeat. Do your best to get an even coating when you apply it each time. Do this several times, then rinse off and hit it with a little baking soda and water...dry, oil, and then polish some of the dark patina away and you will have a very interesting patina, very akin to an old revolver that has had the bluing rubbed off over time. .

LD

 

[MonteCristo]

I think tonight I will try to rig a jig to hold the cylinder, so I can apply some "gentle persuasion" to the frame. I've tried placing the cylinder in a vice, but naturally it spins. If I can add some differential heat that might do it.

 

[whughett]

The cylinder of the 1858 Remington in another thread was rust welded to the base pin. I locked the frame in a vice and tried turning the cylinder with a pipe wrench. When it first moved a tiny bit, I stopped, returned the piece to the Evapo-rust bath and tried again the next day. At length it started moving freely and I was able to pull the base pin.