How to care for my new Colt PPS

[absinthe]

Hey all, I just picked up a Colt Police Positive Special. I believe it's from 1911 (S/N 37xxx). It's got several light scratches and a few small chips on the grips, but overall it looks great (to me anyway).

If I can get the file sizes down I'll upload attachments. I'd like some thoughts on what I should do to care for this.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Treat it like any other blued gun - wipe it down with an oily rag after handling, clean normally with a brush or bore snake, and so forth. I wouldn't very many hot rounds through it, but it should be fine with normal ammo.

Rust is the big problem with blued guns, you just have to make sure to get your sweat and paw prints off the gun. That's a good looking gun, and it's made it a century without rusting up, so keep it oily..

Congrats on picking up a classic.

 

[absinthe]

There's a bit of pitting and light rust. Not bad I think for a 100 year old gun. I saw a youtube video on gently cleaning light rust off a blued gun and I'll be picking up some flix polish and 0000 steel wool.

As long as I'm gentle with the steel wool, do you think it's safe on this gun? I plan to start on the underside of the trigger guard as a test.

 

[Alec]

If you must, I would use brass wool instead. Afterwards, dunk it in molten cosmo and let cool

 

[rswartsell]

"molten cosmo"? Thats a new one on me. Care to translate?

 

[bannockburn]

absinthe

If you mean Flitz Polish then you should be using a soft cotton cloth to apply it, not 0000 steel wool. And I would do it very gently and work it nice and easy into the areas of light rust.

 

[MtnSpur]

A product I highly recommend....KROIL (by Kano). This stuff penetrates and retards the rust process better than just about anything I've used. Yes, there are a lot of other products on the market but a good soaking and brushing with brass/bronze brush or wool is the ticket. I'd avoid the use of steel wool as any particulates of steel wool will rust and we all know how fine those little buggers are. After soaking/cleaning and a thorough draining/drying make sure you keep your new to you revolver oiled properly with your oil of choice. Then you have your Eezox and your CLP and...

 

[Ky Larry]

I have a Colt Police positive made in 1931. It's in excellent shape. Has the second best double action pull I've ever felt.(First is my 1961 Python.)

I shoot the heck out of my CPP, usually with light wad cutter loads. Then I clean it with Hoppes and wipe it down with BreakFree.

 

[BCRider]

Absinthe, I've fixed some light rust spotting on used guns before with the 0000 steel wool and oil trick. It works very well and does not damage the existing blueing at all. In fact on the guns I was restoring it actually brought up more of a shine and made the surfaces smoother to the touch for a finger rubbed over the area. The evidence being that there was some corrosion that was not easily visible to the naked eye.

Don't sweat the use of steel wool for this. In fact for rust blueing and other multiple pass blueing steel wool is used for "carding" the surface to remove the excess oxidation and smoothen the surface for the next pass of the blueing or rust formation. Blueing is a form of oxidation with colour. And the resulting change to the metal's surface is harder than the edges of the steel wool itself. So you simply can't harm the blueing.

Just to be sure it's still always good to try it on a hidden spot first. Just be sure you use regular Bulldog or similar wool from a paint supply store. No pads that are treated with anything else.

Other than this my only other suggestion is to flush out the action with a cleaning and lubricating solvent and oil soup to clean and lubricate the action. It's easy to do this while the grips are off by squirting or even pouring something like Ed's Red mix down through the openings and working the action then let it drain out. Repeat until the stuff coming out is as clean as it was going in.

 

[Jim K]

I know the general advice to use fine steel wool and oil, but steel wool WILL scratch bluing no matter what anyone says. I agree on the use of brass or copper wool (sold for cleaning pots) for removal of light rust. Steel wool can be used if something more aggressive is needed, but generally should be avoided.

Jim

 

[absinthe]

I appreciate the replies. I plan to start with Flitz + cotton patches, then if necessary move up to brass wool and if necessary gently try 0000 steel wool in an inconspicuous location.

 

[One_Jackal]

Its a 100 year old gun. Minor rust is expected. Don't remove the patina from a 100 year old weapon. Ask any gunsmith!!