How to preserve my Great Great Great Grandfather's Shotgun?

[circuitspore]

My father has in his possession a shotgun that has been passed down for several generations. It's a late 1800's 'Richards' double barrell made in Belgium. From my research, this is a budget gun of little collector value. But it has obvious sentimental value.

The metal has a dark patina, and surprisingly the only rust I can find is in the groove between the two barrels and on the butt plate. Wood is in decent shape.

Should I just oil it up and stick it back in the softcase it's currently living in? Or something more?

 

[Jim Watson]

Don't store a gun in a case or holster. It is better off cleaned, oiled (or waxed, check out Renassaince Wax) and displayed or racked.

 

[azyogi]

I like gun socks for long term storage. The weather out here being what it is my opinion may not apply to your area, but evey thing I but in a gun sock stays just like it was when I put it in the safe.

 

[circuitspore]

Thanks for the info; I understand that it should be oiled/waxed and stored 'open air', so to speak.

What about removing the rust that is currently on the gun?

 

[Jim Watson]

The usual treatment is 0000 steel wool and oil.

 

[CZguy]

The usual treatment is 0000 steel wool and oil.

0000 Bronze wool and oil works just as good, and doesn't remove bluing.

Available from Brownell's.

 

[Jim K]

Well, 0000 steel wool and oil WILL remove bluing if applied too harshly. I recommend brass or copper wool (sold for scrubbing pots) and oil as being less aggressive.

I think a good penetrant, like G96 Gun Treatment, will neutralize that rust. In cases where the rust is not in some complex part, boiling the part in distilled water will kill the rust and the heat will dry the water.

I am almost certain that gun has Damascus or built up barrels, and also almost certain that they have been eaten out inside the metal by rust. I strongly recommend you take some measure to make sure the gun is not fired, even with black powder loads. I know some people will insist that Damascus barrels are perfectly safe, even with the hottest new shells, but I knew a man who lost parts of three fingers proving they are wrong.

Jim

 

[circuitspore]

I strongly recommend you take some measure to make sure the gun is not fired, even with black powder loads.

Is there a way to do this without changing the appearance of the gun?

 

[Jim Watson]

Remove the firing pins if a hammer gun.
If it is hammerless with the firing pins integral with the internal hammers, remove the mainsprings.