Wall hangers..

[Grumpy_old_Fart]

I have used electrolysis before with cast iron. I just hadn't thought of if for this application. If the stock will come off, I think that may be the least invasive alternative. I'll start with that.

Thank you all for the ideas.

 

[troy fairweather]

Could steam the gun if you can get the wood off, it will turn the rust to black oxide( bluing) and stop it from rusting anymore. Oil it and put the stock back on and hang up. For my self I'd think it would be a cool project to get it shooting again.

 

[redneck2]

You ever try to figure out what year it was made?

 

[Grumpy_old_Fart]

You ever try to figure out what year it was made?

Winchester dates say 1889

 

[Steve Milbocker]

Breaks my heart to see the ole girl in that condition but at least it will be enjoyed as a wall hanger. I’m sure everyone would like to see the cleanup process if you’d care to document it.

 

[Mauser lover]

Could steam the gun if you can get the wood off, it will turn the rust to black oxide( bluing) and stop it from rusting anymore. Oil it and put the stock back on and hang up. For my self I'd think it would be a cool project to get it shooting again.

This! Steam (or boil) it! It will turn black (ish) then use 0000 steel wool to scrub the fuzzies off. It’ll be beautiful (hopefully) and you will probably be able to disassemble at least a little bit after the steam/boil and some relubrication.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Here’s a Turkish ATF Mauser that was covered in surface rust when I bought it. I used electrolysis to remove the rust.

 

[film495]

I'd use some nylon brushes or a sweep broom dry - and use a leaf blower to remove loose grime before hitting it with just a tack cloth wetted with dish soap and hot water and just clean it to high heaven, then evaluate again. Rust doens't look good - so, I'd consider a way to remove that, and then maybe put a coat of Ren wax on the whole thing, then you can dust it easily from time to time.

Just a few ideas if I had that in my hands how I might approach a cool wall hanger, and keep most of the original character and age.

 

[Ranger99]

JMHO- if not restoring it to using condition
I wouldn't see any need to go through any
expensive restoration- type procedures.
Fix some kind of trough and submerge it
in linseed oil or some kind of oil for
a few weeks. IIRC I saw a video of an
arms manufacturer that submerged their
completed firearms in Castrol engine oil
( Uberti ?) so it can't hurt too awful much.
That would stop most of the deterioration
and you could slather it with Johnson's Paste Wax every few years
Good Luck with it

 

[Poper]

My wife's uncle is a great guy, and when he moved to Oklahoma a while ago he gave me an 1873 Winchester chambered in 32-20. It's a mess. Rifle was run over by a piece of equipment at one point, it's not shootable. The action has a bend and it's rather crusty.

What materials would you use to clean it up?

I would use this first (QMAXX Industrial):




And follow up with this (QMAXX Blu):



As others have said, treat it as though it is loaded until you can verify otherwise! It probably IS loaded!.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I would fix it

So would I.

 

[AMraider]

I have had good luck with Evapo-Rust.

 

[Grumpy_old_Fart]

I have had good luck with Evapo-Rust.

View attachment 1033622 View attachment 1033623

Wow.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have had good luck with Evapo-Rust.

View attachment 1033622 View attachment 1033623

The problem with Evapo-Rust is that it removes everything and leaves you with bare metal.
With electrolysis you don’t remove any old finish that might be left. If there’s no old finish, which is most likely with Grumpy’s rifle, you will get a nice patina.

 

[redneck2]

This fits your situation PERFECTLY

Subject: DiResta Winchester 1873 - A VERY RARE RESTORATION

 

[GunnyUSMC]

This fits your situation PERFECTLY

Subject: DiResta Winchester 1873 - A VERY RARE RESTORATION

That video is cringe worthy. Using pliers without padded jaws, WD40, steel wire wheel, submerging the wood in Evapo-Rust and epoxying the forearm onto the gun itself.
The old repair to the buttstock should have been removed and redone.

 

[Jim Watson]

What would it look like if you applied Mauser Lover's method, boil and brush almost like rust bluing?

 

[Mauser lover]

What would it look like if you applied Mauser Lover's method, boil and brush almost like rust bluing?

It is exactly the process for rust bluing. It may not make a perfect blue finish (and probably will look more like a really worn, old blue finish), but it will convert the extant oxidation into an inert layer of black iron oxide. The black oxide has already reacted (chemically, remember those high school lessons on stoichiometry? I mostly don't either), and will no longer react, so the risk of further deterioration is mitigated.

Take the wood off before you boil or steam though. Please.

 

[Jim Watson]

Right, giving blackened pitted metal. Try to find a non-glossy protective oil or wax and it would just look worn.

 

[Gordon]

I have a relic 1892 Winchester 32-20 out of Mexico a worker of mine gave me 20 years ago. It has a brazed repair on tang and lever and heavy corrosion altho not a dug up gun level. The stock is worm eaten also but useable. I got a pretty decent 1892 32-20 I had barrel relined a few years ago and used in SASS, so I was gonna just put this relic back together as a wall hanger , however I see on gun broker relics can be worth a couple hundred or more bucks so I may just dump it on GB and put $ in my Springfield Hi Power fund .

 

[Speedo66]

Electrolysis as @GunnyUSMC suggests is pretty simple, all you need is a plastic tub, some Arm & Hammer washing soda, a battery charger, and a piece of scrap iron.

Here's a link with instructions: https://todayshomeowner.com/how-to-remove-rust-using-electrolysis/

 

[Barr]

Good advice. Whatever you do stay completely away from aluminum oxide for your blasting media. It will literally eat a hole in metal if you let it.

That depends on media grit, pressure, standoff, and nozzle. Light passes on low psi and fine grit will not damage that metal.

 

[HowieG]

I would fix it

Sure, send it to Turnbull and give them 5000 bucks.......

 

[Jimbo80]

Electrolysis is the way to go. You can make a tank out of a plastic tub and an old cell phone charger easy enough. It's even cool watching the contraption work.

 

[someguy2800]

Sure, send it to Turnbull and give them 5000 bucks.......

I said I would fix it, not I would find someone else to fix it.