Cleaning old tar from a lever action
I have a Marlin 39 takedown lever action .22 rifle. The previous owner used something, possibly WD40, to clean and lube the action. Unfortunately, whatever this unidentified black tar-like goo is, it has so far resisted Hoppes #9, Gunzilla, and a spray can of brake cleaner. Does anyone have any good ideas? This is the most accurate .22 rifle that I've ever owned, so I don't want it to be a wallhanger.
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Get better brake cleaner(they're not all the same), or carb cleaner, or lacquer thinner. 0 -
"lacquer thinner".........+1 0 -
Kroil wrap parts in paper towel keep parts wet with Kroil for 24 hours .then wipe all the goop off the parts with paper towels 0 -
Take it apart and soak the pieces. I inherited a M 29 Remington my uncle bought in 1929. Before my dad left for WWII (the last of the 5 boys drafted) he oiled all the guns with motor oil because that was all he could find. That oil turned tar like. I made the 9 or 11 steel punches required to take it apart. Stoddard solvent in a heated sonic tank did the trick.
Get an assortment of Apex bits and grind them to fit the screws. The punches were made with grade 5 bolts and hardened drill rod blank stock of the appropriate diameter.0 -
WD 40 doesn't do that, but it WILL dissolve tar and probably would be a good thing to soak your gun it to loosen up the crud. 0 -
Soak it in acetone versus lacquer thinner. 0 -
I have found a three day soaking in gasoline, agitating several times a day, will dissolve just about any petroleum based product or residue.
Chemtool B-12 comes in a gallon can with a basket available at Auto Zone and the like. It is expensive but VERY effective in cleaning parts if using gasoline is not possible.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Bill DeShivs
WD 40 doesn't do that, but it WILL dissolve tar and probably would be a good thing to soak your gun it to loosen up the crud.
Exactly my thought too.
I'm wondering if some of what you tried already -- particularly something like the brake parts cleaner -- was effective, but wasn't left on the problem area long enough to work?
The brake parts cleaner is designed to evaporate quickly, you may need more time for the solvents to act to dissolve the residue you're trying to.
As to what it is, I think (just speculation on my part) some "gun oils" marketed to the public in the past have been vegetable based -- and will dry out to a exceedingly difficult to remove "plastic like" coating. I've had to take apart and mechanically remove (scraping) old gunk from some of the old Colt 1903s I've worked on.
I'd be interested if anyone has knowledge about the make-up of some of the products people may have used to cause such residue?0 -
WD 40 will certainly dry and gum up mechanical things. I have seen this happen on gun parts and a combination lock on an old safe. If WD 40 is what gummed it up it might work as a solvent to remove the tar.
WD 40 is advertised as a water displacement, hence the WD, it is not a lubricant.0
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