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How to clean/preserve 80 year old rifle?

lpaalp
Recently located a family heirloom - a Remington .22, youth model, manfactured about 1930, single shot. It has light surface rust on the barrel and receiver (its been in Texas since new, so rust is not extreme); the wood stock/forearm is dry and slightly discolored. I'm using Kroil and a copper pad on the metal, but its not cleaning up very well (or maybe not very fast?). Anything better? What about something to treat the wood?

I'm not looking for a professional restoration, just want to clean it up and try to insure it doesn't deteriorate any further. Three generations of kids got their first shooting experience with this rifle, would like to have it ready for the next generation.
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • 5mmgunguy
    I would not use a copper pad...I would use copper wool. Copper pad is a little to course...the finer the better with the copper wool. I have seen people use 4 O steel wool too but go easy with that. Take the metal out of the wood, if you haven't and have fun cleaning the metal. Also I like Hoppes 9 better than Kroil.
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  • perry shooter
    Kroil is fine to remove surface rust and as stated it should be very easy to remove barreled action from the wood .Kroil works much better if you wrap all metal in paper towels and wet the paper towels this keeps the metal wet then if you want wrap whole thing in saran wrap let set for at least 24 hours. then scrub clean with Burlap or Chore Boy pad . Now find some Balistol This is an oil type product but it is safe to use on leather wood and metal . it will protect the entire rifle stock and barreled action . You don't want to get too much Kroil on the stock.
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  • lpaalp
    The metal is out of the wood. Have to look for copper wool... don't remember ever seeing any. Never used Ballistol... unusual product if protects both metal and wood... but I'll order some.

    Thanks--
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  • nmyers
    Rhodes-American makes fine bronze wool, which is probably the best. But, your rifle will probably do OK with 0000 steel wool from the hardware store, along with lots of Kroil.

    Wood doesn't "dry out" under normal conditions (30-40% humidity), & doesn't need anything done to it. But, it's likely that your rifle has been kept in an arid area for many years, & it may not be possible to restore your wood. The best you can do is give it a few coats of tung oil (thinned with mineral spirits), using 0000 steel wool between coats to cut the gloss.

    Neal
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  • Michibay
    LIGHT SURFACE RUST...Try "NEVR-DULL" its a cotton compound...should remove the "Light" surface rust and also use on wood...Clean off with clean towel...and apply mineral oil to entire gun...then clean off again.
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  • elubsme
    Don't laugh until you try this. Use a plain piece of writing paper. Try this on your tarnished fishing spoons and spinners too. You can also use the paper to put a very fine edge on a knife. Eddie
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  • wpage
    Ed,
    Please explain more details...quote:Originally posted by elubsme
    Don't laugh until you try this. Use a plain piece of writing paper. Try this on your tarnished fishing spoons and spinners too. You can also use the paper to put a very fine edge on a knife. Eddie
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  • Don McManus
    quote:Originally posted by wpage
    Ed,
    Please explain more details...quote:Originally posted by elubsme
    Don't laugh until you try this. Use a plain piece of writing paper. Try this on your tarnished fishing spoons and spinners too. You can also use the paper to put a very fine edge on a knife. Eddie


    Some paper has a bit of clay infused to seal the cotton and cellulose. Very possible the clay is acting as a polishing/finishing compound.
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  • He Dog
    Use Murphy's Oil Soap on the wood to clean, and follow with a hard carnuba wax, like Truwax.

    Kroil on the metal is good advise, but most of us have pet products.
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