Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire cleaning off rust

someone gave me and old crescent arms 12g sxs that has a pretty good coat of rust on the carry points. breech area, end of barrels and trigger guard. looks like just about anywhere that the blue is worn off. the gun is functional and the bores look fine as does the extractors and other functioning parts. it was an old timers main gun for decades up until about 10 years ago when he died and has sat since. what would be the best thing to take that coating of rust off the metal? i don't really care if the blue comes off with it but i don't want to just take a piece of sandpaper to it. this is a camp gun so it will be sitting in a damp cold building the rest of my days and only used to shoot the occasional skunk or other vermin.

maybe some 0000 steel wool followed by a good coating of Remoil?

thoughts?

I hope better help comes along. I'd wonder about this?

Might look up using washing powder and a battery charger. May or may not be applicable to your shotgun, but another useful tool in the bag of tricks. Works great in some applications.

If just easy surface rust, just take a qtip and 3in 1 and rub gently. Keep soaking.

If alittle heavier, get you some BRASS wool, and some Kroil oil, and apply, let it sit, and gently rub.

I did a riflle with surface rust with the Kroil and brass wool.

If not for my impatience, it wouldve come out perfect.
Lost some blueing cause i didnt wait long enough for the Kroil to do its job.

Real answer? Take a piece of sandpaper to it. 400 grit wet-or-dry (dry) would probably do it and then Oxpho Blue. Could go to 600 but the shine would look out of place on a Crescent. Then clean/restore the wood and done right it'll come out looking surprisingly good.

Who's that company that makes that rust remover scrubby deally? silver/bluish color, looks like a pot scrubber. I bought one for about 7 bucks, but that thing works perfectly and doesn't harm the bluing at all! Serious.

..Big 45 Frontier metal cleaner...

http://www.big45metalcleaner.com/

Works like a charm, wont scratch or hurt bluing.

dave

that might be exactly what i need for an old stevens shotgun i just found.

Yeah I've got steel and bronze wool but that pad is the ticket. Thanks for the link.

*I used it on a super rare Savage 99 that is in mint shape except for this funky super fine rusty film. There's no way I'd touch that rifle with anything else because that rifle was $2000 and I didn't want to ruin it. It worked well.

..yep, believe me, it is.

dave

how do you use it? back and forth, or orbital motion?

Rust??

At them gun shows, they refer to that as "patina" supposedly makes it more valuable. 😄

Nooooooooo..........
The best method is to put gun oil on the bad areas and rub with an old penny made of copper.
I use a couple dated 1956 and 1965 so you can't use the newer ones with less copper in the mix.

You will be stunned at the difference and will also darken the bluing.
John

That is just a line they use on folks from Tennessee, gets them every time.

Flitz rust remover

I use apple cider vinegar as a dip. Take a look at the results.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/13358417#Post13358417

Chore Boy all copper scrubbing pads

Yes on the Big45metal cleaner. Don't get too aggressive... just remove what comes off easy then Brownell's Oxpho blue with a bit of steel wool. Use a fresh piece of steel wool each time. It might take 3-4 times per spot but I think that you will be pleased. The Oxpho will even remove light rust but if you've got pits they're going to remain.

Kellory , how long a dip for that Anvil ? Man , that must have taken a ton of Vinegar ! Have you tried Vinegar by just swabbing small objects ?

That was a one week dip and a soft brass brush. It did not take anywhere near as much dip as you might think. I used a 55 gallon PVC barrel, and a barrel liner trash bag. Lined the barrel, then placed the anvil, and poured one gallon of vinegar. Added water on the outside of the bag and inside the barrel. (This means a LOT less vinagar due to displacement) added enough vinegar to cover the anvil completely, and matched water levels outside the bag. I used about 5 gallons of vinegar in total.