Removing rust in bore

[Baldrick314]

Finally got back to this project. A while back I removed the finish on the stock with oven cleaner and I've been waiting for it to dry out. Today I applied a stain to the stock





It's kind of hard to get a good photo of it. I was going to use steam to raise the dents out of the stock but in the end I decided against it because I want the stock and the metal work to reflect the history of the rifle. Tomorrow I'll apply a sealant (bees wax) which should add depth and highlight the grain and add richness to the wood.

I also started re-bluing the metal work today, starting with the buttpad



After I've finished off the stock and re-blued all the metal I'm going to take the bolt to get chrome plated because it was far too pitted to fix to a standard I'm happy with

[Spooner]

The stock looks good... Too good... You sure you didn't just buy another one?

Nah good work mate.

[Khan]

The better surface areas have come up great

[Mich]

Some junk is going to pour out of the barrel for sure.

[Baldrick314]

Thanks fellas

Some junk is going to pour out of the barrel for sure.

Copper, lead and heat hopefully

[Westy]

If your shooting that thing at the range I'm staying in the Car park !!!

[Baldrick314]

:lol: If your shooting that thing at the range I'm staying in the Car park !!!

I'm hoping they'll let me anchor it to the bench and pull the trigger with a string!

[Oldbloke]

My x son inlaw was given a very old 8mm a few yrs ago. Condition was not much better. After cleaning it up took it to a gun smith , it has pitting up to perhaps as much as 1 mm deep on the outside of the barrel near the chamber. To our suprise gun smith said it was ok to use. So got a few rounds of factory ammo and pulled the projectiles outjust enough to touch the lands. The idea was to increase the pressure above normal. We did the string thing too. Shot fine and as far as I know still being used. Accuracy fas fair but for his use considered ok.
Perhaps do as we did and ask a gun smith for a quick check. Ps keep it up, looks like a great project.

[Baldrick314]

My x son inlaw was given a very old 8mm a few yrs ago. Condition was not much better. After cleaning it up took it to a gun smith , it has pitting up to perhaps as much as 1 mm deep on the outside of the barrel near the chamber. To our suprise gun smith said it was ok to use. So got a few rounds of factory ammo and pulled the projectiles outjust enough to touch the lands. The idea was to increase the pressure above normal. We did the string thing too. Shot fine and as far as I know still being used. Accuracy fas fair but for his use considered ok.
Perhaps do as we did and ask a gun smith for a quick check. Ps keep it up, looks like a great project.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah I'll get someone to look it over before I'm behind the trigger for sure.

[Westy]

Yep it's sure is getting there ,look's great mate!!!

[Baldrick314]

Yep it's sure is getting there ,look's great mate!!!

Cheers Westy

[Baldrick314]

Got a polish rubbed into it this afternoon. Came up pretty well just how I wanted it.





Now onto the bluing

[sarki]

:lol: I'm hoping they'll let me anchor it to the bench and pull the trigger with a string!

I think just asking is going to raise enough red flags they might boot you out

[bunnybuster]

Sorry guy,have to be honest,you should have spent the $25 this cost you on some ammo for your .22.

I wouldn't pull the trigger on a round in this.

Be Safe BB.

[FuzzyM]

Sorry guy,have to be honest,you should have spent the $25 this cost you on some ammo for your .22.

I wouldn't pull the trigger on a round in this.

Be Safe BB.

Pfffft. I would

Rifle is coming up nicely.

I love it when something like this gets rescued from a fate as scrap.

[Baldrick314]

Thanks for the concern BB however I have had it looked over by a gunsmith who saw no issue with it being fired. Regardless of that as I said from the outset this project was more about the process for me than the end result

[Oldbloke]

Baldrick, looking great. I would still do the string thing to be sure, to be sure. Lol. But I see no obvious reason to think its not safe inless the trigger has issues. People forget that there is a large safety margin built in to the design of fire arms. Ie tbe chamber walls would be much thicker than actualy required for norman pressures.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, a gun smith gave an old 8mm the ok with pitting about 1 mm deep around the chamber and it fired ok. When we did the string thing we put about 3 or 4 heavy blankets over tne 8mm. But would be better to have a tree between u and the rifle. Cant wait to hear the finnal result

[Baldrick314]

Yeah Oldbloke, particularly military rifles. I think the high command frowned on rifles that blew up in their own soldiers faces!

[Oldbloke]

:lol: Yeah Oldbloke, particularly military rifles. I think the high command frowned on rifles that blew up in their own soldiers faces!

Mmmm about the first thing I have heard about war that makes good sense.

[bunnybuster]

Ok,for all you warm and fuzzies,when you find your own version of this,er -- artifact,to remove the rust,get a piece of poly pipe of a suitable diameter to slide the stripped barrelled action into,probably 50mm,cut it about 150mm longer than the barrel/action and glue a cap on one end.

Get/mix a phosphoric acid solution,about 20% concentration,suspend the barrel in the tube,about 15-20mm off the bottom with a piece of Stainless wire.

Clamp the tube upright and pour in enough solution to cover the job,this works best if warm,the acid will eat the rust but not harm ferrous metals.Other smaller bits can be treated by dropping them into a bag of synthetic [nylon] stocking and hang that in the acid.

Pull the job out after 24 hrs to admire your handywork [sure beats elbow grease and oil] when it's cleaned to your satisfaction,rinse in very hot water and treat with Ballistol or similar,polish with v fine scotchbrite. Oh just remembered,degrease thoroughly before you start [ thinners/brake cleaner] and don't tell me you can't find the aluminium bits you put in the solution,the acid gremlins ate them, this solution will also remove the blueing,

Be Safe BB

[Rocker]

this solution will also remove the blueing

Will bookmark for later.

I've tried on a couple of things before but could never 100% get blue out.

Took a lot of it of but it was never back to clean steel.

Always a tint left over.

[bunnybuster]

Ok,for all you warm and fuzzies,when you find your own version of this,er -- artifact,to remove the rust,get a piece of poly pipe of a suitable diameter to slide the stripped barrelled action into,probably 50mm,cut it about 150mm longer than the barrel/action and glue a cap on one end.

Get/mix a phosphoric acid solution,about 20% concentration,suspend the barrel in the tube,about 15-20mm off the bottom with a piece of Stainless wire.

Clamp the tube upright and pour in enough solution to cover the job,this works best if warm,the acid will eat the rust but not harm ferrous metals.Other smaller bits can be treated by dropping them into a bag of synthetic [nylon] stocking and hang that in the acid.

Pull the job out after 24 hrs to admire your handywork [sure beats elbow grease and oil] when it's cleaned to your satisfaction,rinse in very hot water and treat with Ballistol or similar,polish with v fine scotchbrite. Oh just remembered,degrease thoroughly before you start [ thinners/brake cleaner] and don't tell me you can't find the aluminium bits you put in the solution,the acid gremlins ate them, this solution will also remove the blueing,

Be Safe BB

I shouldn't have to add,but I will,this is serious acid you are using,as well as rust,it will blind you, remove your skin etc,use your PPE.

[RDobber]

Where does one buy something like that anyway?

I didn't think you could really get that level stuff outside of trade channels?

[gillian]

Where does one buy something like that anyway?

I didn't think you could really get that level stuff outside of trade channels?

http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/06/30/11 ... coca-cola/

[bunnybuster]

Where does one buy something like that anyway?

I didn't think you could really get that level stuff outside of trade channels?

This is used for rust treatment/removal in surface preparation of steel in industry and marine applications,you will probably find it

at an industrial/marine paint supplier,I bought a 1 ltr container,about $45, 100% ,dilute it with distilled/rainwater to use.

Brilliant stuff for recovering old iron/steel,for example I have cleaned an old axe,absolutely crusted in rust,to now clean grey

steel with makers name etc clearly legible,if I had used grinding/blasting methods this would most likely be lost.

Be Safe BB

[bunnybuster]

Got a polish rubbed into it this afternoon. Came up pretty well just how I wanted it.





Now onto the bluing

If you want to raise the dents in the timber,use a cotton cloth [ pinch a teatowl from the kitchen ] saturate it in water and lay it over the dent,

use the mrs steam iron and lay it on the cloth over the dent,roll it back and forth over the dent,and the steam will progressively raise the indent.

I have found this method pulls poo out of the grain too,so use a cloth you can toss after the job.

Be Safe BB

[SendIt]

I love it when something like this gets rescued from a fate as scrap.

Yeah it's good to see on the right project.

[dando223]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. What has ended up happening to the ol'girl? Is she back together?

[Baldrick314]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. What has ended up happening to the ol'girl? Is she back together?

Thanks Dando. I've been side tracked many times but it's nearly finished. Stock has been re-finished and oiled and most metalwork re-blued. The barrel and action refuses to take the blue though, it keeps coming up patchy.

Next step is to take it to the range and see whether it shoots before investing money to get it properly blued. Thus far it's cost me a knife and about $20 in materials

If she shoots any better than 2" at 50m with the ex-mil ammo I've got then I'll grab some components to load for it too

[dando223]

Great news Baldrick!! I went through the same kind of labour of love for my old man's 303/25 that he had shot with some dodgy old gunshow necked down ex-mil 303 to 303/25... The old boy didn't bother cleaning it (cordite & corrosive primers for sure I reckon) and he left it in the cupboard for a couple of decades after ammo dried up, and when I asked him for a look at it a few months ago, you could barely see any rifling because of all the rust. Long story short, I spent a lot of time trying to get the rust out and quite a bit of money buying dies and forming and loading brass but no deal. It wont even stabilise 87 grainers now and keyholes 1 in 5 shots at least. If I can get it rebarrelled though I will, and I'll re-blue it and completely redo the stock. I just want to see the look on the old man's face when he sees his first ever centrefire looking like it did when he bought it in the 60's. Cant put a price on that. If he can smack just one more pig with it too, that would make all the grief and headaches worth it.

Good luck with the rest of the work to the gun Baldrick, I hope the gun gods are kinder to you than they were to me. I'd love to see a photo of it when its all done! 11/10 for effort mate.