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"Old" rusted shotgun

ammo308ammo308 Member Posts: 66 ✭✭
edited March 2008 in Ask the Experts
I found an old rusted double barrel shotgun stored up in my fathers shed. It must have been there for a long time, termites have eaten the stock. One rabbit ear is missing/broken off. It is extremly rusted. My question is, what can I do to restore this for ornimental use? (I know it can never be fired)
Should I use "naval jelly" to take the rust off? What do you experts recommend?
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Comments

  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I prefer to have wall hangers just as found. It took a lot of years of negelect to get that way, why ruin a good thing? but thats just me.
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  • Wolf.Wolf. Member Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    --
    Get a plastic wallpaper soaking tray from a wallpaper store or a large home center. They are el-cheapo things; maybe 30-36" long, about 4-5 inches deep and about 4 inches wide. Remove the stock and other wood if possible.

    Place the piece in the tray and pour in coca-cola or cheaper store-brand cola to cover the shotgun. Cover the tray tightly with saran wrap or similar clinging wrap, tying a long string around the tray to hold the plastic wrap in place. Leave it there for about three days.

    Remove the shotgun, dump the soda on the lawn and hose down the shotgun, scrubbing it well an old towel. Now you can start scraping it and hitting it with a brass wire brush to knock off the big loose chunks.
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  • triple223taptriple223tap Member Posts: 385 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't try to remove the rust. If you do, it will be even uglier. Rub it down with steel wool and linseed oil until the loose rust is gone and the tightly adhering rust is a nice chocolate brown, then wipe it down with a light coating of clean linseed and let it "dry" for a week or two. Indoors, it will stay like that foreverafter.
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.comcaptkirk3@dslextreme.com Member Posts: 3,804
    edited November -1
    For ornimental use,if at possible; I'd leave it as found.....
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  • rhmc24rhmc24 Member Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    triple's prep idea is OK. Rather than linseed, I heat old iron enough to make it sweat and then coat it with Johnson's floor wax. It gets in where the sweat came out. You can then leave it as-is or if the surface is good enuf, polish as with any wax.
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  • shermanoaksshermanoaks Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Brick acid (Muriatic)is even quicker at removing rust.But you must
    "immiadetialy" immerse it in oil or kerosine after taking it out
    of the acid bath to keep it from rusting more.
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Leave it as found, you will never make it look good, only altered.
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