Long spoon clean-up tips

[Red88Carrera]

These are my three .22 cal rifles. The top one is a Glenfield(Marlin) model 75C circa. 1980. The middle one is a 1981 Ruger 10/22(my favorite). The bottom one is a 1951 Remington 521-T bolt action. I need to clean them up a little and am looking for tips. My parents gave me the Glenfield when I was 16 years old, so it has more sentimental value than real value. The other two need some attention. I'd like to bring the color back out of the stocks, and clean up the bluing on the metal. Any good home remedies? Also, I need to round out the collection with a lever-action. Any good ones to be had?

[legion]

You can buy cold blue paste. I use it for touching up blued metal. Bass Pro, Cabela's, Dick's, or any sporting goods store that stocks firearms should have it.

I use tung oil to touch up stocks. Rub some one, let dry for 24 hours, repeat as needed.

I thought this thread was going to be about actual cleaning, to which I would recomend bore foam, let sit for 20 minutes, then general purpose gun cleaner on a caliber-appropriate jag until you get a clean patch, then bore brush, then general purpose gun cleaner until you get a clean patch, then Hopp's #9, then general purpose gun cleaner until you get a clean patch, then a dry patch, then an oiled patch.

[Jrboulder]

I just refinished the stock on my universal M1 carbine and touched up the bluing. I used a couple of the birchwood casey kits. The stock came out nice and the bluing was so so. If you've got a little surface rust I don't think there's a whole lot you can do. Rubbing some gun oil into it will make it a little darker and less noticible. The Tru-oil seemed to work really well on the stock and I've also used it to touch up some other guns. If you've got worn bluing it can be touched up with the paste but it won't really be that durable so be careful or you're going to do it again in about a week.

[azasadny]

Get David's (targa911s) opinion, he's the master!

[targa911S]

You are on the right track with Truoil. I use it exclusively. You may want to lightly clean the wood with fine bronze wool before hand and MASK OFF THE CHECKERING. Put it on by inverting the tru oil bottle using 2 or 3 fingers on the top, then using the oil you have on your fingers now to rub the oil into the stock. Rub it until it feels warm on your fingers. Let it dry 12 hrs or more then bronze wool the whole thing again and repeat the process until you get the finish you want. Satin finish? Wool it again and don't re oil. Browning/weatherby finish, keep wooling and rubbing then buff after the last wooling. You want to put the finish IN the wood not ON the wood like paint.

The best cold blue out there comes from Brownells. It's called Oxpho blue. Use the cream NOT the liquid. Be patient, use fine steel wool to burnish between coats, follow the instructions but let it dry over night. Do multiple coats. Not as permanent as rust blue or hot blue but for your purpose it's the best way to go. Here is a link to Brownells oxpho page (shipping is a killer )

4 oz. Oxpho-Blue™ Creme : OXPHO-BLUE® CREME | Brownells

Thanks Art.

[targa911S]

Is that Marlin a squirrel, ground hog, or a crow? The crows are rare.

[Mericet]

I agree with David on the Oxpho Blue. Works really well. Take your time though, as he said.

[Red88Carrera]

Thanks for the info targa. The stock has the squirrel on it.

[targa911S]

I just sold mine .but as a lever gun look for a browning BL22 or a Winchester 94/22. look at Henry rifles too.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Thanks for the info targa. The stock has the squirrel on it.

I have it's mate in a bolt action .22 with a ground hog on it. Been lookin for a crow.

[id10t]

Certainly not taking away from the pros ... but I would start by getting manuals for them all (steve-pages or something like that has a TON of spoon manuals), and disassembling as per instructions in said manual. Give everything metal a good cleaning with a few shop rags and a degreaser of some sort to remove all the old gunk/grime/grease/etc. Clean it like its going to a concours. Then take a look at the metal and determine if it really needs refinishing or touching up.

Do the same process for the stock - wipe down with a tack cloth, then wipe with a rag barely dampened with some sort of (somewhat gentle) cleaner. Again, then decide on if it really needs refinishing, etc.

There are lots of "here's my process of refinishing this rifle" posts on rimfirecentral.com (all over, they post spoon specific not task specific although there are a few of those too), and in the gunsmithing/do it yerself section of The FAL Files - Powered by vBulletin

Lever gun? Not my cup of tea, thanks... But if I had to go buy one in the next week or so, I'd probably look at the older ones (Marlin 39a, Winchester, etc), new production wise Henry, Browning. Maybe since you have a 10/22 a 96/22 ?

If you need an excuse to make a "rounder" collection, you are still shy a pump and a single shot break open.

[targa911S]

^^^ this all makes perfect sense and of course I assume it's the first thing you would do. Disassemble, clean, check, appraise, correct. Orange oil is a great wood cleaner, use an old tooth brush for the checkering. Mineral spirits, acetone,or just plain lacquer thinner is my choice for metal.

[billh1963]

I have the same Glenfield of around the same vintage! I bought it when I was around 14 or 15 with money I had saved up. I still have the receipt...if memory serves me it was around $39.95 plus an extra $5 for the cheapie single power scope.

Times have certainly changed....