Removing Paint/Drywall Marks

[McNally M.]

Hi gang, over the course of collecting various milsurps and older guns I've come across more than a few that spent their former lives in less-than-idea storage such as being shoved in and out of closets or thrown against walls. Which has resulted in white paint and drywall marks rubbed onto metal finish and stocks. Are there any preferred methods of removing this?

I typically soak the metal in oil and the drywall flakes off easily enough with a little finger nail persuasion, but I never figured out a safe way of removing marks from work without also removing the original finish. Wondering if anyone has found a hack for doing this, if so I'm all ears.

[pacrat]

Steel mil-surps are blued. Which is a passive oxide process. To remove paint of all types from blued gun surfaces. My go to is "acetone". Which readily removes paint but has no detrimental effect on blueing.

For wood stocks, more care must be taken. Because acetone also readily removes many types of wood coatings.

[sonofeugene]

I believe rubbing alcohol will work fine and is safer than acetone. Apply oil afterwards.

[McNally M.]

Solid advice fellas! Thanks for sharing the tricks of the trade.

[TRAP55]

On the metal, anything that takes paint off, and doesn't take bluing off.
On the wood, some furniture cleaner on a rag and some rubbing usually take it all off.