Remove rust from valuable shotgun.

[olhunter]

I know there are several threads on rust removal, but none that include engraving and gold.....

How would you remove or reduce/stop the rust from this receiver?

Flitz? Kroil? WD-40? Brass wool?

Engraved, gold inlay, top-notch bluing, fairly valuable commemorative gun....

Well....?

[saki302]

0000 steel wool soaked in WD-40.

Rub softly.

-Dave

[olhunter]

Thanks Dave!

How do you get in the nooks and crannies of the engraving?

[saki302]

You can fold the steel wool cake into a 'corner', or use a plastic spatula or spoon's sharp corner to press it in gently.

Be careful when sanding near a sharp edge that you don't wear the blue on the edge too much.

-Dave

[shafferds]

Or walnut media in a Blasting cabinet at low pressure. Tape off the gold area.

[Citadelgrad87]

Yes, take the time to tape off the gold to protect it no matter how do go about it.

Good luck.

[kcstott]

Thing is it ain't valuable anymore.


If it's really worth it send it to midwest gun works or Turnbull and have a full restoration done. It will set you back about $4000 but hey it's only money

[Tarasdad]

That may be a candidate for taking to a professional for restoration.

[Gunsmith Dan]

That is beyond surface rust so steel wool or any cleaning technique will remove a fair amount of the bluing.

So unfortunately the value of the firearm will be degraded since the finish will need to be removed and reapplied, and the rust damage very carefully sanded slowly by hand.

The gold is not that big of an issue there is special masking material that would survive in the bluing tank and even sand blasted.

[ar15barrels]

How do you get in the nooks and crannies of the engraving?

Very carefully.

[Sleighter]

I wonder if electrolysis would work or if it would also take off the inlay and blueing. I don't know, but it may be an option.

[SWalt]

Considering the subject of the engraving, for me the best solution is to mill the "City of LA" completely off. It would be a nice shot gun then. Yeah I know the City of LA wasn't so disgusting in 1981, but it is now.

[Twystd1]

Electrolysis will probably pull ALL the bluing and the inlay off.

To see if the finish is salvageable. I would keep it simple. Hoppes and a brass brush.

From what I can see in your pics. The rust is already corroded the receiver. Hence no amount of rust removal will fix the finish.

By the way. Did you get the 2 barrel set with your Itahca? As I have the EXACT same shotgun. I like the rifle sights on the short barrel.

Note: I bought mine for 600 bucks about a year ago. In like new condition with the commemorative case. That was good deal. They come up every so often for under a grand. (And for much more as well)
The wood has got to be a grade 4 or better. It's really a nice shotgun.

More than Likely. It will be cheaper to buy another one online than to try to get yours back to 95% condition.

Call Turnbull at (585) 657-6338 and send em pics. They will tell what it costs to get it perfect. I am guessing north of a 1500 bucks to weld up all those pits, sand, file, polish, re-engrave, and blue the action.

If it's a shooter. Hell. Just run it.
If you need more info. PM me for a phone number.

PS: KCstott and the others are dead on. If you have the bucks. You can get it perfect. If not. Kill the rust. (Oxpho) then oil it up and shoot it.

-T

[javithewrench]

If it holds value to you and you want it fixed right, send it to turnbull. I sent in my $1000 lever action and turnbull charged me $1500 to remove rust, remove and fill in tang safety, add half cock hammer, redo the scratched wood, re blue barrel and case harden receiver and small parts. They also cut the barrel down to 16" since I found rust just on the end of the rifling. They do awesome work and felt the price was cheap for all the work they did. May not be worth $2500 to some but it's mine and is not for sale!
Here's a few before and after pictures.( may look crappy, posting from phone)
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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1428869280.835519.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1428869320.952971.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1428869354.218867.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1428869370.400393.jpg

[NATEWA]

If it's valuable to you, take it to a pro.

If not, do yourself as others suggested.

Maybe a gun sock and dehumidifier for the future.

Good luck.