Author Topic: old unfired gun problem/cleaning (Read 1074 times)

myronman3 · « **on:** October 29, 2012, 03:30:56 AM »

i've been dating a woman for a while now. at her father's yesterday, he brought out his pistol collection. alot of nice older smith and wessons. many of which are unfired. one gun, a highway patrolman (so beautiful) is locked up tight. i imagine from packing grease that has hardened over the years. it is unfired.
my question is, what is the best way to got about getting it fixed up? there are 4 pistols that need to be cleaned up, but this one is the one i started with as it is the worst of the lot (and it doesnt even have a mark on it-lol).
right now, it is lubed up with kroil, and sitting. i'm going to take the grips off and really lube it up. and let it sit. anyone have any experience along these lines? it is a blued gun, and spotless condition so i dont want to risk anything that would damage the blueing on it.
thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

jhm · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2012, 07:43:50 AM »

If the lube dont soften up, I would suggest taking it to a compedent Gunsmith for a look see, it should not cost too much to have it looked at. Jim

Dee · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2012, 08:56:17 AM »

Guys used to bring me Smiths and Colts that they had lubed with WD40 for years. They would either be gummed up so bad they wouldn't fall hard enough to bust the primer, or were as in your case locked up from being stored. I disassembled them and then cleaned them up.
In your case not to damage screw heads and devalue the piece, take the grips off, and soak it in mineral spirits for several days. By soak I mean submerge like put it in a bowl, or cake small cake pan, and pour in enough mineral spirits to cover the pistol.
You can leave in that for as long as it takes to dissolve what ever is causing the lockup, provided it is a grease problem. When the gun frees up, you can blow it out with an air hose, wash it out with carburetor cleaner, blow it out again, and IMMEDIATELY OIL.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2012, 09:17:10 AM »

like dee says, and get the grip panels
off. kroil is a great thing.
WD40 for guns? big nope! ! ! !

Dee · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2012, 10:48:06 AM »

Most folks don't know it but the primary lubricant in WD40 is nothing more than "fish oil". As it evaporates it leaves an amber colored varnish appearing goo. It will freeze firing pins on bolt actions, and retard hammer fall on pistols of all types.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2012, 10:49:21 AM »

outdoor padlocks too. . .

myronman3 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2012, 02:01:19 PM »

thanks Dee. it could very well be that he put wd40 on these, as he asked me what i thought of it-my response mirrored what everyone here said about it. i was thinking about mineral spirits, but was concerned about it affecting the blueing. i appreciate the advice.

EastKY_DO · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2012, 01:10:23 AM »

I second Dee's recommendations. I have also used the mixture known as Ed's Red (named for Ed Harris the gunwriter) to clean caked on varnish, carbon, cosmoline & other gunk. It also has protective and lubricating qualities to it by nature of its ingredients.

The recipe is very simple:
1 part aliphatic mineral spirits
1 part acetone
1 part Dexron III automatic transmission fluid
1 part kerosene (I use the odorless kind sold for indoor heater & lamp use)

Mix in a well ventilated area (strong fumes) & store in chemical resistant container.

There are complete recipes and further descriptions on the net if you care go search for it.

Doc

myronman3 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2012, 02:10:47 PM »

the mineral spirits did the trick. a day submerged, and it was loose. i took it apart, cleaned it up, oiled it, and put it back together. it is a happy gun now.

thanks again for the advice.

Swampman · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2012, 02:56:36 PM »

WD-40 works fine. There's not a thing wrong with it. It doesn't contain fish oil.

http://www.wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/

bearman49709 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2012, 01:58:20 AM »

Quote from: Dee on October 29, 2012, 10:48:06 AM

Most folks don't know it but the primary lubricant in WD40 is nothing more than "fish oil". As it evaporates it leaves an amber colored varnish appearing goo. It will freeze firing pins on bolt actions, and retard hammer fall on pistols of all types.

WD-40 HAS NO FISH OIL NONE, don't know where this mith came from. It is not a lubricant it is a Water Displacement!

Dee · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2012, 02:16:13 AM »

Well, in doin a little research it appears that what I have thought is "incorrect". WD40 "Does not contain" fish oil. It does however contain a number of lubricating oils, and other chemicals, along with "water displacement chemicals", and enhanced "penetrating chemicals". The actual ingredients are a guarded secret.
What I "AM CORRECT ABOUT", is that it will evaporate, leave an amber colored, varnish appearing goo, in firearms, and cause them to malfunction. So on the "fish oil" statement. I "stand corrected". For what it's worth.

Curtis · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2012, 09:08:12 AM »

Dee, I have observed that it is mighty hard to be unimpeachable with this crowd. It is almost like giving someone the "benifit of the doubt" is a threat to their manhood, and nitpicking another's opinions is very much in vogue. I "got" the main thrust of your post and I know that it had nothing to do with fish oil per se.

The few times I put forth my opinion around here, I was sorry I did (and this will probably be no exception). I think in the case of BUGEYE and I (pot bellied stove forum thread) it was probably my fault in the blunt way I presented my opinion, but in many other cases people are more interested in put downs than discussion. I read here hoping to learn from other's views, and try to see what got them there. But the few here spouting dogma (and I'm not talking just about religious dogma) and shutting down dissenting views usually deny me that.

Just for what it's worth (not much).
Curtis

P.S. I use WD 40 only for a water displacer and a solvent and cleaner.

Swampman · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2012, 09:32:35 AM »

WD-40 is a great solvent and an ok light lubricant. Like any oil it turns into brown crud eventually. I like it and use it all the time to clean stuff mostly.

williamlayton · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2012, 10:46:13 AM »

I prefer Jack Daniels for a decongestant.-----Hold on----that wasn't the conversation was it?

Blessings

Ranger99 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 08, 2012, 01:36:41 PM »

i have two master padlocks at the farm
that are pretty much useless rusted turds that
had a WD40 bath from day one.
i would guess it would depend on the humidity
in one's area as to how good or bad wd40 is.
i also have an unopened container of coffee
creamer bought 3 months ago that is solid as
a brick now. if you have to oil something there
to protect it, neither wd40 or lucas gun oil work.
only thing i've found so far that works is eezox and kroil

williamlayton · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2012, 12:05:46 PM »

Regular shooting hels a lot.
Blessings

tdoor · « **Reply #17 on:** November 13, 2012, 05:47:13 AM »

Had the same problem with a BP revolver that I picked up , took off the grips and tosed the whole thing into hot water and let soak for a few minets, It came apart real easy and cleaned up real nice

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** November 13, 2012, 07:42:40 AM »

WD40 is a rust inhibitor and blueing is rust does it make sense to put it on a blue gun ? It is used by some gunsmiths to stop the blueing process ( stop the rusting). Then they clean it off and oil the gun.

myronman3 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 13, 2012, 10:47:13 AM »

guys..... thanks to dee's advice (which i followed to the letter), the problem is solved.

and william....dont be bogarting that jack daniels.