[ITWORKEDOUT]

Here is an orphan I recently rescued..... The backstory is that it was found in a house forgotten for the last 60 odd years......

I know I need a bolt, handguards and some small parts.....Bore looks full of old cosmo or??

I cannot figure how to clean her up of what the substance on her is???

What do you guys advise? Any help appreciated... here are some pics....

 

[fjruple]

I would first do a detailed cleaning of the rifle. You have to determine the exact builder and model of the Pattern 14. Not all Pattern 14 bolts fit other Pattern 14 manufacturers and even within manufacturers. For example I believe your rifle is probably a Eddystone built rifle judging from the stock. A bolt from an early Pattern 14 MKI will fit a later Pattern 14 MKI* but a later Pattern 14 MKI* bolt will not fit an early Pattern 14 MKI due to the larger locking lugs on the Pattern 14 MKI* bolt. The one bright side is all of crud on the rifle probably protected the finish and bore. Good luck on your find.

 

[ITWORKEDOUT]

Thanks for the info..... What do you think is the best way to clean her up?


Hoppes? Oil? TIA.....

 

[alarmingman]

Put it a black garbage bag and put it in the sun to see if it starts oozing cosmoline.

 

[Lyman1903]

looks like it was painted (suncorite type) maybe more than once and then covered in some dried up, (for lack of a better term) goo,

can you get the action out of the stock?
if so, wipe the stock with some mineral spirits to get some dirt off and let it set in the hot sun (black garbage bag as mentioned helps) and see what oozes out,

do the same with the action, and see if the dried up crud/goo comes off

I would be hesitant to remove the black paint/suncorite

 

[Skoda]

Wrap it in rags, put it in a contractor grade trash bag, then douse it with mineral spirits and let it sit for a few days in some sunny place away from flammable things. Then take it out and wipe away the dried cosmo.

 

[ITWORKEDOUT]

Thanks for all the info guys......

 

[earlwb]

Usually paint thinner or mineral spirits work to get the dried up grease stuff off.

I do remember one time having a devil of a time with a Russian Mosin. They used some kind of a fish oil grease like substance. Nothing would touch the stuff. I eventually found that acetone would clean it off. But even then it was tough work though.

 

[Skoda]

Fish oil grease?!?! That doesn't sound like it would smell very good even after you got the grease off. My friend has a Mosin that smells like it was stored in a smoker's lounge for 50 years.

 

[ITWORKEDOUT]

Update..... Started cleaning the barreled receiver.....Stock will need a lot of cleanup......

Here are some quick pics...... Interesting that the stock is numbered matching on the nose with stamped numbers......

I will get some stock pics later in the week......

 

[earlwb]

Fish oil grease?!?! That doesn't sound like it would smell very good even after you got the grease off. My friend has a Mosin that smells like it was stored in a smoker's lounge for 50 years.

Yes it started stinking to high heaven when I went to clean the goop off.

 

[earlwb]

I think that the hardest gun to clean was a Egyptian Hakim. I think it was captured by Israel during their war at the time. The soldiers were discarding their guns in the desert as they fled. I would take it apart wash every part, oil it, put it back together and there would still be some grit in there. I must have cleaned it 20 or 30 times before I got enough grit out that it didn’t feel gritty. I would swear that the pores in the wood stock had sand particles in them.

 

[fjruple]

Back in the "old" days, Sperm Whale oil was very popular to use on firearms to lubricate and protect them. Sperm whale oil would collect dirt and dust and congealed on the firearm making it look like it look like a sewer pipe. I found this out when i purchase several "rusted" Winchester 1892 .44-40 rifles at a third of their value after I cleaned them up and they were brand new! The harden sperm whale oil acted as a preservative to the rifles. So if you see an old firearm that looks like a smelly fish, sewer pipe. That is what is covering it. It will look a lot better after you clean it up.