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Restoring/Refinishing a Gun

2K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  dunno 
#1 ·
Good evening,

While I was home for Christmas I took my Dad's Remington 512 and brought it back to Texas so I could get it back to usable condition.

This was one of his Dad's guns. When his Dad died, one of his cousins took the gun and really abused it. The buttplate is broken, the stock is cracked with a poor repair job attempted, some very light speckled surface rust and the front sight is broken. I want to make this gun look as original as possible so I will be ordering a front sight and the buttplate from Numrich. The Remington stock on Numrich has been sold out for some time. Boyd's has a reproduction stock, will that be close enough or should I keep looking for an original stock in good shape?

I looked it up and the rifle was made in 1956, I want to refinish whatever stock I get to be period correct. I kind of like the patina that is on the barrel so I am unsure of how to go about cleaning up the rust without having to re-blue the gun.

I also want to find a period correct scope for the rifle, Dad said this was the rifle him and his Dad always took squirrel hunting but his eyesight is deteriorating. What do you folks think for rifle from this time period?

What do you guys think, do it quick and easy with the Boyd's stock, holdout to find a Remington stock, or it really doesn't matter?

I know these rifles aren't worth alot of money and I will probably end up in it $$ wise, what I could buy one for, but it was my Grand-dad's gun and that has some cool factor for me. Any suggestions from you guys would be appreciated.

Thanks
Zac
 
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#4 ·
Thanks for the info.

I have done some looking through my gun junk and found an old Weaver Marksman 4x with tip-off rings that may do the trick, looks great on the rifle, just missing one of the turret caps (the elongated soft plastic ones that push in).

I have also found an old Kollmorgen Bear Cub 4x that I may buy locally. The only problem there will be the 26mm rings that I have not been able to find. I guess I could lapp a set of 1" rings to fit. I researched the Kollmorgen company and the scopes with their name exclusively were built from 1956-1958, perfect for the time period of the rifle.

I guess the Boyd's stock will be the solution until I can find an original. Once I get everything together i will post some pics of before and after.

Anyone have tips for the minor rust without really removing the finish on the barrel and action?

Again thanks in advance.
 
#6 ·
Well here are some before pics of the rifle before I really get started:


Here you can see the cracked stock:




Here, the front sight:


Here is the Weaver with the missing turret cap:


I stripped the gun down this evening and cleaned it up really well. I may try my hand at stripping it all the way down and rebluing it, I am not sure yet.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Me refinishing it is going to be a birthday gift to my dad later this year.
Might want to ask him if he wants it refinished first. The photos don't look all that bad. If it was my late Grandpa's I'd repair the damages, of course, but I'd give some thought to refinishing it if it wasn't thoroughly trashed. To me it would represent wear put there by my ancestors.
 
#10 ·
We talked about it, he knows that I am wanting to try my hand at gun smithing a little and told me to take that rifle. Before I re-blue it or anything, I will pick up something cheap from the gun show to practice on. I have actually been researching the bluing process this evening and I may let a gun smith do that part on this rifle. Looks like I could really mess it up and I don't want to do that.

Anyone know of a good smith in San Antonio? I think I would want it rust blued to look right.
 
#11 · (Edited)
After spending last night and most of this morning researching the cold bluing, rust bluing and other home done solutions, looks like I will probably send the barreled action off to be reblued.

I have not seen any reviews for folks here in San Antonio, what I did see was this:

http://www.hotflashrefinishing.com/

They are in California, which gives me hesitation. Not big on the Golden State when it comes to firearms, but these folks have great reviews. I am open to any other suggestions. The gun looks better in photos than it actually is, you can see alot of white metal through the blueing, it just doesn't look good. It doesn't look old and worn, it looks like someone took a brillo pad to it in places. Also I bid on and won an old Lyman All American 4x scope, but it needs refinished as well, most of the finish is gone on it.

Again, any of you Texas folks that know of a good Gun Finisher let me know. I am not opposed to taking the rifle to Houston, Austin, or even the Dallas area if you know someone good.

Thanks in advance.
Zac
 
#12 ·
They are in California, which gives me hesitation. Not big on the Golden State when it comes to firearms, Thanks in advance.
Zac
As it's been explained to me by crusty old S&W collectors, the decline of the blued finish had nothing to do with chemicals or the EPA, but more to do with the polishing process. Polishing = time = $$$. Back in the day they could put a mirror polish on parts before blueing. Nowadays...
 
#13 ·
Like I said in the first post, I know the rifle is not rare or worth mucho $$. The refinishing/repair is a gift, so getting my money back out of the gun is not a priority. Just want it to be right. The folks out in California seem to do alot of this so they may be the way to go.

I think I could polish the gun up and get it prepped for blueing, I just do not have the equipment or capability to do a "hot blue" process on it. From everything I have read a "cold blue" will not look as good, nor be as durable. I don't want to half-ass this rifle. I was hoping with the amount of gun-fawkery that goes on in here, someone knew a place closer to send the rifle. Animator, Halogrinder, some of you Texas super gun guys?
 
#14 · (Edited)
I just cold blued my dads remington 510. I used oxyphblue (sp) from browells. I got the past. It was a real easy job. Did it over a couple of days. It did not come out bad. I got in a hurry so it could have been alittle better. Look on rimfire central for more info.

Did you order the but plate? I have a decent but plate and front sight. $20 and they are yours if i can get the sight off.

Brandon
 
#18 ·
I decided to try my hand with Oxpho-Blue from Brownells. Did a great job on the rifle. Ended up putting 6 coats on it to get the barrel to match up with the receiver. I am surprised at how good a job it did. Now to get on Gunbroker and order a stock to refinish.
 
#19 ·
My favorite thing about Oxpho-Blue is that you can match a wide variety of aged blue finishes with some practice. Post up some pics when you can. Eager to see your work! And congratulations.
 
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