Restoring an old gun.

jlrhiner · #1 07-24-2019, 08:22 PM

You know how you sit around and think of an idea that would really make something neat? And you sit down with a book to find what you need, and then you order parts and everything comes together and unicorns frolic in your yard?

Yeah me neither. Normally, when I try to build something, gremlins move into my garage. And if I try to order parts for something, I have one of only 3 made, and 1 was destroyed and the other one is in South Africa. I know people that can fall into a septic tank and not get dirty. I am not that guy.

This time, however, I broke out of my M.O.

20 years ago I inherited some guns from an uncle. A S&W Mdl 10, a Ruger Single-Six RSSM, and a 30.06 deer rifle. The 2 pistols are straight forward, and are in the gunsafe. The .06 was my uncles deer rifle, and he had big hands. The stock was huge, especially at the wrist. Like holding the wrong end of a baseball bat. I played with it a bit, never shot it, and into the back of the safe it went.

So we jump forward to last October. My daughter wanted to know what was in the gun safe. So her and I sat down and went through the safe, documenting type, size, color, flavor etc. Out comes the old deer rifle of Uncle Clarence.

Guess what? Its a 1942 manufactured M1903 made by Remington. And the barrel is stamped “RA” and “10-42”.

I stripped everything off of the mutant stock, and wound up with the action, barrel, trigger group and trigger guard/magazine group. All I need is everything else. Enter Numrich Gun Parts.

I wanted a straight stock, and after some disappointment, found one at Numrich, (along with all the screws, springs, bands, etc.)

When the stock got here, it looked exactly as they advertised it. Military surplus, used but intact. Plus a healthy dollop of cosmoline, grease, dirt, crud, insects and whatever else was in the corner where they threw it. I was contemplating using a torch to burn off the excess when the wife comes by and says “THAT nasty thing is what’s got you so excited?” After explaining the intricacies of the male brain I lamented to her about having to strip the gunk off of the stock. Using her female logic processor, she says “Why don’t you try that GooGone stuff in the spray bottle?” and wanders off. That won’t work, I think to myself as I head to the hardware store to find a degreaser.

Hank at the hardware store listens to my description of the task, and recommends GooGone. I surrender.

Back at home, I read the directions (I know, I know.) Spray it down with a heavy coating, and leave it alone for 20 minutes. Then wipe it down with a damp cloth and repeat as necessary. Repeating was not necessary. I am here to tell you, if you need to clean something thats cosmolined bad, GooGone is the cats meow.

One pic below is the before. The rest are the afters. I am seriously impressed with myself.