The saddest Model 13-3 you will ever see.

[Snapping Twig]

Good pick-up!

Here's mine. I traded a Colt DS for it.

 

[sigp220.45]

I fished it out of the paint can today, blew it out, and took it to the range. I figured I'd better see if it even shot before I went much farther.

Six rounds single action went fine:

Double action was another matter - three failures to fire out of the first cylinder. Looked like light primer strikes. I hadn't checked the strain screw, which made two full turns before it was all the way in.

After that, all was good. 100 rounds of .38 and about 30 rounds of .357s all went off fine.

Back into the soup for a while, then I think I'll try some Brownell's Oxypho cold blue.

 

[AJ]

Back into the soup for a while, then I think I'll try some Brownell's Oxypho cold blue.

I have used Oxpho Blue on many occasions. I usually warm up the metal in an oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. The place it in a pan of Oxpho Blue for about another 1 minutes. I wash it off in hot water and put it back in the oven until dry inside and out. Then I oil the daylights out of the pieces and let it cool. Once I wipe off the excess oil it looks good to me. Others will have other opinions on how to do it, but you know how opinions go...........

 

[moonshine44]

I gotta go with Hapworth on this one. I think I'd just clean it up, try to get the worst of the rust off and leave it there. Character is sometimes better than shiny. And especially since you found out that it runs well...

 

[Glashaus]

You are doing great! No such thing as a sad 3" M13-3, your's just has extra character!

I have a shiny 3" M13-3

 

[ddixie884]

A 3" K-frame is a wunnerful thing.................

 

[stansdds]

I fished it out of the paint can today, blew it out, and took it to the range. I figured I'd better see if it even shot before I went much farther.

Six rounds single action went fine:

Double action was another matter - three failures to fire out of the first cylinder. Looked like light primer strikes. I hadn't checked the strain screw, which made two full turns before it was all the way in.

After that, all was good. 100 rounds of .38 and about 30 rounds of .357s all went off fine.

Back into the soup for a while, then I think I'll try some Brownell's Oxypho cold blue.

You know, maybe you would be better off just getting rid of that piece. I know! Just put in a plain brown box and send it to me for... "disposal".

With so little to lose and unless you want to go to the trouble of rust blueing, I agree on the Oxpho Blue. Do any polishing that you want and get every bit of oil off of the parts, heat them up and then treat them to an Oxpho Blue bath.

Heating before applying cold blue drives all of the moisture from the surface of the steel, allowing full contact of the cold blue to the surface of the steel.

 

[kbm6893]

You know, maybe you would be better off just getting rid of that piece. I know! Just put in a plain brown box and send it to me for... "disposal".

With so little to lose and unless you want to go to the trouble of rust blueing, I agree on the Oxpho Blue. Do any polishing that you want and get every bit of oil off of the parts, heat them up and then treat them to an Oxpho Blue bath.

Heating before applying cold blue drives all of the moisture from the surface of the steel, allowing full contact of the cold blue to the surface of the steel.

I've had great results with oxpho blue, but only for touch up. A full detail strip till the gun is bare, then a thorough degreasing followed by an oxpho bath sounds like a great idea. Absolutely nothing to lose just put the frame, sideplate, cylinder, and ejector rod in the bath.

Here's a fantastic video on taking down a Smith revolver. Used it my first time and it's very helpful.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WqmlI3FBvLE[/ame]

 

[kbm6893]

Only thing I'd do different from that video is make sure you have 3 empty cases in the cylinder (or snap caps) when you unscrew and screw in the ejector rod. With the amount of rust in the outside, I gotta think the insides of that gun aren't pretty, and a bath or oxpho blue treatment without being fully disassembled is not gonna get you the best results.

 

[Old Corp]

Nuthin' wrong whith that!
I've had really good luck with Oxpho Blue.
A few years back, bought a M57 6" on GB that was priced down because of some rash/slight pitting along outside of the barrel, right side only. Rest was fine.
Like it had been stored in a partially wet holster or similar.

Stripped/degreased that area, heated it with a heat-gun and dabbed a few coats of Oxpho on it. Let sit for a short time, heavily oiled - came out great. It's a hunter, so, didn't need to be presentation-grade.

Your 13 is coming along nicely.

 

[OttoLoader]

Firearms can be degreased with Simple Green.

Will not damage the metal and is eco friendly too.

 

[kbm6893]

Firearms can be degreased with Simple Green.

Will not damage the metal and is eco friendly too.

If simple green is used I'd use the newer aircraft simple green or at least the purple.

But I honestly wouldn't use simple green at all. Fully disassemble, let sit for a few days in ATF, tsk routine once a day or so and rub rust with bronze wool or 0000 steel wool, then a full blast with non-chlorinated brake cleaner. Then heat the frame, cylinder, and ejector rod in oven at 200 degrees, take out, give it a one minute Oxpho bath, then follow the instructions on the Oxpho bottle. Properly lube then gun and reassemble.

 

[stansdds]

Yes, Simple Green will work and if you are doing everything inside your home, then that is an excellent option. If you are doing your de-greasing outdoors or in a ventilated shop, then non-chlorinated brake cleaner will make short work of the job.

 

[sigp220.45]

Here's where I'm at now.

While I work on the magnas, I put on Pachmayr Compacts. These are actually the only Packys I really like, so they may stay.

I've done several coats of Oxy Pho - degreasing, heating, applications, wipedown, OOOO steel wool, oil. Looks better, but its never gonna pass for new, which is fine with me. This side is actually better than the picture shows due to some reflection.

The backstrap is smooth now, but will always be a bit mottled, I think.

The muzzle is blue again, but the wear is still evident.

I think I'm reaching the point of diminishing returns. I'm going to go for a few more coats of Oxy Pho, then try some Ren Wax.

I've been carrying this guy in an IWB holster meant for its more stylish sibling. It carries well - the Packys and the stubby hammer feel good.

So far, so good. It shoots well, carries well, and is approaching respectability in looks.

 

[aphelion]

Looking good.

 

[Telecaster]

I'd hit that

 

[TNZ71]

I would send that bad boy to the Mother Ship or Fords Custom in FLA for a re-blue.

 

[stansdds]

Given the degree of pitting and finish wear, I think you have gotten as much out of cold blue as you will ever get. Degreasing and Renaissance Wax is a good idea. Any better finish is going to require professional attention and for that, I would still recommend a bead blasted blue or bead blasted and plated with nickel or hard chrome.

 

[jtcarm]

Fortunately for me, the nearest Sportsman's Warehouse is 500 miles away.

Good job on the rescue[emoji106]