Help...Rusty Colt Police

[bmanis]

This jewel spent a few weeks wrapped in a towel in the trunk of a wrecked Caddy at a salvage yard. My wifes's grandparents were involved in a wreck and her grandfather forgot that it was in there. Plus, he was preoccupied caring for his wife who suffered a broken leg. Needless to say, it did rain often during this time. The Colt still shoots fine and still looks great internally. The outside is a different story. Do you all have any suggestions for cleaning it up without pouring lots of cash into it?



http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_130364ec8047107cea.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2759)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_130364ec80484ce2fe.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2760)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_130364ec8049a54b5f.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2761)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_130364ec80b28990d9.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2762)

[Bret4207]

Getcha some 4/0 steel wool and some light oil and start rubbing. If it's freckled that's one thing. If there are pits there isn't much you can do. Either way, get as much of the rust off as you can, The 4/0 will not harm the remaining finish. Then I'd degrease the gun and go over it with some Oxpho Blue and then follow with some Break Free or other good protective finish.

I think you're going to have some pitting no matter what. It's kinda like a battle scar. If it's really hideous you can have it bead blasted.

[Reg]

Those are some really deep pits. A light steel wooling with a light oil will remove the free rust and would help things a bit but nothing short of a good polish and blue will ever return a really nice appearance.
Call around , nothing is cheap any more but there are a few out there that can restore a nice finish and not grind everything up. Had a friend leave a super Browning Auto 5 in a cheap slip gun case after goose hunting. Put it in the closet and forgot about it until the following fall. Needless to say, the cloth of the case was almost glued to the metal with rust. Sent it up to Mel Doyle in Idaho and he did remove the factory engraving, the pitting was that deep, but he left a very nice smooth finish with sharp corners and he didn't dish out the screw holes. It saved the gun.
Not sure if Mel is still bluing but there are a few out there of his caliber that are capable of this kind of work. His price was very fair.
Just my .002 worth

:popcorn:

[9.3X62AL]

That fine old Colt is certainly worth the effort to restore.

One of the blessings of living in a dry desert climate is the relative absence of rust we deal with in keeping our firearms cleaned and maintained.

[Love Life]

That fine old Colt is certainly worth the effort to restore.

One of the blessings of living in a dry desert climate is the relative absence of rust we deal with in keeping our firearms cleaned and maintained.

Amen.