Rust Removal . . . Mosin Nagant . . .

[BottleCapBandit]

I asked you guys advice a few weeks back about purchasing a Mosin Nagant and got some great feedback. Because of you guys I decided to start the process of getting my C&R license. BUT, earlier today we had a 91/30 come out for sale at my store and I'm pretty sure my boss is going to let me get it for like $60.00 I'm planning on getting it just to have something cheap to play around with until I find out about my C&R (and hopefully start some serious collecting)

My question is . . . the rifle in question is in pretty ruff shape and I was wondering if anyone had tips on rust removal? I ran a few wipes down the barrel a few mins ago and they are coming out nasty. There is minor rust damage in some spots on the side of the rifle but nothing too serious. The barrel seems to have taken the most damage over the years (I'm guessing the fellow that sold it to us was shooting the old Russian ammo and not cleaning the barrel very well if at all afterwards)

Good news is the cosmoline has already been taken care of

Thanks in advance guys

 

[Stan in SC]

Lots of oil in the barrel.Cleaning rod with a brush on the end.Put the cleaning rod in a cordless drill and run it up and down the bore for a minute or two.Run patches thru to clean out what you have loosened and repeat the process with the drill.

Stan in SC

 

[HHB Guns]

DuraCoat it! I can make it look brand new for $80. I can even fill any pitting in so it will be smooth.

 

[Clicker]

First thing to do is remove all traces of oil (I use brake cleaner) and then wash the barrel with hot soapy water. You must eliminate the salt residue in the barrel before you work on the rust, other wise the barrel will continue to rust. Yeah ask me how I know!

JB bore paste is a mild abrasive which scrubs away rust and crud pretty nicely. Remington also offers a liquid product with abrasives in it for nasty barrels.

 

[armedpig]

Yea, you got to get rid of the corrosive salts and residue first. Then work on getting the rust.

 

[buddyb]

Use Windex or other ammonia base cleaner to clean the bore first.Run a few patches wet with Kroil through it.Take a short piece(half inch) of rubber quarter inch fuel line and put it in the muzzle and put a screw in the fuel line large enough to seal the muzzle.Prop the rifle muzzle down and fill the bore with Kroil and let it soak for about 24 hours.Clean the bore with a brass brush.You may have to repeat the Kroil treatment a few times and even then the old bore may not be shiney,but that does not mean the the old rifle will not be plenty accurate.If you shoot surplus ammo,and you probably will,clean it soon as you can with ammonia based cleaner,the oil it.If you have a wife,do all this in your workshop because all of these wonderful cleaners have an aroma that females cannot stand.I am an old guy and all this is based on experience.

 

[44lover]

Having an M44 carbine as well, I did a stupid thing one new years eve. I shot some Bulgarian surplus, then put it in the safe. After a couple of months, I took it out to for a range trip, it did not go to the range because of all the rusty gunk. How I got rid of it? I used Break Free bore solvent let it soak for 45 mins, then repeated 2 more times. I used Hoppe's #9 solvent (alot of it), an a whole bag of patches. Just scrub, wipe with soaked patches, wipe dry then repeat. Until it came clean, then I took it to the range and fired 10 rds of 180gr Winchester ammo through it, got home cleaned it, no more rust in the bore. Sounds crazy but it worked for me. If shootin Milsurp ammo, you MUST! MUST! MUST! clean it before you put it back up.

Great rifle, accurate, and helluva lot of fun to shoot. One more thing, It's crazy loud, and a HUGE muzzle flash.

 

[lafayette gregory]

For now- clean the bore with bore solvent and a bore snake. Then follow with patches until clean. You may need to do a reverse osmosis cleaning. Search the gun boards for the electronic cleaning of bores. It is a bit involved. but if you work for a gun shop it may be an expence worth while for the owner. Use steel wool and olive oil for surface rust on the exterior. You can also use a straight edge for this task, but be very careful. Do not use a power wheel of any kind.
For later- After a range trip take the moisin out of the stock. Flush the barreled reciever with lots of running water. This will remove the sulfer rich corrosive powder from the barrel. In the summer it only takes a little time in the sun to dry in the winter a heat gun or hair dryer is necessary. then clean with bore solvent and oil as usual.

 

[BottleCapBandit]

Ok. So I decided on not getting the rusty barreled Nagant. But being that I still have to resell it I still need to clean it up as much as I can. I've oiled it, brushed it, wiped it, and repeated A LOT. haha I spent the first hour or so at work this morning going to town on this thing and it is defiantly coming along. At first you could not even see any sort of rifling but now it is pretty visible which make me hopeful. I didn't use any type of power tool and don't plan too just because it makes me nervous even though I've heard from a few people that its not a bad way to loosen up the rust. I'm thinking about picking up some sort of rust remover over the weekend and putting some more work into it Monday morning. Any suggestions on what to pick up? or what works best.
Thanks everyone for being so helpful.

 

[Clicker]

This is going to sound like I'm a smart ass but here goes..........................
what part of first flush/clean with hot soapy water didn't you understand?

Don't mess with any rust removal chemicals, clean (w/water) then oil the barrel as described numerous times in this thread already.

 

[D & R Gunsmithing]

Bore brush! Break free, Bore brush! break free, keep doing this over and over. Then run a patch through it, hot water and soap. Then start the process over again. I would be careful in using the bore brush attached to the drill motor. Be sure to change up the bore brush. Make sure to go in the same direction all the time. Hope this helps, clean up may take some time.