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Thread: the best way to get rid of pitting on a project rifle

  1. #1
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    the best way to get rid of pitting on a project rifle

    What is the best method or products to get rid of pitting on the action of a rifle.
    Im trying to restore a 1965 webley Falcon for my son as an open sight plinker.
    I sanded the bluing off with 80 grit wet and dry nearly 4 hours of sanding and the whole
    Action looks leopard print it feels smooth in places but there are darker grey marks and a few small holes.
    I know a few on here have restored rusty pitted rifles.How did you solve the problem.I want to blue it so any advice would be brilliant.
    Atb
    David

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by valboskie View Post
    What is the best method or products to get rid of pitting on the action of a rifle.
    Im trying to restore a 1965 webley Falcon for my son as an open sight plinker.
    I sanded the bluing off with 80 grit wet and dry nearly 4 hours of sanding and the whole
    Action looks leopard print it feels smooth in places but there are darker grey marks and a few small holes.
    I know a few on here have restored rusty pitted rifles.How did you solve the problem.I want to blue it so any advice would be brilliant.
    Atb
    David
    If it is a cheap old plinker, some kind of hard paint done in several thin coats would smooth it out eventually.

    The other thing you could think about would be getting it plated with nickel or chrome. Colin Malloy at Manchester Air Guns can do this or you might be able to get a local plating firm to do it for less money. Just make sure they don't plate the bore or inside of the cylinder. I've never done this but a think enough layer of plated metal will cover up the problem.

  3. #3
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    I've had Mr Colin Malloy recue some almost 'scrappers' by his polishing techniques then re bluing.

    Contact Colin and see what he thinks.

    Cheers

    Steve ( ;-)>

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by valboskie View Post
    What is the best method or products to get rid of pitting on the action of a rifle.
    Im trying to restore a 1965 webley Falcon for my son as an open sight plinker.
    I sanded the bluing off with 80 grit wet and dry nearly 4 hours of sanding and the whole
    Action looks leopard print it feels smooth in places but there are darker grey marks and a few small holes.
    I know a few on here have restored rusty pitted rifles.How did you solve the problem.I want to blue it so any advice would be brilliant.
    Atb
    David
    80 grit sounds ever so coarse... are you using it with oil, or dry?

    I've always used oil, but its a long & messy job for sure.

    Maybe its time to try an area with 120 >> 240 >> then 400 grit. To see how it comes up?

    Always use a block on flat surfaces to keep the edges sharp.

    You're going to have to take all the pits out, as blue doesn't fill anything.

    Phil

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by valboskie View Post
    What is the best method or products to get rid of pitting on the action of a rifle.
    Im trying to restore a 1965 webley Falcon for my son as an open sight plinker.
    I sanded the bluing off with 80 grit wet and dry nearly 4 hours of sanding and the whole
    Action looks leopard print it feels smooth in places but there are darker grey marks and a few small holes.
    I know a few on here have restored rusty pitted rifles.How did you solve the problem.I want to blue it so any advice would be brilliant.
    Atb
    David
    I start with a fine file on pitted metal work, gently does it don't dig in to deep, file lightly & evenly around any circumference & then lenghtwise once you've got rid of any pitting switch to emery cloth in strips, start with 80grit & use it in a shoeshine fashion, then lengthways again, keep working in this way from 80 to 120 to 240, 360, 400 then finally 0000 steel wool with solvol autosol, I've used this method many times on old guns & it brings them up a treat, it usually takes about 5 hours per gun if it's pitted but serviceable, less if there's no pitting, once you've got it to a good finish( no sanding marks, nice gleaming s
    hine get it hot blued for a fraction of the normal price as all the hard work been done!
    Regards Graham oh & as been mentioned before, use a block with you emery on flat/square areas.

  6. #6
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    Thanks for all the great tips.
    I was going to either cold blue it or try rust bluing with brick and mortar cleaner. .
    I have a webley vulcan that is pitted as well to do next .
    Its been in a loft for 27 years.
    Both the vulcan and falcon have their open sights so they are for a bit of fun.
    I have ordered some birchwood casy blue & rust remover

    I will take some pictures to let you guys see what the pitting looks like
    Atb
    David

  7. #7
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    Cool, the BC blue/rust remover works really well... just don't get it on a good gun via your rubber gloves! (I did that once).

    And one time, I wasted BC spot remover on my dog - now he's gone...

  8. #8
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    As previous, basically you can't get pitting out, you just remove the surrounding metal until it is level with the bases of the pits!

    However... On a gun that has been blued properly, the pits become practically unnoticeable or at least very tolerable.
    **WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS

  9. #9
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    Seconded

    Quote Originally Posted by Papa g View Post
    I start with a fine file on pitted metal work, gently does it don't dig in to deep, file lightly & evenly around any circumference & then lenghtwise once you've got rid of any pitting switch to emery cloth in strips, start with 80grit & use it in a shoeshine fashion, then lengthways again, keep working in this way from 80 to 120 to 240, 360, 400 then finally 0000 steel wool with solvol autosol, I've used this method many times on old guns & it brings them up a treat, it usually takes about 5 hours per gun if it's pitted but serviceable, less if there's no pitting, once you've got it to a good finish( no sanding marks, nice gleaming s
    hine get it hot blued for a fraction of the normal price as all the hard work been done!
    Regards Graham oh & as been mentioned before, use a block with you emery on flat/square areas.


    I'll second this.

    I've done a couple of rifles and a pistol that have been badly pitted, you'll get no where fast by sanding.

    It feels wrong when you first use this method, but you'll be glad you did !!


    Regards

    Kevin
    JB S10 BBK .177, JB S10 Rifle .177, S10 Carbine .22, RWS 500 Plus Walnut .177, DS Air Ranger .22, DS Harrier .177, AA TDR (Reg'd) .177, AA S400 .177, HW77k Buttoned 25mm piston .177, HW45 .177, RWS Scimitar .22, CX4 Storm, QB 78, Milbro G10

  10. #10
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    Start by draw filing if its bad then through the grades of emery.

    You can plate heavily with copper then rub back prior to nickel or chrome plating which works like high build filler which is quicker if you like the shiny look.

    Either way its a bitch of a job and I've done more than a few

  11. #11
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    Is there a difference between emery paper and normal B&Q type papers if so what is it ?
    Remember, it is the strongest character that God gives the most challenges.

  12. #12
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    Thanks everyone for all the help
    Is this tbe type of files I need they are for sale on flebay item number
    221014078531
    Cheers
    David

  13. #13
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    If the pitting is not severe and you have the parts nicely cleaned, have a go at cold bluing. Maybe not as good or durable as a professional reblue... but pretty cheap. I have done this on old actions that a previous owner has painted grotty black; Cleaned parts down to 600 or 1200 grade paper then degreased etc and cold blued applied a few times as per instructions. I was surprised to see that after a few applications the odd pits I had seen were disappearing. Keep at it ... it should work. Preparation is the key to success.
    Cheers, Phil

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  15. #15
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    Cool Brown sauce and vinegar ( LOL)

    was given a tip by our local RFD as to the best way to remove old bluing was Brown sauce (any brand) and vinegar (I Laughted) but it worked as its still acid and was cheaper,as for the cleaner/degreaser the wifes nail polish remover and her face pads as wipes hardly cost ME anything tried it yesterday and it worked great but less brown sauce on the eggs in the future seen what it did to the actionI also have used valve grinding paste finish off with the fine you can still get the double ended tins today,I used to it recrown a barrel over the weekend turned out fine
    Last edited by davymole; 12-02-2014 at 12:16 PM. Reason: forgot the grinding paste
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