Air rifle restoration

[CarlKLu5]

Hi

I'm new to the forum but have been using air rifles for hobby shooting for years, now my youngest son has decided he wants to join me, I think this is great however for obvious reasons I am reluctant to allow him to use my Airarms 510, I do have my junior rifle that was given to me the best part of 35 years ago which I have started to get back into a good useable state more out of sentimentality than anything else however I do I like the idea that he will be the third generation to use the little Malbro model 25 that both my dad and I both learned to shoot with.

Over the years the rifle hasn't been stored with as much care as it should have, there is some surface rust in various places and the stock has suffered from my cousin giving it an awful black paint job, I have hand sanded the stock back to a reasonable finish and plan to wax it when I get time unless someone can recommend me a better finish for it, it is more the surface rust that bothers me, there is some on the cocking lever and trigger guard and some small patches on the barrel, I am not concerned about the bore as this has a brass insert and after a clean appears perfect still.

So this leads me to my question, I've been using wire wool to remove the worst of the surface rust but what should I do to remove the heavier patches on the lever and trigger guard I would like to know if attempting to reblue the components be a good idea or just a wipe over with some wd40 on a rag be a better plan or is there an alternative that I should do.

Thanks for your time

[angrybear]

To me an old rifle can be allowed to wear it's patina of history with a bit of pride, wire wool/wire brush anything loose & wipe it over with an oily rag, is fine.
If lots of the surface is through to the silver of the metal, cold blue can look OK as a finish without trying to hide the age too much.

But mostly it's personal taste, I'd take a stock sprayed olive drab over one waxed & polished any day, nothing on a gun should ever shine but others will disagree.

[Mark Palmer]

Depends on how far you want to go, use one of the proprietary stock oils, or danish oil on the woodwork, you may wish to stain it first, straight wax isnt very durable as a finish on it's own.
For the metal work, if 0000 wire wool and gun oil dont do the trick, then you could go various routes, have a look on youtube for cold blueing, alternately go for a pro job and have it polished and reblacked , it's not cheap mind!

[CarlKLu5]

Thanks for the replies, my wanting to deal with the rust is more to stop any further degradation rather than a desire for it to be pretty,

I will give it s go with the wire wool a bit more and then a wipe over, the stock will get a coat of danish oil and a wipe

too many good memories for me with this gun and hopefully it will last another 50 years.

[TonyL]

Welcome to the forum.

As per the other replies, for the metal, I would just stick with the fine grade wire wool and gun oil. To protect the finish thereafter, just a wipe over with a drop of that oil with a cloth after each use will do the job.

I hope using that little Milbro will create many special father and son moments and start your young chap on a long, safe and enjoyable shooting journey.

[rapidresponse1]

welcome to the forum mate