The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old June 24, 2013, 08:31 PM   #1
Sigop
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 18, 2013
Location: Va. Beach
Posts: 8
Rust and Rifling Colt 1911 (1942)

I have what I consider a beautiful original issue Colt 1911 from 1942. It was issued to my father-in-law who is now gone so I cannot get information from him. I know he was an Army CB in the Pacific and carried this weapon all those years. He retired full bird and was in reserves for a full career, including the summer camps and teaching.

Questions:
One picture shows the slide and some rust. Is there any way to retain the original finish but buff or polish those rust dings out? Do not wish to send it in for a re-do. Some might say it adds character, and I might agree.

Second picture, since I do not know how much he shot it, is it possible to shoot down some of the rifling such that the barrel does not do its full job on bullet spin? The rifling looks a little thin to me.

It's a range gun only and I put probably 50 rounds every few months through this gun and love knowing it did it's duty during the war. I want to keep it original (original springs and magazines btw) and just want to bring it back as best as possible.

I would appreciate any advice. Thank you for your time on this.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_2192.jpg (244.7 KB, 179 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_2193.jpg (303.2 KB, 164 views)
Sigop is offline  
Old June 24, 2013, 09:53 PM   #2
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,486
There is enough good finish remaining that I would not use tough methods on the rust spots. Oil and a coarse cloth would be a good start.
I have heard of non-abrasive cleaners like transmission fluid, but have not tried them.
Do NOT apply any chemical rust remover, it will remove blue immediately.

The barrel is fine.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old June 24, 2013, 10:22 PM   #3
DennRN
Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2013
Posts: 96
That good sir is a fine pistol and family heirloom.
Just my opinion but I would do what I could to halt the corrosion by keeping it lightly oiled but would leave the pistol 100% as-is.
DennRN is offline  
Old June 24, 2013, 11:04 PM   #4
JWT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 16, 2007
Location: Southern Arizona
Posts: 3,888
Keep it lightly oiled and leave it as it is.
JWT is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 12:33 AM   #5
Eight_is_enough
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 17, 2013
Posts: 168
I agree. I have used Corrosion Block on my firearms, and others, that have this problem, and been as pleased with the result as with anything else.

http://www.nocorrosion.com/corrosion-control.htm
Eight_is_enough is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 11:46 AM   #6
vba
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 26, 2008
Posts: 357
That barrel looks damn near perfect as far as I can tell. Agree with others don't do anything to the gun just keep it oiled and your good.
vba is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 12:27 PM   #7
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
The barrel looks fine. The ammunition issued during WWII had corrosive primers and it looks like someone might have skipped a cleaning, but the rifling is normal and the gun should shoot OK.

Jim
James K is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 03:27 PM   #8
1911Tuner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 17, 2004
Location: NC Piedmont/Foothills
Posts: 665
re:

Looks fine. The rifling in a new .45 Auto barrel ain't all that deep to start with.

I'd rub the slide with an oily cloth and let it be.
__________________
If your front porch collapses and kills more than three dogs...You just might be a redneck
1911Tuner is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 04:22 PM   #9
polyphemus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 24, 2012
Posts: 1,055
Quote:
It's a range gun only
It is a war relic,please get something else to shoot with.
polyphemus is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 09:06 PM   #10
Sigop
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 18, 2013
Location: Va. Beach
Posts: 8
Thank you

Thanks all for taking your time to respond. I shall keep her cleaned and oiled.

Polyphemus: Heavy bulk of my shooting is 9mm P226, when I can afford the ammo.

Thanks all.
Sigop is offline  
Old June 25, 2013, 10:10 PM   #11
alex0535
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 4, 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 908
Rifling looks fine to me. If the bullets are making nice round holes in targets the bullets are spinning when they leave the barrel. If you are getting holes where it looks like the bullets are hitting sideways and making what is called a "keyhole" the bullets are not getting enough spin and tumbling on the way to the target.

I would make sure to put a light coat of oil on the outside surfaces before putting it up between uses.

With care she will last many more decades.
alex0535 is offline  
Old June 26, 2013, 10:59 AM   #12
Urban_Redneck
Member
 
Join Date: June 23, 2013
Posts: 73
You can suspend the slide in boiling water for 10-15 minutes to convert the active rust (ferrous oxide) to stable blue/black (ferric oxide). Rub it down with oil and rock on

As has been said, the barrel looks fine.

YMMV
Urban_Redneck is offline  
Old June 27, 2013, 07:37 AM   #13
vba
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 26, 2008
Posts: 357
Urban Redneck, thanks for the info with regard to boiling water. I may just try this
vba is offline  
Old June 27, 2013, 09:18 PM   #14
Sigop
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 18, 2013
Location: Va. Beach
Posts: 8
Thanks, Again

You all are great. Thanks for the ideas.
Sigop is offline  
Old June 28, 2013, 01:22 AM   #15
ChaperallCat
Junior member
 
Join Date: June 14, 2013
Posts: 81
if you want to do something on the slide rust, get some 100% cotton diapers and a bottle of hoppes 9.
ChaperallCat is offline  
Old June 28, 2013, 05:08 AM   #16
thedudeabides
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
Clearly your gun is in terrible shape, let me have it

...you have yourself a near perfect 1911.

If you actually plan on shooting it, tho, it will need new springs at some point.
thedudeabides is offline  
Old June 28, 2013, 06:33 AM   #17
Kreyzhorse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,463
Clean it and oil it. It actually looks like it is in very good shape so I would not do any thing else to it.


Keep it lightly oiled and by all means put a few down range.
__________________
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

Last edited by Kreyzhorse; June 29, 2013 at 08:10 AM.
Kreyzhorse is offline  
Old June 28, 2013, 09:08 PM   #18
DennRN
Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2013
Posts: 96
Don't boil your gun!
Research first.
I still think you should leave it as is, but if you MUST, just use a weak solution of phosphoric acid (available at a lot of hardware stores). what it does is converts the rust into an inert black coating. I used this every other day when I was fixing steel boats in some of the worst salt water and constantly rainy environments on the planet. Just glove up, dab it on with a qtip, wait for the color change, wipe it down several times with a few clean damp cloths.
Still in my opinion, absolutely not needed.
DennRN is offline  
Reply

Tags
1911 , colt , refinish , rifling , rust

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09554 seconds with 11 queries