refinishing a 870 express?

[Bill DeShivs]

Gary- WD 40 contains mineral oil, the same mineral oil in 95% of the "gun oils." It doesn't "build up a film," any more than any oil.

[mehavey]

WD-40 -- if not wiped off/blown off -- effectively dries over time to become "varnish" spelled sideways
If repeatedly sprayed on to "loosen things up". . . if becomes more varnish.

Used correctly -- to displace moisture and then wiped off -- it's great.
Sprayed on and left ...... Bad JuJu.

Don't spray it into/onto anything you can't wipe off well -- like the guts of trigger groups.

[Bill DeShivs]

I have been using WD 40 for 50 years. It doesn't "gum up"or "varnish" any more than any other oil. I have a small squirt bottle that I put WD 40 in probably 10 years ago. What is left in the bottle is just light oil.
I use WD 40 on my bass strings, in my cutlery shop, on my guns, on my knives. I would think I would have known by now if it "varnishes."

[mehavey]

Well, then we have different end-results over those 50 years (I started using it
in 1970 when apprenticing to a gunsmith ...and we used it for everything.)

But I also found that articles left coated and dried..... sticky sticky sticky.

It's good for what what's intended. Just don't spray on and leave to dry.
Worse... don't spray on repeatedly to free up... and leave to dry again.

[Terrierman]

https://files.wd40.com/pdf/sds/mup/w...sds-us-ghs.pdf

When I went to USMC armorer school there was a gallon can used to refill pump spray bottles. We wiped off or blew out every lubricant used. The WD40 is nice and light and easy to blow out of assemblies that are hard to wipe down.

[jfruser]

WL wrote:

refinishing a 870 express?
My wife gave me a 20 gauge 870 express that had belonged to her uncle. It was kept in a soft case that drew moisture and the gun rusted. Is it worth it to refinish an Express? I don't know how much it would cost but this is a 200 to 300 dollar gun at best.

Most of the rust is on the barrel. There is one bad spot on the magazine tube. and the mag cap.

A Rem 870 Express is not a fancy gun, it is a tool. It will get the job done if maintained.

I see some different routes for getting a decent-looking shotgun at the end of the deal without spending more on the finish than the gun is worth.

First step for all routes is to clean up the rust.

CLEAN IT UP & STOP
Do as you have done, lightly steel wool (0000) or brass brush with penetrating oil to remove rust. Live with the blemishes and oil/wax it up for future use. Nothing wrong with a hunting gun/tool that has use wear on it.

PAINT IT
Camo, like has been suggested or a simpler scheme. I am not fond of camo on a gun, but that is a taste issue. That should protect the metal. Paint has been used as a finish going way back, it is legit. Maybe also paint the furniture.

The paint you use can be as mundane as Wal-mart rattle-can (glossy vs flat--your call), to spray-on epoxies up through spray & bake finishes.

Some ideas:
https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...x.htm?psize=96
Aluma-hyde, Gun Kote,

COLD-BLUE & SUCH
I have seen this done well. Not going to look heir-loom quality despite the best technique on a Rem Express, but should make it look better and give some protection.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...uing/index.htm
Oxpho Blue: https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-prod1072.aspx

HOME PARKERIZING
A bit more involved, but I have seen great results on handguns. A long gun bbl might be a bit hard to do, but it is not like you'd be ruining a valuable collector piece or heirloom. Do your homework if you go this route.







Do as you have already done

[Shadow9mm]

Originally Posted by 4V50 Gary

Surface rust.

Hit w/coconut oil and a nickel.

I don't use WD-40 on guns. Why? It leaves a film that can build up and attract dust. That same film if left unattended can also disable the firearm. Rem got sued by a fellow who practiced poor muzzle control and shot himself in his foot while climbing into the truck. Turns out that he used WD-40 to spray down his 700 after cleaning it. He never took the 700 to a smith for a thorough cleaning and inspection. The WD-40 built up a film that allowed the striker to slip and the gun to discharge.

No oil or cleaner ATTRACTS dust.... please stop perpetuating this myth. It can build up and get thick and turn to goo. Dust will get trapped by it but NOT attract it. WD-40 is fine to use on guns, especially during cleanup, provided you follow up with a cleaner then gun oil....

[Bill DeShivs]

Just clean the rust off and use the gun. The only damage is cosmetic.
Cold bluing offers no protection from rust.

[4V50 Gary]

Thanks for the lecture guys.

I know what Remington told me as well as what I was taught at gunsmithing school.

Do as you please.

[rc]

Being that the finish was pretty rough when new, I'd take off the wood which looks fine and after cleaning the rust degreas/prep the surface to take paint. I'd spray paint it or find a bake on finish. There are some polycoat epoxy type finishes that will look better than factory and protect the gun well.

[mehavey]

WD-40 "...for its water displacement capability"

I was struck in this [rather comprehensive] article that WD-40 was not apparently
found to be one of those products effective at water displacement.
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667
Did I miss/miss-read something?

[Bill DeShivs]

Probably.
I have been displacing water with WD 40 for 50 years.
I use it on extremely expensive knives after the ultrasonic cleaner, and on gun parts after plating them.

[Nodak1858]

I know it's moved on from the 870, but my vote on that is blast it and spray it with Gunkote. I've done a number of hand guns and long guns with it and if it's done right is tough stuff. As far as WD40, on center fire guns it seems like the kiss of death, but BP guns it seems to be the right thing to hose off a wet gun after you clean it in the sink. I bought my first cap and ball revolver in 94. I have been using WD40 after I wash in the sink to displace water in it and have had zero issues with gumming up, taking off bluing or anything. After I hose it down with WD40 i shake off, or blow off the excess and oil/clean as I would a center fire handgun. I have not had any rust or problems doing this for any of my guns.

[mehavey]

Houston, we have a problem....



That's (admittedly old) WD-40 floating on TOP of food-colored water.
Displacing the water, it ain't.



But I'll go get a new can and retry the (rather basic) experiment/

[mehavey]

Uh oh.....

[Bill DeShivs]

That's not how "water displacing" works.
For that theory to work, oil would have to be heavier than water.

[mehavey]

Unfortunately, oil has to get underneath the water if it's going to displace it.
Two inches or 2 molecules, it still has to get underneath it.

Some chemist here please explain the process.

[Bill DeShivs]

I can put a complete pistol in my ultrasonic cleaner (or in the sink!) then shake it out/blot it off and spray thoroughly with WD 40.

Guess what? No rust! Inside or out!

Seems like the water was displaced.

[langenc]

So the best way to prevent in the future is:

1. never store in a case, esp soft case. Did I say NEVER.

2. Every time you handle(or anyone else) wipe the outside metallic parts w/ good coat of RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease). Be esp sure to wipe off fingerprints, every time. If the gun(s) havent been used do it every 6 months
just for the fun of it.

No more rust.
Better to store in the corner of the closet than in a case, rust wise. Some will disagree, I understand.

WD 40 on a gun?? Why??

[FITASC]

Here is an extensive study on corrosion protection from 46 different products:
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Judge for yourselves

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by Mehavey

Unfortunately, oil has to get underneath the water if it's going to displace it.
Two inches or 2 molecules, it still has to get underneath it.

You are testing the wrong displacement mechanism. So is FITASC's linked article's author. One mechanism involves displacing water from a puddle or container, while another displaces water from a metal surface. The puddle displacement can be done by any liquid denser than water because you are testing which liquid is more strongly pulled down by gravity. The other mechanism is displacing water from the surface of a piece of steel, where you are testing which liquid enjoys greater molecular attraction to the steel.

The latter mechanism is what is useful to a gun owner; not whether it floats or sinks in water. The way to test for water displacing of the latter sort is as follows:

Take a tuft of fine steel wool and soak it in a solvent until all the protective oil is gone from its surface. Let it dry. Tie a string around it so it may be suspended from a stick laid across the lip of your martini glass. Tie it to such a stick. Fill one glass with water and suspend the tuft in it until it soaks up the water. Fill another glass with the water displacing candidate. Move the water-soaked tuft (you can shake excess water off on the way over) to suspend it in the glass with the water displacing candidate and then wait a day. If the water comes out and settles in beads on the bottom of the glass, it has been displaced from the steel wool.

That latter type is the kind of displacing action the gun owner needs. Once it has been accomplished on something, I usually wash off the displacing oil with a rust-inhibiting oil like LPS-2 or apply Boeshield T9 or RIG to the surface for rust resistance, assuming that’s needed, or a 100% synthetic gun oil if I don't need rust resistance. I am, alas, another person who has seen WD-40 get tacky and found dust sticking to it after something coated with is has sat out for a year or two.

From the WD-40 web site's FAQ:

"Use WD-40 Specialist Dirt & Dust Resistant Dry Lube PTFE Spray when you need a lubricant that will keep things clean; its non-sticky formula won't attract dust or leave oily residue."

I assume the fact they identified the need for such a product means they've noticed what I described can happen.

[mehavey]

Take a tuft of fine steel wool and soak it in a solvent until all the protective oil is gone from its surface. Let it dry.
Tie a string around it so it may be suspended from a stick laid across the lip of your martini glass. Tie it to such a stick.
Fill one glass with water and suspend the tuft in it until it soaks up the water.

Fill another glass with the water displacing candidate. Move the water-soaked tuft (you can shake excess
water off on the way over) to suspend it in the glass with the water displacing candidate and then wait a day.
If the water comes out and settles in beads on the bottom of the glass, it has been displaced from the steel wool.

You had me from the word Martini.
Gotta try it.

[Bill DeShivs]

"Oily residue" is exactly what prevents rust.