De-gunking a levergun

[Winchester92]

I just picked up a '92 Winchester (built in '02), 38-40, octogon barrel, beautiful patina. I tried cleaning it up, pulled out the magazine spring and follower, cleaned that out real good but the action is still kind of sticky.

Is it safe to use a product like "Gunscrub" on this? I'm told to take off the wood. But my concern is that nice brown patina. Would a product like Gunscrub ruin that nice brown color?

Does anyone out there have any experience with this stuff?

[Pisgah]

Gunscrubber-type products will definitely do a number on many wood finishes, especially old varnish or shellac, but the metal will not be affected. I'm helping a friend restore an old M92 .38-40 to shooting condition right now, and the first thing we did after removing the wood was blast out the innards with Gunscrubber. Unbelievable how much gunk came out, and equally unbelievable how much slicker the action ran after we were done.

[2ndovc]

Kerosene does a good job on gunk and doesn't hurt the finish on the stocks.

[John in MS]

Just be VERY careful when removing the stock, as the fine edges at the inletting around the tang, etc. are very easy to chip, particularly on these older rifles. I try not to remove wood from older Winchesters unless I absolutely have to, as it can lead to gaps in the inletting, no matter how careful you are, sometimes.

John

[Sixgun]

Winchester '92,
This is what I do with old Winchesters, Marlins, etc. that have never been cleaned and have built up oil, dirt and other junk from the last 100 years.

1.) take the wood off
2.) remove the mag tube (not necessary, but makes for a better job)
3.) Go outside and get yourself a 5 gal. bucket----spray or slop the living h**l out of it, inside and out with Hoppes #9, WD-40, or some other excellent solvent. set the barreled action in the bucket.
4.) wait about a half hour, spray some more but this time work it real good with a toothbrush and steel wool. Scrub inside and out like there's no tomorrow. slop it up again and set her in the bucket.
5.) Let it set for a half-full day. and toothbrush it again.
6.) Boil up some water in a tea kettle or something bigger. When the water is good and boiling, slowly pour it all over, in and out.
7.) Blow it out the best you can. I use compressed air.

That baby will be clean Get you wood and clean that up with mild soap or some other mild cleaner--dry it off and add your favorite furniture polish, stock oil or what I use, homemade French Polish. This is a mixture of turpentine and boiled linseed oil.

Give all the metal a light coating of your favorite gun oil. I use synthetic Ezox. Slap her all together and shoot that baby 'till the cows come home.

I just did the exact above description to a pre-war 30-30 carbine tonight. Took me about 5 hours. (I did not let it sit for a day, as the crud came out fairly easy.------------------Sixgun

[kimwcook]

I could see where Sixguns technique would end up with a very clean rifle. But, I'd be leary about the steel wool on your patina'd metal. You'll potentially take it down to bright metal.

[Sixgun]

I could see where Sixguns technique would end up with a very clean rifle. But, I'd be leary about the steel wool on your patina'd metal. You'll potentially take it down to bright metal.

Kimwcook, Your right! I should have mentioned to be easy with the steel wool and to be sure to use the solvent as a lubricant with the steel wool. Also, make sure its 4-0 steel wool----------Sixgun

[Griff]

I like bronzewool. Or even a 3M scrub pad can work. Just use something as a lubricant to keep the "stuff" you lift off the metal flowing out of the way.

[claybob86]

I've had good results using Break-Free CLP to clean up yucky ol' guns. I slather it on, wait a while, use non-steel brushes, toothpicks etc. to help loosen the hard stuff, repeat until satisfied. I prefer to not use degreasing type solvents for stuff like this.

[Jaguarundi]

After I cleanup a gun with a degreaser(I use canned choke & carb cleaner-cheaper than gun scrupper and works just as well)I restore metal lubrication.I make sure the metal is dry then I liberally coat the metal with RIG.Wrap in waxpaper and newspaper and store for 24 hours.Then I wipe off excess with old rags(clean old soft worn T-shirts work-lint free being nice)til "dry" of RIG.Clean and lube as norm.Same method is used after "Hot dip" Blueing.

[Jaguarundi]

When I attended PCC Gunsmithing school one of my classmates made extra money on the side by restoreing chicom surplus 03 springfields.After degreasing(in the parts cleaner with kerosene) about 6 barreled actions he would wash them in TIDE laundry detergent ! He would bring the stainless hot tank up to a Boiling Foaming TIDE rage for a half hour of part immersion.Afterwards he would boil in distilled water for 15 minutes to remove detergent!The hot dip blue as usual.

[Modoc ED]

Kerosene does a good job on gunk and doesn't hurt the finish on the stocks.

+1

[Charles]

If you know somebody who has a steam cleaner, like those used to clean auto engines you are in business. Remove the wood and use the steam cleaner. It will remove 100% of the gunk in short order. When done the metal will be clean and dry and you will need to relube to prevent galling and rust.

[scr83jp]

Winchester '92,
This is what I do with old Winchesters, Marlins, etc. that have never been cleaned and have built up oil, dirt and other junk from the last 100 years.

1.) take the wood off
2.) remove the mag tube (not necessary, but makes for a better job)
3.) Go outside and get yourself a 5 gal. bucket----spray or slop the living h**l out of it, inside and out with Hoppes #9, WD-40, or some other excellent solvent. set the barreled action in the bucket.
4.) wait about a half hour, spray some more but this time work it real good with a toothbrush and steel wool. Scrub inside and out like there's no tomorrow. slop it up again and set her in the bucket.
5.) Let it set for a half-full day. and toothbrush it again.
6.) Boil up some water in a tea kettle or something bigger. When the water is good and boiling, slowly pour it all over, in and out.
7.) Blow it out the best you can. I use compressed air.

That baby will be clean Get you wood and clean that up with mild soap or some other mild cleaner--dry it off and add your favorite furniture polish, stock oil or what I use, homemade French Polish. This is a mixture of turpentine and boiled linseed oil.

Give all the metal a light coating of your favorite gun oil. I use synthetic Ezox. Slap her all together and shoot that baby 'till the cows come home.

I just did the exact above description to a pre-war 30-30 carbine tonight. Took me about 5 hours. (I did not let it sit for a day, as the crud came out fairly easy.------------------Sixgun

Never put any oil on the outside of any weapon, it's only to be used very sparingly for internal lubrication, as it will damage the stock & or forend,something I learned from a master gunsmith and saw the damage oil did to a safari grade browning rifle stock I checked for a friend who bought it..FYI I only use Trewax on the exterior of my blue steel rifles,shotguns & handguns as it protects them from rust & blood.I use Old English Furniture polish on my walnut stocks to cover scratches then I give the stocks a coating of Trewax also.

[Charles]

I don't know what it takes to be a "Master Gunsmith" these days, but the advice to NEVER put oil on the outside of a gun is way off base.

Anytime you use so much oil inside or outside, you are asking for problems as the excess can run and soak into the wood, softening it at critical areas as well as just looking bad.

Just because a few idiots use to much oil is no reason to say.. NEVER.. us oil on the outside of a firearms.

I have been using a chamois square with various rust preventive oils on it to wipe guns down for 50 years with no damage to the wood or the firearms. I would never spray oil or run oil to the surface of a firearms. But a wipe down with a chamois with oil on it will do no harm.

Firearms can be damaged by excessive or careless cleaning, but that is no reason to say..NEVER clean a firearm.

Firearms can be damaged by being dropped, but that is no reason to say NEVER pick up a firearm.

Firearms can be damaged by excessive or careless oiling, but that is no reason to say..NEVER oil the outside of a firearm.

A careless or foolish person will find some way to damage his firearm, it is just their nature.