BEst way to clean a rusty musket?

[JustinPrince]

Hi all,

Bought a used Armi Sport 1842 SPringfield and it's in good condition, just the barrel was pretty rusty. I backed the nipple out (which was almost rusted in place), and got all of the rust out of the bolster and replaced the nipple with a spare one for my EuroArms 1861 Springfield. I then proceeded to scrub the holy bejesus out of the barrel, soak it in fairly hot water, scrub again, and run a ton of patches soaked in bore butter, Hoppes Oil, Ballistol, and even Hoppes Black Powder Solvent. I've gotten a lot of rust out, as well as with the bore scrapper getting some of the harder buildups of rust out. The bore is still fairly dark, with some blemishes still on the metal. The bore still feels smooth, so I don't think it is pitted, and none of the patches I've run become ripped.

Can I get it any cleaner? How? Or is it going to be more of the same, just scrub and scrub and scrub some more?

Also there are some black spots on the outside of the barrel, lock, and metal furniture. Is there any good way to polish these out? I don't necessarily want the musket to look immaculate, but I'd like to get it looking as good as my (near spotless) '61 Springfield.

[31stWisconsin]

you'll need fine emery paper and oil olive for the outside. Also if you mix the oil with rottenstone you will a better abrasive.

For the inside of the barrel, consider getting a .69 caliber bronze brush.

Also I am not sure if it is safe to put an Euroarms cone in a armisport bolster.

[rebelyell62]

Armi-Sport cones are threaded 8mmx1 Euro guns are 5/16"x20.
While a euro may "fit" it is not the same thread cut.
IMHO I would advise against using a euro cone.
Wendell

[JustinPrince]

THanks for the advice.

I have a brass (I think) bore brush I had been using on the inside of barrel, that's what got most of the rust. Thanks for the tip on the emery paper, I'll give it a shot.

As to the cone, I thought all Armi Sport muskets and the EOA 1861 Springfields took 8X1mm nipples? Those are the kind I had for my EOA Springfields. According to Fall Creek Sutlery and the Civil War Reenactor's Blackpowder manual the EOA Springfield and the Armi 1842 use the same nipple thread.

Oh well, I got the original Armi Sport nipple pretty cleaned up, I'll just order another.

[54thovi]

A friend in the NSSA told me when I bought a used 1861 with a rusty barrell to use a mixture of Hydrogen Peroxide and Murphies Oil Soap. Let it sit for a while and scrub. I used a 20 shotgun brush. For .69 maybe a 12 gauge. Unfortunately though it is going to need a lot of elbow grease. It will clean up though...

John Feagin

[GrumpyDave]

Birchwood Casey Rust and bluing remover will fix that problem in a jiffy. Just don't get it on anything you don't want cleaned up. It'll take the finish right off the stock.

[JustinPrince]

Thanks for all of the tips guys. Unfortunately I'm stuck doing school work (isn't college fun?) so it will be next weekend before I can get on it again, but I appreciate all of the tips. I can't wait now, I want this baby looking brand new.

Which brings me to the other problem. Apparently, USPS decided Fragile is some city in Italy and not English for "Don't Break". When I got the musket, there was a shallow crack behind the lock. I've taken the regular image from the Armi sport and outlined approximately where it is. It isn't very deep, is about 1in-2in long horizontally from the lock mortisse, then curves down and tapers in with the stock. It almost looks like the wood has been gouged and a small chunk might eventually break off, but the overall integrity of the stock seems uncompromised. It is still sound, and the barrel and lock screw in tight as a drum.

How would be the best way to fix this? The lower part (beneath the crack) seems slightly pushed out, almost where if I got some would glue in there and clamped it down, it would be fine.

You guys have solved one problem, any chance we can go two for two?

Also an oddity, the front band spring was defective and wouldn't engage the barrel band. I had to file off a bit from the band spring between the "button" (or whatever it is called that goes into the hole in the band spring) and the part you push on the spring. Now it is fine. Also, despite being longer, this musket seems lighter than my EOA/James River Defarb 1861 Springfield.

[rebel yell]

A friend in the NSSA told me when I bought a used 1861 with a rusty barrell to use a mixture of Hydrogen Peroxide and Murphies Oil Soap. Let it sit for a while and scrub. I used a 20 shotgun brush. For .69 maybe a 12 gauge. Unfortunately though it is going to need a lot of elbow grease. It will clean up though...

John Feagin

I use Hydrogen Peroxide and Murphies Oil Soap and alcohol, that concoction works well for me, and a lot of elbow grease!:rolleyes:

[wagen dawg]

I just finished using Lime Away to get the outside and inside cleaner than they have ever been. It worked very well and saved a lot of time. I finished it up with a good scrubbing using 3N1 oil and OOO steel wool. It looks like it did when it was new, but that was so long ago I can barely remember it.

[HighPrvt]

Birchwood Casey Rust and bluing remover will fix that problem in a jiffy. Just don't get it on anything you don't want cleaned up. It'll take the finish right off the stock.

Ditto, works like a charm. I cleaned up a bunch of old WW-2 rifles with that stuff.

[CivilWarBuff1863]

You might want to get a clear resin in there with a hardener to fill in the crack. Sand it smooth and retouch it, this might help a little. I think new stocks cost $100 the last time I checked which reminds me mines pretty beat up and I'm gonna get a new stock soon.