I finally found a K31, made in 1941, with a great walnut stock. Serial numbers match on the receiver, bolt, and magazine. It also has an apparently original sling.

It appears to be in very good shape, but does have some surface rust around the muzzle area and bayonet lug. What should I do about the rust? I've heard in the past about using very fine steel wool and oil to remove surface rust, but I've never personally done it.

Is it possible to remove surface rust without removing the bluing? If so, what do y'all recommend. Should I not worry about it, just keep it oiled to prevent further rusting?

I'm not overly concerned about the value, but I don't want to do something stupid. Mostly I just want to preserve it and have it look the best it can. I DON'T want to refinish it or do anything too much to alter the original condition.

Don't worry about the rust.
Shoot and enjoy its phenomenal accuracy.
Mine, with a 3-9x40 optic, delivers almost MOA accuracy using GP11.
Does it have a troop tag?

No troop tag, unfortunately.

best thing for rust is DRY 0000 steel wool. Lightly go over it and shake it out and replace often. Once removed, then use oil. Brass wool is even better.

Our K31 is one of the Son's favorites, which I reload for. Yes, the GP-11 ammo shoots very fine. The trigger is great for a mil-surp also.

Don’t use steel wool! It’ll smoke right through any bluing that is left. Use Stainless steel or cooper pads with oil.

Both can be obtained in most grocery stores with the cleaning supplies. I prefer the stainless ones myself.

Bronze/brass wool and Kroil.

I appreciate the replies. Not exactly a consensus, but it seems everybody is okay with brass? Should I just take off the rust as gently as possible and don't worry about the bluing? I guess wherever there is rust there's not really bluing left?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Bronze/brass wool and Kroil.

THIS!!! If there is any bluing left, this won't hurt it and will remove the rust.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Bronze/brass wool and Kroil.

THIS!!! If there is any bluing left, this won't hurt it and will remove the rust.

if you cannot find the wool,

brass or bronze bore brush, for a larger caliber like 45acp,
place it between 2 fingers, as in the tip and base,

wet the rust with oil,
run the brush back and forth across the rust,

wipe, and repeat until gone,

won't take but a few minutes,

I just cleaned up a pretty rusty Ithaca 37 with 0000 stainless steel wool, used dry. It did NOT burn through the bluing, rather it did an excellent job of removing the loose red stuff. A thorough spray of Remoil and buff w/ microfiber cloth left it looking much nicer than how it started and the bluing was unharmed (a light touch is needed, as with any abrasive)

What they do to restore museum pieces:
A) Deep rust can be removed using the edge of a spent BRASS cartridge case, oil the barrel and scrape away.
B) After heavy rust has been removed, a copper or brass pad can be used to remove remaining rust, again oil then scrub away.
Note: The copper pads are relatively easy to get at a grocery store, just make certain they are all copper NOT copper plated steel.
C) 0000 steel wool is then used to buff the bluing (again with oil).
After final cleaning a preservative wax may be applied.

Start with the least invasive method C (0000) and work your way up as needed (then back down again).

This could be done without using oil but one could run the risk of scratching existing bluing due to the iron oxide particulates.
Oil is very cheap insurance and tends to speed up the process.

FWIW: I have used this procedure on MANY firearms, none of which had initially rusted under my care (kudos to G96).
Although there are different methods of bluing, this method has never harmed any original bluing.
It actually tends to turn the rusted areas into a blue black (essentially rust bluing the areas).

This is NOT a method to be used on Parkerized firearms, however.

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions so far. I have ordered some fine bronze wool pads, and they should be here tomorrow. These are described as fine, but not extra fine, and no specifics are given.

Should I use this and finish up with some extra fine steel wool? I'd be happy with extra fine bronze or copper or brass wool if I could find it, but I don't see it anywhere.

The bronze wool should do the job, and rust removal is one of those things that should stop when finished. I would not follow up with steel wool.

Bronze wool is much gentler. Works great. Rubbing steel on steel isn't a great idea.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I would not follow up with steel wool.

This.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
The bronze wool should do the job, and rust removal is one of those things that should stop when finished. I would not follow up with steel wool.

Why?

Perhaps I should have added and emphasized using a light touch to buff the surface.

I can understand not doing this to a matte blue as it would tend to make it shinier but this is how one would typically restore the luster to the blued surface (i.e. oiled 0000 steel wool).
It also helps remove the slight discoloration that is often left behind from the use of copper or brass.
For light rust on a blued surface oiled 0000 is often all that is needed.

ONLY use 0000 steel wool as coarser grades can damage the finish.
This is also the reason NOT to use copper coated steel pads as they are too coarse.

This thread is useless without pix !!

Do not use steel wool, as others have said.
I use a copper brush or pad, and some Hoppes #9.

Once the rust is removed, I smear the area with some white Lithium grease.
That seems to keep the rust at bay.
Reapply the grease after each cleaning.

quote:

This thread is useless without pix !!

Fair enough.

This is an old Stevens 16 ga barrel that was heavily rusted inside and out (pic taken today).
I had used it to practice my technique for removing heavy rust with a spent brass cartridge case and copper pads as the barrel is junk.
This BTW is the original blued finish.


Same area after about 30~45 seconds of buffing the barrel with 0000 steel wool and Hoppes gun oil then wiping off the oil with a paper towel (pic taken today).


This is an old Sears .22 that had a fine layer of rust on the outside of the barrel.
About 15 years ago I removed the original finish and cold blued the barrel.
Fortunately, the steel was good, took the cold blue rather well and it has held up.
The final step in refinishing was buffing the barrel with oil and 0000 steel wool.
Prior to taking these photos (today) I wiped the barrel off with a paper towel.

Nice work Steve 22X.