Preservation of an original Springfield rifle

[TFoley]

from your recent Civil War period.

An acquaintance of mine has recently acquired a grail Springfield rifle from the early 1860s, and wants to know how to keep it looking as good as it now is - he states that it is in exemplary condition for its age.

He's currently thinking if using Ballistol inside, but he's not sure what to use on the stock, and is of the opinion that there is surely something better than linseed oil in 2023.

Your advice is sought, as he is ascathe of my use of BLO on the wood of my even older rifles.

TIA

 

[64Springer]

Grease and oil inside the lock.

Ballistol on all metal parts and Ballistol inside the bore. Drowning is not required.

If it really is exemplary, it shouldn't need too much stock attention.

Plain BLO and nothing more. Plain BLO will not remove the patina that has accumulated on the wood for 160 years.

Any type of solvent will strip away the patina and devalue the piece. This is painfully difficult for some folks. Cuzz they want their 160 year old guns to look brand new. They want the grain to be seen. Resist that urge.

My 95% '64 Springer stock has several decades of nicotine covering the stock. It remains there because it's a part of that guns history. The bore is as bright and the rifling is as sharp as the day she came off the assembly line. And only gets a very light application of Ballistol.

.02

PS: If the stock has been sanded then your friend can do what he wants with it. The above advice is for a stock that Bubba never sanded on.

 

[wiscoaster]

....

Plain BLO and nothing more. ....

Ditto that recco for the stock. Though, you might do some initial cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap and hot water lightly applied with a Scotchbrite pad, then rinsed and dried. This will help remove the crud and excess oil without damaging the finish or altering the "patina". Follow with multiple well-rubbed-in applications of BLO to restore it and protect it and restore its natural sheen. I would have to disagree with your friend's aversion to BLO, and I've got two dozen milsurps that I've cleaned up and refreshed with BLO and my methods, and they look both original and beautiful. BLO will in no way harm or devalue this rifle, just "restore" it to a state where it's "as-was" when it was in service, which I think is the end result you want, but cleaner, and this process also protects it for its future in the way it was originally meant to be protected.

 

[64Springer]

With respect, I wouldn't use a Scotch bright pad.

If it's too course, it will act like sandpaper.

I do like your Murphy's Oil Soap idea if done mildly and gently with a cloth.

 

[wiscoaster]

With respect, I wouldn't use a Scotch bright pad.

If it's too course, it will act like sandpaper.

.....

Only the "blue" Scotchbrite. That wouldn't harm your grandmother's skin, if done with a light touch.

 

[TFoley]

Many thanks to all,

 

[satwel]

The knowledgeable folks over on the CW forum deal with this question all the time. They sing the praises of a product called Kramer's Best antique improver for both the wooden stock and metal parts of antique arms. According to them, it will clean and preserve the extant patina without doing permanent harm to the weapon.

https://www.kramerize.com/using_on_wood.htm
I have no experience with Kramer's, but I do with BLO. I'd use Ballistol or try the Kramer's before I'd use BLO on a stock again.

 

[smoothshooter]

from your recent Civil War period.

An acquaintance of mine has recently acquired a grail Springfield rifle from the early 1860s, and wants to know how to keep it looking as good as it now is - he states that it is in exemplary condition for its age.

He's currently thinking if using Ballistol inside, but he's not sure what to use on the stock, and is of the opinion that there is surely something better than linseed oil in 2023.

Your advice is sought, as he is ascathe of my use of BLO on the wood of my even older rifles.

TIA

from your recent Civil War period.

An acquaintance of mine has recently acquired a grail Springfield rifle from the early 1860s, and wants to know how to keep it looking as good as it now is - he states that it is in exemplary condition for its age.

He's currently thinking if using Ballistol inside, but he's not sure what to use on the stock, and is of the opinion that there is surely something better than linseed oil in 2023.

Your advice is sought, as he is ascathe of my use of BLO on the wood of my even older rifles.

TIA

Renaissance Wax is what a lot of museums use for preservation of anything steel, iron, wood, and leather.
Do your research and you will see what I mean.
Remember, use it sparingly. A little goes a long way.

 

[bpd303]

Renaissance Wax is what a lot of museums use for preservation of anything steel, iron, wood, and leather.
Do your research and you will see what I mean.
Remember, use it sparingly. A little goes a long way.

Jim Supica former director of the NRA Firearms Museum, advised me to use Renaissance wax when we were going through the Saunders Museum which contains many antique and irreplaceable firearms.
https://berryvillear.gov/about-berryville/saunders-museum/