Let’s Restore a Shotgun

[CentralTXHunter]

So my Nana passed away back in October. We’ve been methodically cleaning out her house in Big Spring the past several months. Big Spring is 5 hours away for my sister, mom, and myself so the process has been slow. While cleaning out her garage back in December I found a Iver Johnson Champion single shot 16 gauge. It was in a storage cabinet behind a bunch of junk and laying next to a Winchester Model 67 .22 Short. They might not have moved in 40 years. Serial “number” is BHBB. There aren’t accurate records for these guns but that dates it to between 1939 and 1957 and most likely was my great grandfathers. They’re not worth much money at all, but I have decided to restore them so that we can pass them down and use them. I’ve never done this before, but let’s see how it goes. I’d love to knock down a few dove in September with this thing.

It was in pretty rough shape. This is what I’m starting with.








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[diamond10x]

That’ll be fun! It doesn’t seem to be in too bad of shape by the pics.

[Walker]

Doesn't look too bad. Sounds like a worthy project.

[CentralTXHunter]

I was able to get the action open (it was pretty froze up) and get it disassembled.



I then ran all the metal parts through a couple of cycles of my Sonic cleaner.



Pieces came out much cleaner as expected.



Tomorrow my plan is to take some 0000 steel wool and oil to these metal parts to remove a lot of surface rust that is still present. Then we’ll strip the finish off the wood back down to bare wood, stain it, and then give it a good coat of linseed oil. Hopefully I’ll have a functioning, restored shotgun by Sunday. I’ll update along the way as I complete steps the rest of this week.


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[bowtecmike]

In! Love these threads


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[fish4food]

Great progress! Cleaned up real nice!

[SmTx]

Oh man, please just clean it and not "restore it!!!"

[QuackHunter]

How hot does your sonic cleaner get? Consider boiling or steaming the parts and then using steel wool to remove the rust it brings out. Works great


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[Louis]

Great lookin old gun. I have one in 12 GA with 30 in full choke. Has ivory beads for sights. Has over johnson gun and bicycle works stamped on it. As stated by SmTx just clean it and don't restore it.

[Big Lee]

What a cool find!! I have a weird addiction to old Single shot shotguns. No idea why.

[CentralTXHunter]

Oh man, please just clean it and not "restore it!!!"

I understand this sentiment. If it was in great condition, it’s maybe a $200 shotgun. I’m removing the rust from the metal parts to preserve it, but have no intention of destroying the patina. As far as the stock, it didn’t show in pictures, but there’s multiple colors of paint on the stock. I’m going to strip it to bare wood and stain. I’m not going to sand the nicks or imperfections out of it. I want it to keep the character, but look like it had been cared for the last half century.


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[CentralTXHunter]

How hot does your sonic cleaner get? Consider boiling or steaming the parts and then using steel wool to remove the rust it brings out. Works great


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I ran the sonic cleaner without heat at the suggestion of my local gunsmith buddy. The dry west Texas weather is the reason this gun isn’t crumbling apart.


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[TxHamJello]

In for progress and finished product! Fun project!

[TacticalCowboy]

Looks good!

[Walker]

Be gentle with the steel wool on that case hardened receiver