My 2016 War Horse Project

[Shemp]

I've had this gun for nearly a year with the intentions on refinishing it...but clearly haven't yet. I'm going to make it a priority for 2016...

Anyway it is very much a barn find rifle. It's a M1917 Eddystone. The wood is in overall great shape with only one bit of real damage to it which I have pictured below. Looks are a bit deceiving with this gun...it is rusty on the outside but it doesn't seem to be that bad. I think the metal will clean up nicely.

This gun has possibly served in both world wars. I'm fairly certain it was pressed into service,though maybe not combat, in ww2 due to it having arsenal markings and a newer High Standard barrel on it. The gun seems to have been put in the corner of the barn where it was found with some forethought as the barrel and action are packed with grease....I cleaned a bit of the bore and it looks fantastic...the bullet test speaks for itself.

The action works fine and the trigger does what it's supposed to. It even has an issue cleaning kit in the buttstock.

I done really know where to start with the restoration...has anyone here attempting to bring a gun in this shape back? The barrel and action are all in great shape and I'd hate to let it continue to rot..

@Balthaz

 

[Shemp]

 

[Shemp]

 

[Shemp]

 

[freedom]

Looks like a project. EBay is a good source for milsurp parts, if you find some individual pieces you can't bring back.

 

[Willy Leadwell]

I did an old Stevens single shot 12 ga that belonged to my wife's step-dad. It was in about the same shape as yours. Obviously mine isn't worth anything nor does it have any sentimental value. I just wanted to get some experience refinishing & blueing before I tried it on anything I value.

I used a brass wire wheel on my bench grinder to de-rust the barrel. Then I just youtubed some birchwood casey super blue videos and went after it. I was absolutely amazed that it came so awesome. It really wasn't hard. I used Gunkote on the receiver which I baked in the toaster oven in the garage and then just sanded and oiled the wood. It looks amazing. It's really too bad it's a $100 gun that I'll probably never shoot.

 

[Shemp]

I need to do some research and see if blind or parkerization is appropriate for this gun...I want to sand blast it and get it re blued....

 

[Laufen]

I need to do some research and see if blind or parkerization is appropriate for this gun...I want to sand blast it and get it re blued....

Yeah, that rifle would look great hot blued if there isn't too much deep pitting.

 

[Hayata]

Keep us posted with pics!

 

[dial1911]

That's going to be a great project. I love this kind of thing-

 

[Shemp]

Well this rifle just got cooler. That cartouche on the left hand side of the stock is OGEK in a box....which means that my rifle passed under the inspection of none other than Elmer Keith during his time at the Ogden Utah arsenal!

 

[Laufen]

Well this rifle just got cooler. That cartouche on the left hand side of the stock is OGEK in a box....which means that my rifle passed under the inspection of none other than Elmer Keith during his time at the Ogden Utah arsenal!

Wtf? Seriously?

That's the sign I've been looking for. I asked for a sign from the universe that I needed to buy a 44 mag. lol

 

[Shemp]

Wtf? Seriously?

That's the sign I've been looking for. I asked for a sign from the universe that I needed to buy a 44 mag. lol

80 years in the making....

 

[Dinky Dau]

Looking forward to the Resurrection!

 

[Wallace]

I did an old Stevens single shot 12 ga that belonged to my wife's step-dad. It was in about the same shape as yours. Obviously mine isn't worth anything nor does it have any sentimental value. I just wanted to get some experience refinishing & blueing before I tried it on anything I value.

I used a brass wire wheel on my bench grinder to de-rust the barrel. Then I just youtubed some birchwood casey super blue videos and went after it. I was absolutely amazed that it came so awesome. It really wasn't hard. I used Gunkote on the receiver which I baked in the toaster oven in the garage and then just sanded and oiled the wood. It looks amazing. It's really too bad it's a $100 gun that I'll probably never shoot.

Pics of what you did? I have an old 20g bolt gun I was thinking of doing something similar with.

 

[Willy Leadwell]

Pics of what you did? I have an old 20g bolt gun I was thinking of doing something similar with.

I never took before pictures. I didn't even think about it at the time. This was solely for the purposes of trying stuff on a POS before I did it on any of my good guns. I tried to take some pics that showed how pitted the metal was. I went straight from wire wheel to blue. I didn't bother to sand pits out, I know I can sand pits out of steel and didn't feel like putting that kind of time into this.

The color of the blueing is a little lighter and more grayish/blue than a real hot blue job, but it's clean and consistent. If I valued a gun and it's originality, I would probably send it out to be hot blued. I should have probably kept rubbing and blueing a few more times than I did.

With the exception of a few spots, the pitting was so consistent over the entire barrel that it almost looks like it was media blasted and gives the blue a more satin finish.





I originally stated that I oiled the wood, but I was mistaken. That was a different project. This one got stained and urethaned.

 

[Wallace]

I never took before pictures. I didn't even think about it at the time. This was solely for the purposes of trying stuff on a POS before I did it on any of my good guns. I tried to take some pics that showed how pitted the metal was. I went straight from wire wheel to blue. I didn't bother to sand pits out, I know I can sand pits out of steel and didn't feel like putting that kind of time into this.

The color of the blueing is a little lighter and more grayish/blue than a real hot blue job, but it's clean and consistent. If I valued a gun and it's originality, I would probably send it out to be hot blued. I should have probably kept rubbing and blueing a few more times than I did.

With the exception of a few spots, the pitting was so consistent over the entire barrel that it almost looks like it was media blasted and gives the blue a more satin finish.

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I originally stated that I oiled the wood, but I was mistaken. That was a different project. This one got stained and urethaned.

Wow, looks pretty darn good. Mine isnt pitted, just some surface rust and bluing worn away. I may give it a go seeing your results!

 

[Willy Leadwell]

Wow, looks pretty darn good. Mine isnt pitted, just some surface rust and bluing worn away. I may give it a go seeing your results!

The blueing takes patience. The good thing is, if it doesn't come out right, you wasted some time and $7. That's about it. You can't hurt it.

 

[Willy Leadwell]

Another thing is, the liquid blue takes time to work. So when you're doing it, it really starts to look like shit and you think you've screwed up. Just keep repeating and follow the instructions to the letter and it will come out fine. Even after I was done, some slightly uneven spots continued to even out. I just kept rubbing it down with oil every day. It probably took a week or so before it was all one consistent color.

 

[Waterguy]

My dad has one of those in a sporter stock. Getting a scope put on was a pain in the rear. The gun does shoot well for an old military rifle though. You will have a nice rifle when you get done.