Whats the best way to take rust off M1 Garand?

Capt'n Mil Coll · 03-26-2008, 07:45 PM

I just bought an M1 Garand for $100.00 and I would like to know what would be the best way to remove the rust from it without taking all the parkerizing off of it?
Ill post some pics if anyone is interested.
I just went to the MWC gun show and bot a new upper or rear handguard for it, it was missing .
I gotta admit the bore on this gun is the cruddiest I have ever seen on any rifle. You can hardly see through it. So Im going to tear it all apart clean it all up and slap it back together.
Let me know if you know how to get that rust off.
This would be the second rifle from the top in the pic.

Dookiebutt · 03-27-2008, 07:14 AM

You need to post close-up pictures for us to really help you.

It looks bad. Bad enought to bead blast and repark bad.

wunhunglo · 03-27-2008, 07:35 AM

I second Dookiebutt.
If it's that bad on the outside, it's probably that bad on the inside; time for a full rebuild I would say!

Capt'n Mil Coll · 03-27-2008, 03:14 PM

Ok Here are some close-ups of the rusty Garand. I cant believe someone would just leave a fine Rifle like this where it would get damaged. I put some pics of a few of my other guns on here.

Orlando · 03-27-2008, 04:09 PM

Thats a real shame. It can be bead blasted and reparked but it theirs pitting it will show. If the bore of the barrel is just as bad as the outside you may as well replace it

texnmidwest · 03-27-2008, 08:05 PM

It is sad to see a fine rifle get abused like that. Please let us know how the restore goes! Would love to watch the process of that fine old girl getting back to fighting form!

Hey Mil, How do you like the Styr's? I keep looking at them but have never fired one or talked to someone who has one.

acarpenter · 03-27-2008, 08:25 PM

I actually just bought a Steyr at Big5 as they had them on for $79. The one I got looked awesome on the outside, but I gambled on the cosmoline covered bore... luckily I ran two patches through it and I think it is the nicest one I have now. LIKE NEW.
As to shooting, I have heard the ammo has been hard to come by for a bit, but a local gun shop here has some so I bought about half of what he had left. I really like how the stripper clips work, as all you do is pop them in, fire the rounds, and after the last round is pushed into the chamber, the clip falls out the bottom of the magazine with a ping reminiscent of the Garand. Not to mention that all the shells and clips have little war eagles on them. Prvi is supposedly starting to make this ammo in April too.
I was surprised by the accuracy, even for my lack of skill and the sights being dialed in to "Schritten" which is somewhere between a meter and a yard.
If you get one, the battle sight is actually 500 schritten, and they designed the ladder sight sort of weird, you have to flip it up and then slide the sight leaf all the way to top.
I am very pleased with this cool little gun!

p.s.
The only downside is that it kicks the CRAP out of you.

Capt'n Mil Coll · 03-27-2008, 08:44 PM

Ok Tex Ill keep posting pics as I get the old girl cleaned up. The Wood needs total refinishing so will be showing that as well. You got a good eye. I have two Steyrs laying on the floor in that pic. The old Nazi Nickle plated ammo is wicked. It flys and the guns are accurate beyond what you might expect. We were shooting through a foot wide tree with it. In one side out the other side and the bullets kept on going. The rifles are ok they tend to be a little sticky because of the straight pull. Not real bad though. But that is a reason why that type never got popular. They do kick a lil too. Here Ill put a pic of a couple of my handguns on here.

Righteous · 03-27-2008, 09:24 PM

Get you a can of WD-40 and soak it good, then with a dremal tool with a wire brush on it go at it and keep spraying as you go

big boomer · 03-27-2008, 09:30 PM

4 O steel wool and oil may get some of it but that looks nasty and might require a good deal of work. Try the steel wool and oil its a long slow process but can work its wonders sometimes.

acarpenter · 03-27-2008, 11:05 PM

Here you have it Texn.
Straight from Big5 (Century)

GlockMeister · 03-27-2008, 11:17 PM

Hey Capt'n Mil Coll, one of those dumb ironic things but in your picture, 3 or 4 posts above mine here, I noticed we have the same lock blade knife. The one you have mixed in with your revolvers, with the brown wood handle, blade about 4 inches long. I just got done putting an edge on mine. Never was very good at that. lol But as I said, just one of those dumb ironic things.

Capt'n Mil Coll · 03-28-2008, 02:22 AM

GlockMeister I got that folder in a set it came with a smaller version of it with a 2 inch blade. Also had a 3.5 blade belt knife and a 7 inch folding "stilleto" style. Ill have to get ya a pic of them.

Hey Acarpenter I like that steyr of yours. Very nice. Funny thing about the Nazi ammo for it. About 3 years ago no one wanted it except a clip at a time because it had the Nazi marks on it. So they were practially giving it away. Me and a buddy bought a 750 round case for $16 bucks each $32 bucks total and split it. Something Sportsmans Guide had.

acarpenter · 03-28-2008, 09:41 AM

WOW. Thats crazy!!
Looks like I came into the market three years too late!!

oldjarhead · 03-29-2008, 12:44 PM

Before you start bead blasting or harsh abrasive methods, get some rust remover gel from a hardware store and apply it to the old beater. This will allow you to determine the over all condition of the metal. By the pictures, you will undoubtedly have some pitting but it may be something you can live with. Once you start removing metal by abrasion...you can't put it back.
See what you have and then decide on other measures to take.

It appears that most of the bad rusting is under the wood.

Orlando · 03-29-2008, 12:55 PM

I 'm pretty sure the rust remover Jel will remove the park also. Bead blasting is not harsh and wont remove any metal but preps the surface for reparking. Try scrubbing it down with Hoppes and a 3M green pad, first but remember once rust always rust. A bead blast and repark is the only thing that will stop the rust

jpwilly · 03-29-2008, 01:07 PM

I would get right to bead blasting see what you have. Replace questionable parts and repark. Why mess around.

03-27-2008, 08:05 PM	#6
texnmidwest Where's that Coyote?! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 4,204	It is sad to see a fine rifle get abused like that. Please let us know how the restore goes! Would love to watch the process of that fine old girl getting back to fighting form! Hey Mil, How do you like the Styr's? I keep looking at them but have never fired one or talked to someone who has one. __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

03-27-2008, 11:17 PM	#12
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 6,257	Hey Capt'n Mil Coll, one of those dumb ironic things but in your picture, 3 or 4 posts above mine here, I noticed we have the same lock blade knife. The one you have mixed in with your revolvers, with the brown wood handle, blade about 4 inches long. I just got done putting an edge on mine. Never was very good at that. lol But as I said, just one of those dumb ironic things. __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

03-29-2008, 12:44 PM	#15
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mansfield, MO Posts: 913	Before you start bead blasting or harsh abrasive methods, get some rust remover gel from a hardware store and apply it to the old beater. This will allow you to determine the over all condition of the metal. By the pictures, you will undoubtedly have some pitting but it may be something you can live with. Once you start removing metal by abrasion...you can't put it back. See what you have and then decide on other measures to take. It appears that most of the bad rusting is under the wood. Last edited by oldjarhead; 03-29-2008 at 12:47 PM.

03-29-2008, 12:55 PM	#16
Orlando Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 653	I 'm pretty sure the rust remover Jel will remove the park also. Bead blasting is not harsh and wont remove any metal but preps the surface for reparking. Try scrubbing it down with Hoppes and a 3M green pad, first but remember once rust always rust. A bead blast and repark is the only thing that will stop the rust Last edited by Orlando; 03-29-2008 at 12:58 PM.

03-27-2008, 07:14 AM	#2
Dookiebutt Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: America's North Coast Posts: 1,303	You need to post close-up pictures for us to really help you. It looks bad. Bad enought to bead blast and repark bad.

03-27-2008, 07:35 AM	#3
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Sunny West Africa" Posts: 2,004	I second Dookiebutt. If it's that bad on the outside, it's probably that bad on the inside; time for a full rebuild I would say!

03-27-2008, 04:09 PM	#5
Orlando Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 653	Thats a real shame. It can be bead blasted and reparked but it theirs pitting it will show. If the bore of the barrel is just as bad as the outside you may as well replace it

03-27-2008, 08:25 PM	#7
acarpenter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 396	I actually just bought a Steyr at Big5 as they had them on for $79. The one I got looked awesome on the outside, but I gambled on the cosmoline covered bore... luckily I ran two patches through it and I think it is the nicest one I have now. LIKE NEW. As to shooting, I have heard the ammo has been hard to come by for a bit, but a local gun shop here has some so I bought about half of what he had left. I really like how the stripper clips work, as all you do is pop them in, fire the rounds, and after the last round is pushed into the chamber, the clip falls out the bottom of the magazine with a ping reminiscent of the Garand. Not to mention that all the shells and clips have little war eagles on them. Prvi is supposedly starting to make this ammo in April too. I was surprised by the accuracy, even for my lack of skill and the sights being dialed in to "Schritten" which is somewhere between a meter and a yard. If you get one, the battle sight is actually 500 schritten, and they designed the ladder sight sort of weird, you have to flip it up and then slide the sight leaf all the way to top. I am very pleased with this cool little gun! p.s. The only downside is that it kicks the CRAP out of you.

03-27-2008, 09:24 PM	#9
Righteous Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 214	Get you a can of WD-40 and soak it good, then with a dremal tool with a wire brush on it go at it and keep spraying as you go

03-27-2008, 09:30 PM	#10
big boomer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minn. Posts: 1,238	4 O steel wool and oil may get some of it but that looks nasty and might require a good deal of work. Try the steel wool and oil its a long slow process but can work its wonders sometimes.

03-28-2008, 02:22 AM	#13
Capt'n Mil Coll Military Rifle Collector Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 2,566 Images: 38	GlockMeister I got that folder in a set it came with a smaller version of it with a 2 inch blade. Also had a 3.5 blade belt knife and a 7 inch folding "stilleto" style. Ill have to get ya a pic of them. Hey Acarpenter I like that steyr of yours. Very nice. Funny thing about the Nazi ammo for it. About 3 years ago no one wanted it except a clip at a time because it had the Nazi marks on it. So they were practially giving it away. Me and a buddy bought a 750 round case for $16 bucks each $32 bucks total and split it. Something Sportsmans Guide had.

03-28-2008, 09:41 AM	#14
acarpenter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 396	WOW. Thats crazy!! Looks like I came into the market three years too late!!

03-29-2008, 01:07 PM	#17
jpwilly Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 83	I would get right to bead blasting see what you have. Replace questionable parts and repark. Why mess around.