Enfield Day #2 and This’s Been a FULL Day!

Greetings and Salutations!
OK… so last night at about 8pm I put the disassembled rifle into the flower pot/trough thingy. The solvent is a water-based (how does that even work?) thing that the jug that told me that the solvent, when poured into a gallon of warm (92 degree) water, makes a gallon of really good rust remover.

As we all saw in the first round of pix yesterday, there was a fair amount of rust in and on and all around that puppy. The chamber and receiver I was sort of worried about to be perfectly honest, as using ‘the usual suspects’ i.e. the Birchwood-Casey Blue and Rust remover… well, it did -so-so- TBH.

Hence my figuring what the Hell and let’s soak that sucker overnight. Now, mind you I’ve been exceptionally patient on this project. As some of you stated, haste will only lead to shitty outcomes.

After it took ‘the bath’ for the evening, I still had two parts I could work on. The barrel and receiver, as well as ALL the fiddley bits went in the trough. HOWEVER: I did it ‘smarter/not harder’ I put the pieces parts for the trigger, mag release, safety and other receiver internals in ONE ceramic bowl. I didn’t want to use Tupperware as I dunno if the rust-remove would leach into it, and Gretchen’d kill me if I waste any Tupperware, as we’re running low currently from bringing Mom and Dad a T-Day meal… We really don’t have any truly disposable stuff like that currently… Anyway, the OTHER ceramic bowl held the sling loops, stacking pieces, and the ‘rest’ of the bits. My remaining parts that I figured I could fuck around with and find out was the mag, and the nose piece. I did a cold-blue job on both after stripping them.

This is the stripped and clean post rust and bloo remooval:

Now, BEFORE I bloo’d it, I blasted the ever loving fuck out of it with a STRONK carburetor cleaner. which got rid of A) all the grease and moisture and B) the remaining bits of Cosmo.
Then I hit it.
Mind you, never thought of doing the heat on it… I -should have- as when I browned the musket, I heated that fucker up like a mother before I applied the chemistry… I think I got a lil ‘buck fever’ in just wanted to try it… that being said, the result?

There’s a few spots that show in the pic for whatever reason, as they’re hard to see unless you look really closely but honestly, I’m pleased. For only one coat, I’m happy w/it. I might re-hit it just for shits and grins, and heat it up in the process.

The mag I failed to get a ‘before’ pic of.
Dumbass Me.
However, as you can see:

I really screwed up by not getting the ‘before pic’
To give you an idea of how it was and y’all can go look them up at BRP Guns dot com. Seems they’re out of stock as mine was graded a ‘low grade w/dents’, which it seems is out of stock now…

Mine showed up surprisingly w/out dents. It WAS covered on Cosmo and/or some funky grease, and still had some rust (hence the post-blooing discoloration IMO) but it DID turn out pretty well either way. And like the nose piece, I’ll probably re-hit it as well.

I mean I am just having some fun…
I WISH I had a bead blaster tho… y’all mentioned it, and I used to use one at a gun store I worked at a few back when I was doing Cerakote jobs… uber fine granular silica based sand… took EVERYTHING off of a weapon while being prepped… my issue is shekels per usual. Maybe some day.

But for now, I’ll keep utilizing the ‘poors’ ways of doing things. They just tend to be more labor intensive. In this case, a steel brush mounted on my Dremel.

Now, 24 hours later, I went out and grabbed the ‘stuff’ out of the trough. At the beginning of the process, the removal agent was clear as day. I mean it was just water and the solvent, which was clear as well.

24 hours makes a difference man:

I put the bowl back in so’s you could see just how much rust came off. I also couldn’t get pix because as I removed the barreled receiver, the rust and gunk literally slimed off on my hands… I had to yell for Sapper to assist ‘cos I had no prior experience like this before… I mean literally, the rust was ‘goopafied’ by the solvent. It was all gross and slimey, and in my rush to do this, of course I failed to wear PPE (gloves)… wasn’t any way to get pix at that point w/out utterly destroying my fon. There was no way in Hell to get pix at that moment. The rust had liquified and was just nasty and all over the place. I think I ruined my shirt and shorts as it spattered everywhere when I pulled it out to drain…

Again, Double Dumbass.
So you have to settle.
After I rinsed it off:

That’s some raw-assed metal right there
and the receiver turned out like this:

It still has a wee bit of funk n’gunk, in there, but tomorrow’s mission is to hit it ALLLLL over with a steel wheel/brush. THEN I’ll be ready for prime time. For shits n’grins, I tried the bolt:

Like a glove baby… s-m-o-o-o-o-o-t-h as silk.
Before when I tried it, it got stuck like Chuck… so badly I had to gently hammer it out of battery.

Also, here’s a close up of the Makers Mark:

Compared to when I first got it:

Cleaned up nicely IMO
And thats all before I hit it with the (in order) steel brush, steel wool, and if needed 1000-3000 grit as needed. As well as any heavier spot removal that I determine as needed.

The nice thing about this particular weapon that came to me while prepping it is, well, TBH…

Ye Olde Enfield Model One, Mark Three has a LOT of ‘wood coverage’ on it:

Meaning that IF (and the odds of that are pretty slim) that I completely bollux up the blooing job on the barrel, I really only have to be concerned with the trigger guard, the barrel sights, the barrel bandings, the front nose piece, the sling loops, and the receiver. Oh yeah, and the mag too… which as far as I’m concerned is well in hand…

Everything else is just mint.

The barrel is under sooooo much wood, Acres of wood in my eyes and whelp, if I fuck it up, I fuck it up. It is what it is. Either way I can try to hide it (if needed) LOL.

Now, the critical question:
THE BORE AND RIFLING
Now I do NOT have a quality borescope. Budget Amazon all the way. HOWEVER. The initial scope showed and incredible buildup of Cosmoline. To the point the lands and grooves of the rifling were indistinct. Thing of it was, the barrel looked smooth allll the way down with those “barely there” rifling grooves. The bore showed ZERO signs of ever being fired for that fact…

Because of the smoothness however, I started thinking I might have gotten a for-shit blown out weapon as for $99 and who the fuck was I kidding?

AFTER the rust removal bath?

Well… I ran both a bore brush (.30 cal) as well as numerous swabs… like 5 of them… each time the brush came back with what looks like petrified Cosmo, and the patches as well. In fact the patches were fucking black as my heart, and I’m debating on using them to age the top-wood, as it’s a little too pristine IMO. When I rescoped it AFTER all of that, the barrel lands and grooves are coming into focus, and the Cosmo is starting to lump up, get granulated and beginning to break free.

THAT tells me that I THINK I might have a pristine Barrel.

The next step is going to be ‘corking’ the end of the barrel with a gas-proof cork, and then filling the barrel with 89 octane, and leaving it in the garage for a week. THAT should eat away at the Cosmo (IF that in fact is the problem) and IF it was the problem, I have a hunch, that provided the headspace of the bolt is good, well then Oh Holy Shit, for once Ye Olde Luckage of Big Country has broken his/my way…. which then leads me to tonights Final Jeopardy Question:

NOW:
Question for you other gunnies out there.

I got a gauge for this thing.
It’s a field headspace gauge.
It’s actually one of the pricey-er pieces of gear I needed to get because one does not fuck around with headspacing a bolt on a 1939 bolt rifle that’s been stuffed in a corner in Ethernopia for God-Knows-How-Long:

Now… the problem.
Seems it’s sealed in some sort of heavy duty 1940s plastic. Almost shrink wrapped in it.

Like I’ve never even seen anything like this before.
The label on the INSIDE after I peeled off the outer covering said “Sealed In Plastic for Added Protection”

Now, I posit this to y’all:
I can not simply ‘carve off the plastic’ as it’s a gauge.
Gauges are very sensitive items in regards to tolerances and whatnot. The gauge set(s) we had back at the AMSA (Army Material Support Element where I was the Depot level Armorer for quite a spell… best job I ever had) were unbelievably expensive and when it came time for the annual re-cert for the gauges? OMFG.

There’s only like ONE lab that can recertify Armorer gauges. Not sure as the memory is damaged by too many-beers-too-many-years but I think it was Laurence-Livermore. Point is, we had a total of 5 sets of gauges for the ENTIRE AMSA. Two to three were ALWAYS at L.L. awaiting recertification. The two others we had, ONE was in constant use, with the other as our ‘go to shit/break in case of war/emergency set’

Because that lab was the only authorized Lab that could do recertification EVERY SINGLE Unit in the US DotMil needed to have their shit recertified annually.

Because civilian gauges were NOT authorized.
BY LAW from my understanding

So yeah, I do NOT want to fuck up a nearly $50 piece of critical equipment via scraping it clean. Bore Cleaner, Easy Off and Carb Cleaner, so far? The fucking Gauge Laughed at them all.

I’m thinking drastic measures like a full one couple-of-day soaking in 89 octane. Gas is like the absolute solvent when it comes to plastics… Hell, it does great on Cosmo, but it’s dangerous to a point when you’re mixing up pieces-parts. One spark by banging metal together and >FOOSH!<

BUT

With JUST that gauge?
It juuust might work?
I’ll hold out ’til you disreputable mo’fos chime in, especially if you’ve had to deal with this particular conundrum. I mean this plastic is thick AF… to the point I began thinking they sent me the wrong gauge….

Either way.
Haven’t been, nor will be (for the present time) watching the poly-ticks nor news. Unless it’s about the current status of who is now being called “The Claims Adjuster” and his probable escape… I’m too busy with the rifle and other issues…

GOD I love that title… I can’t go into it, but trust me, that’s a perfect handle to hang on the shooter.

May He Live Long, and Prosper.

More Later
Big Country



47 thoughts on “Enfield Day #2 and This’s Been a FULL Day!”

  1. Watched A Bridge Too Far AI created and that’s what they paratroopers were using.
    And the tin can with a grip Sten, a handful of Bren guns, PIAT mortar, flammenwerfers.
    Jerry shelled the F’ out of the houses by the bridge and pulled up the Panzers because that sixth bridge was too far but it would’ve shortened the war.
    An idea by Monty who usually wouldn’t make a move without complete superiority in everything.
    Get that beast going again and that is the deal of the day at $99.

    1. Monty believed he could walk on water and reach a critical battle via a very narrow land bridge/causeway.

      What an asshat.

      He almost fucked up the plans for the retaking of Libya and the rest of the African Campaign. Almost.

  2. If gasoline don’t work , IF you can find it at a hardware store ,Methol-ethel-ketone (MEK). I work in a place that makes plastic film. WEAR GLOVES! Shit’s nasty but will soften /remove almost anything plastic shot of bakelite and it probably would damage that too. Problem is finding MEK (its one of the ingredients for meth).
    Good Luck.
    JSW III

      1. Why don’t you just ask the manufacturer what their recommendation is for removing the plastic? They may have a much simpler solution.

        1. It was made like in 1902 by the BSA company… pretty sure they don’t ‘chart’ that so to speak LOL

          Nevermind that Britain has gone ‘full retard’ with weaponry… I’m probably looking at a jail sentence just for ASKING about a firearm part on a phone line there

      2. BCE, one other caution on MEK, we used it back in the day when I was doing parking lot striping, used to clean out the paint pots when they got fouled with cheap paint.
        It was the initiation point for the newbies, gloved up to the elbows and warned that it was super nasty stuff, yet fail to mention that you should NEVER breath as you work around the open end of a pot full of it.
        All it takes is one little breath and you wake up next to the pot wondering what happened.
        MSG Grumpy

      3. Check out PVC pipe primer – acetone, MEK, cyclohexanone, and tetrahydrofuran – ALL good to soften / weaken plastics. Use a piece of brass or copper to help scrape it off. Gauges are made of hardened tool steel, and the brass will not scratch it.

    1. Wear a respirator too, positive air pressure if ya can, and GOOD ventilation. MEK has isocyanates in it, they’ll blow right through a VOC filter, then they live in your liver. The way it was explained to me, when using MEK you’ve got a container on your belt. Some folks have a 55 gal drum, some an orange juice can. When it fills up with isocyanates, you die. If you can taste it, you’re container is damn near full.

      1. MEK is NOT related to any of the isocyanates. MEK can contain isocyanates if used to dissolve them as can happen in various industrial processes, but will not contain them when used new. Some mixtures may contain isocyanates if the manufacturer added them. Isocyanates are cyanide based. If in doubt, read the SDS document for the particular item you want to use. Section 3 will give percentages of all hazardous substances in the item. Any isocyanates will be listed separately.

        That said, a full or partial respirator with a VOC (volatile organic compound) filter is necessary, and use of MEK or other aggressive organic solvents should be done outdoors. Again, the SDS is your friend.

    2. You can find that at any marine store. It’s the activator for certain exothermic plastic reactions such as gelcoat. Wear heavy weight nitrile gloves and only use in a well ventilated area or use a respirator mask with organic vapor cartridges.

  3. MEK is also a thinner for vinyl paint. Should be able to find it a paint supply company.

  4. I don’t know jack, so it sure looks good. I’ve heard MEK is a heck of a solvent. Enjoy the art & science.
    Only news you missed is that Syria was overthrown by a different group of bad guys, and Daniel Penny’s gonna be nominated for a medal, which is different (mo betta) from being thrown in prison.
    There, now you don’t have to look at the news fer a while!

  5. “… if you’ve had to deal with this particular conundrum …”

    Not recommended: trying to convert the plastic into something softer via benzene or chloronapthalene so it’s easier to peel away.

    Nasty carcinogenic mess very likely to result.

  6. Oh, and Big, yer story about Mr Herman yesterday?
    I hope he was able to teach you some stuff from his wartime experience. People like that (and now you) have incredibly important knowledge to share, and I appreciate when they teach me/others stuff.
    Not to get too psycho babblish, but for the shell shocked person “talk therapy” blows away everything else, real studies have shown.
    I get it (though have no experience) it’s incredibly personal. Text isn’t the same as talk. And it’s rare to find someone to talk, so I don’t ask… My friend’s dad (very old) was a Marine machine gunner in the Chosin Reservoir, and has never said a word to his family…
    Kinda like being asked to describe in detail why my dad‘s physician assisted suicide that I just experienced was not a “peaceful death.“ (The UK is now offering family members of the elderly big chunks of cash to kill off their elderly parent. They say it’s to replace the pension that will be missed, but it’s evil. Choose comfort care instead, and I hope Mr Herman did…) I don’t want those images to come back into my head.
    Anyways, I realize watching my dad is much less than what you guys went through… Though it wuz very personal.
    One story though…
    As a ICU Charge Nurse and part time Hospital Supervisor I wuz all over the place, and didn’t spend much time with patients, unless they were circling the drain when they weren’t allowed to.
    Anywhoways, one time I went in this guy’s room just to do a real small thing, but didn’t leave for 45 minutes. He claimed to be former SF, I think Green Beret during the Vietnam games, and I think it was Laos he crossed over into in order to train some sort of allied troops.
    The guy told me that as the spoils of war, those Laotians would rape the women of the conquered enemy. So they said no, and did some thingsandstuff, then they bailed, went back to Vietnam, had some really incredible stories after going back to V. He said he’d never shared it with anyone before. i’m very good at spotting deception, and I’m pretty sure he was telling the truth. I learned a lot, it meant alot to me, and sure wish I could tell him now thank you for sharing. About all I did was shut my mouth and listen.
    He struck me as a bit of a wild child all these years later, and lives close by in a rural area. But he smiled.
    And you’ve taught me not to thank people for their service, though I want to. It’s not their fault that both many of those in authority over them and many of our allies were/are monsters. My cousin just retired from a VA hospital ED in Albuquerque, and she really loved those old vets.

    1. What now is called “Talk Therapy”.. i.e, bitching about the “Gawdamned Army” was the standard before the invention of the Free Bird back to the World. In a more primitive time our demobilized dogfaces and doughboys returned home on slow boats from China (troopships) where they could bitch/moan/fight/puke (hopefully)over the side with their fellows. No fucking civilians allowed. After sailing back to that shithole AKA Oakland Army Depot they were dispersed to additional garden spots, such as Camp Roberts or some other craphole given to the Guard since the Regular Army had no budget for repairs. And since the men had the audacity to want to go home, they were not on anybody’s priority list for care and comfort. Left to the tender mercies of pissed off NCOs that wanted to be anywhere but, our ancestors got to dig holes and fill them up, paint anything that didn’t move quick enough.. In short the Typical Marine Lifestyle. When Big Green finally got around to processing now-civilian Snuffy out he was thoroughly sick of the Service, angry at the world and eager to get home and get a job and start making babies. The key being this honor farm time got him wound down in the company of men that had endured the same. All the night terrors were accepted. Seeing men that were like brothers blown to pieces in piles of whatever was not something that sent a wife or ‘understanding’ social worker screaming to the Police when related. No, our forebears got it out of their systems as best they could and went on to fulfilling lives. It helped that he lived in an age where degeneracy was rightly seen as an existential threat, rather than the cute and cuddly phaggotery that is pushed on us by an foreign elite today. Add the instant commo with the home front, with its negative influences and we have set the stage for all manner of mental health difficulties. Just think how long it took to adapt to civilian driving patterns after Iraq. Going from War Zone to Home Front in 24 hours of less? Not a good idea.

      1. Amen to all of the above.
        My FIRST R&R in 2004 after like 8 months in Iraq, there was a random box laying in the middle of the road.
        We were doing like 40-50…
        I put the car up on the sidewalk like a fucking madman to dodge it.
        The X at the time freaked the fuck out, and I was in a cold sweat…
        Yeah….zero ‘down time’ in such a short amount of time did ‘things’ to one’s “timing and headspace”

        After that episode, I used to stay in Frankfurt for like 3 days before going back to the “World” to decompress…
        Made a HUGE difference

        1. Crazy to think only 3 days made a difference, compared to the past where there was boat travel (&sometimes more than that) time together.

        2. I know what you mean. It took me a week of alone time to decompress when I got back.
          Awesome work on the rifle. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

  7. I “refurbed” a $49 Smle I got at Roses about 30 years ago with all that home brew stuff and I have to say it came out great. Used the home blueing stuff and it came out looking more brownish than blued. Looks kind of parkerized but 30 years on it is still in great shape.

  8. Hey BC, what were you using as the rest remover in the long pot? Forgive me if I missed it over the last two posts.

    I’ve got an African Enfield as well as a Carcano that needs this treatment.

  9. I used to do a lot of bonding of metal parts to multi million dollar pieces of glass for ‘spaceships’.
    We used plastic razorblades for a lot of critical area clean up (the coated optic)
    Sharpen an old credit card…….

  10. Might want to try DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) for the plastic. It’s a LOT safer than MEK. Find it at a vet supply or feed store.

    1. DMSO is a scary chemical… The shit works, but it’s to be noted that anything dissolved in DMSO can easily go through the skin.

      Hrm, could be useful for Satan’s Super Soaker. Big,I know you can find some fun things what need introduced to some worthy’s bloodstream.

    2. DMSO, used by itself on the skin, is an incredibly useful medicine, easily available on the ‘zon. Helps me tremendously with all kinds of back pain.

      And yes, it penetrates, hence my disclaimer “used by itself”.

  11. I know money is tight, Tiny. But – your average shite-house gunsmith can headspace that thing While-U-Wait AND do the job right. Get the old soldier borescoped too… no offense, but leave some things to the pros.

    As a former Enfield kid… these guns are worth every single penny you put into them. Bite the bullet, shell out the coin for a pristine mag – and bugger the cost on that too. Don’t be at all surprised if that rifle doesn’t become a cherished favourite.

    And for the love of God…DONT SELL IT. Trust me on this – you will regret it if you do…

    1. Appreciate it man, but I AM a professional… literally certified on a HUUUGE amount of weapons…
      It’s not the skillz that lack, it’s the equipment.
      I can’t afford a ‘DotMil’ level borescope like I had supplied to me by the Army (like $2k maybe? I know it was crazy costly, but a great tool)
      I had to settle on the Zon Special to get me through.

      And nope, this thing ain’t going anywhere.
      Even if it turns out to be a full on dud, It’ll make a magnificent wall hanger for the BCE Museum of Mayhem

      1. Yeah I know! You obviously are a pro!👍

        But… I remember getting mine headspaced and scoped as a kid and I seem to recall it was cheap and fast… I guess it’s always best to do things yourself if you can.

        Looking forward to a range report!

  12. If you can’t find MEK, try MPK. Used MEK for years. Vietnamese guy I worked with washed his hands and arms in it every afternoon. Died of liver cancer. Used to participate in deice boot changes once a year. Twenty airplanes. Twice, had so much toluene on my hands, I could taste it. If chems dont work, try a heatgun.

  13. Burn it off?
    Metal doesn’t melt, make sure it’s not too hot, shouldn’t warp or distort the steel, right?

      1. My friend- discretion is required. Like annealing spark plug copper seals and press fit flight control fittings. Too much can bring the alloying elements out of solution and can result in IG corrosions. Experience trumps haste every time.

  14. If your plan is to Cold Blue, just be mindful that its not the same process or finished state as real hot bluing. Its fine for touchups but its not durable at all.

    Ive been round and round’ with certain projects and have stubbornly had to accept that fact. I once tried to cold blue an entire 1944 made MG42 reweld in the attempt to match the original blued finish. Propper prep, using heat, etc- it may look “ok” for a while, but it basically rubs right off.

    Also, the cold “blue”will wear off quickly and offers no real protection against rust since its not a black oxide, but some kind of ionic copper process (i could be a bit off on my chemestry on that).

    This is a labor of love and possibly something your kids and grandkids may keep. Take the time and a little extra expense and have it properly prepped and hot blued.

  15. The Guage has a bevel on the muzzle end and a big undercut where the rim hits the end of the barrel. Maybe a red hot utility knife and then pop it open from the inside with compressed air?

  16. If I am not too late to the mayhem, maybe you should first try a heat gun or even (if you dare) borrow the Mrs. hair dryer and put it on blast furnace and see if that softens the plastic enough to use pointy wood piece to separate and peel it off. Early plastics exposed to cosmolene get hard as fuck. There were no heat shrink plastics back then, it has just aged and shrunk on the part.
    Boiling water would also be my next option. Yeah MEK and other stuff that dissolves plastic on contact is nasty stuff. I used to work with industrial metal files and they were cleaned with carbon tetrachloride back in the 60’s, worked great on grease and gummed up files but in today’s world you can’t even get the stuff much less use it at home.

  17. I also think just applied heat would work, the boiling water might just do the trick for that old plastic. A pair of long tweezers to hold it in the pot & a sharp pointy piece of sharpened wire from a chunk of romex to peel it off. Anything not steel. Seems like simple might be best.

    Although playing with new chemicals might be fun too…

  18. When I was cleaning mil-surps 20 years ago, I used a brazing rod, some heat shrink tubing and a couple C cells to make a barrel un-fudger. The Turks were coming over looking like a sewer pipe. I think I used ammonia in the barrel. I don’t remember the polarity. Been too long…. let me look…..

    There is an Outers Electronic Bore Cleaner pdf that shows Neg to the rod, and Pos to the barrel. I put a spent casing in the chamber to seal that end up, stood it in a corner and filled the bore about halfway. The brazing rod had little heat shrink girdles on it about every foot to keep it from shorting out. I’d slid that into the bore and then top off the fluid. Make sure the rod touches the casing so the circuit is “complete”. The crap just come off and stuck to the rod. Exactly like you described with the derusting bath. It would stain your hands. I think I started with a 30 minute session. Bubbles will appear at the muzzle.

    found this: https://www.reddit.com/r/a:t5_2u501/comments/xccpu/a_step_by_step_guide_to_electrolytic_cleaning_of/

    1. Also, don’t let the rod short to the barrel at the muzzle, use a piece of heat shrink there for sure. The ammonia completes the circuit. And I had no issues with store grade ammonia.

  19. Xylol should cut it. Spilled some on butane lighter on the bench once. It exploded just as I was going to move it. Really hard on plastic I’m thinking
    Backwoods Okie

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