doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 870 Up

Six months in six fathoms of salt water, retrieved 870 today and within 15 minutes placed barrel and action in barrel of fresh water until get time to strip per NRA Guide to Firearms Assembly. Rust wiped off barrel and exterior action. The other 870 and my Fox SW await recovery.

The 870's padded cloth case apparently allowed tidal drift from capsize. Had to abandon dive because of tide and cold. Any suggestions for cleanup? After a salt-water capsize 25 years ago, I soaked an AYA 20 ga double in a cylinder of methyl hydrate for a week and did not disassemble; no problems. It was under one day.

King:

I haven't got a clue, but I'm glad to see that you've recovered at least one of the guns. Keep us posted on the recovery efforts. Luckily none of these was a 16 ga. (I hope). Russ

My only suggestion is a goodly length of parachute cord tied to the wrist of the gun and the other end fastened to an oarlock. Less expensive in the long run than multiple salt water dives later.

Wait a minute, I got another one-Mossberg 500. Actually cheap enough to be disposable, and will eat any ammunition you feed it.

I guess I wouldn't worry too much about an 870, but, I'm thinking the SW isn't going to fare as well, in any event. Good Luck.
Best,
Ted

What do you call a million lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? "A good start" It could be any disliked remnant of our population. I was just picking on the lawyers this time. Next time, I will try to pick on someone else.

Loren

Maybe Politicians next time

King, I'd put little floaties on your all your duck guns - maybe some floaties for you too eh!

I suspect the wood is done for but the metal may be salvagable. If it was me, I would soak it in a fresh water solution that contains a water soluble corrosion inhibitor. These synthetic and/or oil based inhibitors are used to prevent flash corrosion of metal parts after and during machining and during the storage of metal parts after machining. There are many companies that produce these products. Call any good sized machine shop and they can direct you to companies such as Castrol, Mobil, Blaser Swisslube etc. Use of this type of product may give you a little more time to decide what to do next.

After a number of spills in the Mississippi River and Horicon marsh I've learned that a floating gun can is an inexpensive method of preventing the loss of a gun.

I have used the pure alcohol soak on watches that have absorbed salt wated with success but they had not been in the water very long. The ocean archaeologists use a aqueous solution of inhibitors and acids with electrical reverse plating effect to recover old iron vessels like the parts of the Monitor. Turning rust back to metal. Getting the salt out! Mild vinegar solution with inhibitors might help get the salt out of the metal pores. Anything which will help convert salt to a more soluble state. Experiment a bit and keep us informed of your progress!!!! Sounds like intrepid diving work on your part Here's to you! David

A good, proven rust removal method is electrolysis. This site details the process as applied to derusting a motorcycle tank, but it can easliy be applied to gun parts. Simply use a non conductive container or suspend the parts out of contact with a ferrous metal container.

http://www.650rider.com/Content/pid=6.html

OB

OB, I have the barrel and action in a 40 gallon plastic barrel now. It's duck soup to introduce a positive charge. Would it work on something as big as, say, the entire trigger assembly or the 12ga barrel? Would the large volume of water make a difference? Size and volume should not effect electrolysis process, eh?. Thanks.