1900's
1909 Remington UMC Pump Shotgun Stamped Patent Dates
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If you like the smell of gun oil, then this hobby may just be for you. If you don't like the smell of gun oil, well, you might get used to it. It sure will stay with you after cleaning the guns. I suppose the next question, if you are married, is does your wife like the smell of gun oil? If her answer is yes, life will be good!
Years ago, I knew a guy that owned a doughnut shop. He would go into work very early in the morning to begin making doughnuts and he smelled like fresh doughnuts the rest of the day. He got so accustomed to the scent that he didn't pay any attention after awhile, but everyone he came in contact with sure did.
Cleaning and caring for the guns is also fun, at least for me. Don't laugh, but I just stood up and walked across the room to take a whiff of that gun I was cleaning last evening just to see if it still had that strong aroma, like fresh brewing coffee in the morning.
During the months of October, November and December, a nearby Masonic Lodge holds a Turkey Shoot every Saturday. When I return home from shooting at the paper targets, I always take a few minutes to clean my gun before it goes back in the rack.
The least fun part of this hobby, at times, is trying to get the value of a gun right. Prices are all over the place. Now, I know some of you are going to say a gun is worth whatever you are willing to pay for it and who cares about resale value. That's true, to an extent. At my age, I don't wait on those really good deals to come along on a gun I'm looking for.
Fall is the time we break out the shotguns and use them more than any other time of year. Proper care and maintenance are important aspects of having them in good working order and keeping these old guns around for future generations to enjoy.
The Browning A5 has the destinction of being the first mass produced semiautomatic shotgun. John Browning himself called it his greatest achievement at the time, of course that was before the 1911 .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun.
This book ranks near the top as one of the all-time favorite collector firearms. Author Ned Schwing gives you the most accurate and complete book on the Model 42 ever written.
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Shop NowThe nickel finish on a 61 year-old gun can be delicate. The very last thing you ever want to do is use any form or method of cleaning that will be abrasive. My Rule #1 is, use the right products, and Rule #2 is, employ the right methods in cleaning an old gun. I have lots of cleaning and polishing experience with my old Harley Davidson motorcycle.
When I undertake a project like this, I don't get in a hurry. I'm very patient and take my time. After about an hour of cleaning, I wiped the gun down with a silicone cloth and put it back in the gun cabinet. I noticed the humidity level in my cabinet rose by one percentage point, so I removed it and placed it on top of the ammo cabinet.
The most common culprit is moisture, whether it was from rain, sweat or humidity in the storage environment. Secondly, it could have developed from old ammunition (remember, this gun is 61 years old), whose primers contained potassium chlorate or sodium perchlorate which will leave the gun coated in salts after firing. Failure to properly clean the firearm after firing such ammo is a very bad thing, especially if moisture then gets to the gun before it is properly cleaned.
Lastly, these stains could have been inflicted by a well-intentioned previous owner. There are many ways this could happen and I won't go into them other than to say, see my Rules #1 and #2.
Coincidentally, it was 1961, the same year this gun was made, that a new consumer product was launched. This 1961 product acts as a lubricant, rust preventative, penetrant and moisture displacer. Odds are very good that you have an aerosol can of this stuff in your household. I'm not going to start a war of words on my Facebook page by going into it, other than to say, it is not what I use to clean and lubricate my guns.
The nickel finish on my 1970s lightweight Colt Cobras are very delicate. I've seen many examples of these type guns over the years that have thousands of tiny scratch marks from being wiped with the wrong kind of cloth, or a dirty cloth. The Flitz MC200 Thick 'n Thirsty 16" x 16" Silver Microfiber Polishing Cloth that I always use on all of my guns religously, is washable up to 500 times.
Barricade® rust protection rapidly drives out moisture from metal pores and deposits a transparent protective coating which seals the surface. It’s the best way to protect your firearms from rust. Withstands 500 hours in astm humidity test and 96 hours in astm salt spray test. Barricade® rust protection is also an excellent penetrant for loosening rusty or frozen parts, as well as a good lubricant and an effective bore cleaner.
After letting the gun sit on top of my ammo cabinet for 48 hours, allowing it to completely dry, I revisited my job. Upon inspection, I could see faint evidence of the stain reappearing in three places. This time I did not remove the grips. I simply used Q-Tips to apply more of the Flitz wax to the affected areas. After gently massaging the wax for 5 to 10 minutes, I allowed it to dry.
After wiping the dried wax off, I took these photos. Anything in the photos that appears dirty is only shadows. The gun looks great and I'm really pleased with my purchase.
No elbow grease was used in cleaning this gun. In fact, I was extremely gentle, using only Q-Tips and two varieties of cleaning cloths (no brushes). I sprayed it with Barricade, wiped it with Flitz cloth, applied Flitz polish with Q-Tip, wiped again with Flitz cloth, applied Flitz wax with Q-Tip, wiped with Flitz cloth, and gave it a final wipe down with silicone cloth.
All of the products used in my project were less than $50 combined, and will last for many other guns. I have to thank Benny, my FFL guy for his guidance on just the right stuff to use. Don't be tempted to grab the nearest rag and cleaner you have that are intended for home, shop or automotive use.
Always read the fine print on any gun cleaning product. Many of the metal cleaning products will claim that they will not harm the wood. I never take their word and go ahead and just remove the wood if I'm going to be working anywhere near it. See more photos and read about my 1961 Smith & Wesson Model 10. Update: My S&W Letter arrived, and it says my gun shipped to Tampa, Florida on January 13, 1960.
Author, Anthony Vanderlinden shares his vast knowledge of The FN Browning Model 1922 Centennial in the magazine this month. Although I don't have a Model 1922 in my collection...
