Another question about my VZ 24

[scoobysnacker]

I posted in another thread that I inherited a VZ 24 from my dad, that thread was focused on an ammunition question.

This is another issue: I noted that the gun's finish is a little rough, that isn't quite accurate. The Lion crest is scrubbed off but still slightly visible, and the only other noticeable detractor is the buttplate. This gun was sat on it's butt for probably 2 decades, and there is rust on the buttplate, and one of the screws. I was able to unscrew it, take it off, knock off the larger rust scales, and rub it down with oil to get a lot off. There's still some present, it now looks black.

Here's my question: recently I had a tree fall into my toolshed, and after repairing things I found that some tools (sockets etc) got soaked and rusted up. After looking around the internet, I found the "Vinegar rust removal" method, which simply is that you drop the affected metal items into some white vinegar, let it sit a couple of days, and then wipe and oil the tools. The vinegar will dissolve the rust into a brown liquid, and didn't affect the non-rusted steel. There will be pitting where it had already occurred, but didn't hurt the other areas.
I did this, occasionally scrubbing with an old toothbrush, and my tools came back to life. I had a really rusted pair of channel-lock pliers that wouldn't move, after 2 days and a little scrubbing, it looks and functions just fine.

CAN I DO THIS WITH MY BUTTSTOCK PLATE AND SCREWS?

 

[emcon5]

Is the rifle blued? If so, that is essentially a rust finish, and vinegar may damage it.

 

[Jimro]

CAN I DO THIS WITH MY BUTTSTOCK PLATE AND SCREWS?

You can if you want to. Since the butt plate and screws aren't essential safety equipment, by all means give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, shouldn't be too hard to buy a replacement VZ24 butt plate and screw set.

Jimro

 

[scoobysnacker]

Thanks, the rifle is blued, but the butt plate isn't. Or, if it was, it long since went white.

It's the upper section, the gun was stood on the carpet for years, and I think that was how it got moist/rusted there. Knocked the scales off, there is some pitting, and because I just rubbed it with oil, there is a black layer, like a cast-iron skillet, where it was bad. I honestly didn't know if I would have trouble with the screw at that section, but it came out, and everything below the head is clean.

I did this treatment to those channel lock pliers, and got it back to respectable; I can read the engraving again, whereas before it was a big brown mass of scale, looked like something you'd find at the bottom of a ditch. The vinegar didn't hurt the shape of the tool, it really just removed the surface... I read on the chemistry behind it, and it only dissolves the iron oxide, leaves the base alone.
What I did was soak it for 2 days in a ziplock, take it out and toss the bag and brown glop (that stuff stains the heck out of clothing, beware!), rinse it off with really hot water and work it some with a toothbrush (do that before you rinse for best results). Dried it with some low heat, then oiled it up (ballistol on a rag, rubbed it good, then let it sit moist in the oil on top of my stove pilot light.

I suppose it would do nothing harmful to white metal, and just restore it.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...and vinegar may damage it..." No 'may' about it. Vinegar will strip bluing to bare metal.
Deep frying the thing isn't going to do anything one way or the other. You can just oil it and it'll be fine. Oil does drain off, so you really need some kind of protective finish. Easiest, but not the best, is cold bluing.