Cleaning crusty old Redfield aperture sight

[fisherman66]

I picked up an old Model 75 Redfield peep sight for a new-to-me old target 22lr. It’s covered in dried oil and grime. The adjustments still click and seem to operate smoothly. I don’t want to remove any of the bluing or change the finish. Can I use carb or brake cleaner, or is that too aggressive?

 

[Shadow9mm]

If you talking a metal part, I would try a gun oil, like a CLP type. oil it up good, hit it with a nylon gun brush or tooth brush.

you could also try dish soap and a brush
windex and a brush
wd-40
only if those failed would I go to brake cleaner

carb cleaner I would not use unless you want to strip everything, including the finish

 

[Pahoo]

I never use carb-cleaner, on firearms.

carb cleaner I would not use unless you want to strip everything, including the finish

Carb cleaner is to unpredictable and on this application, overkill. However, I do use break cleaner on really tough jobs. You want to start out conservatively. Another point to ponder, is letting it soak for a time. You are not mentioning the presence of rust and that's good. On this job, I would let it soak in paint thinner for about a day. I really feel that just about any good solvent will work. ...

Be Safe !!!

 

[fisherman66]

I appreciate the feedback on both posts. No rust nor neglect noted. Just layers of dried on oil and grime. The paint thinner sounds like a great place to start. I’ll try CLR or something similar with a toothbrush after that. Worst case scenario I’ll hit it with brake cleaner. Thanks again.

 

[HiBC]

NO CLR!!! It will strip the bluing.

Plain old mineral spirits will work fine Soak it,use a toothbrush,paint brush,etc.

All you are doing is dissolving dried up oil goo and whatever dirt stuck to it.

Some 30 psi air nozzle will be good.Once its dry,oil it with gun oil.

Those are a nice,precision target sight,a perfect match for an old target 22,

You have a prize there!! Imo,those rifles are great for cans,squirrels,and bunnies.
You can even shoot bullseyes with them!!

I hope you will treat it as a classic from the past.

 

[fisherman66]

No CLR, noted.

The old target 22lr is a 1930’s German Falling Block. The machining is beautiful and the blue is 90+%, which I consider pretty amazing considering it’s almost 100 years old. It has the feel of a pre-64 Winny action....Just oozes quality. The action block opens with a groove on top that aligns with the chamber. Push harder and the extractor removes the case.

It is grooved on the octagon barrel, but there is a tang mount for Olympic style rear sights. I’ve never used this style before, but the adjustments sure feel more precise than my old Williams on a lever gun. The clicks are positive, and from what I’ve read they are 1/4 MOA.

HiBC, I think she’ll be my preferred “can popper” from now on.

I’ve only seen a few of this model before, and only on the internet. Some were converted to Schutzen style rifles. This one is in bench configuration.

 

[HiBC]

Sounds very nice!!

You know,bluing is a refined rust process. Once the "red" of the rust is carded away,you have steel that was degreased covered with a rust etched texture.

That is like a primer that holds oil..

At the time of bluing,the Gunsmith killed the process with some form of sealer.

It could be anything from bayberrywax and turpentine,lanolin,beeswax,at the time that rifle was made,whale products.

Over time,wipedowns with the owners favorite oil,oxidation, a patina develops over,on,and within that original rust etch.

The very harsh solvents like brakleen strip that away.

Sure,you can wipe the gun with oil. But its not quite the same as that patina.

The old barrel steel was soft, The rifling likely hand cut. Go easy on it!

Leave CLR in the bathroom!!

Regular Hoppes #9 is the harshest thing I'd use in the bore. Minimize bore cleaning. Modern ammo doesn't need it. You might wipe it with an oiled patch or two.

Enjoy!

 

[BobCat45]

Need to distinguish between CLR and CLP.

CLR is calcium and lime remover. It is acidic, aggressive, and belongs, as HiBC says, in the bathroom; not for guns.

CLP stands for cleaner, lubricant, and protectant. It is an oil commonly used on guns; I think there are several brands or types but not sure of that. It is gun oil with, I think, some teflon particles mixed in. It will not damage bluing but it will remove dirt.

OK, back to lurkdom.

 

[10-96]

Once you get it cleaned up (my go-to would be Kroil oil), a good coat of Johnson's Paste Wax or Renaissance Wax will keep it looking sharp for a good many years.

Speaking of Renaissance Wax, I noticed the price of the stuff has dropped to $22 for the large can on Amazon.

 

[Ricklin]

My favorite

Kroil or PB blaster. Penetrating oil works really well.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Ballistol would do the job.

 

[Geezerbiker]

I'd soak it in Ed's Red home brew gun cleaner. That would clean it right up.

BTW, I have one of those that I had on a 94 Winchester. It's a great sight. I sold the 94 when I was broke but the guy didn't want the peep so I'm saving it in case I get another Win 94...

Tony

 

[Shadow9mm]

Need to distinguish between CLR and CLP.

CLR is calcium and lime remover. It is acidic, aggressive, and belongs, as HiBC says, in the bathroom; not for guns.

CLP stands for cleaner, lubricant, and protectant. It is an oil commonly used on guns; I think there are several brands or types but not sure of that. It is gun oil with, I think, some teflon particles mixed in. It will not damage bluing but it will remove dirt.

OK, back to lurkdom.

That's my bad. I auto correct got me I think. Fixed it.

 

[BobCat45]

No problem!

I am old and easily confused.

There is a thread about using CLR for bore cleaner (unwise I think, but not my call to make).

There are many new gun owners these days, and probably new forum members.

I just thought it would be prudent to point out the two materials are quite different even if their acronyms differ only by one letter.

 

[stagpanther]

Need to distinguish between CLR and CLP.

CLR is calcium and lime remover. It is acidic, aggressive, and belongs, as HiBC says, in the bathroom; not for guns.

CLR I believe contains acid. Acids in general can be "boosted" with an accelerant as well as being unpredictably reactive.

 

[BobCat45]

Exactly!

I am a metallurgist, not a chemist, so I know exactly enough about chemistry to get into deep trouble.

One CLR MSDS says lactic acid, another lists two active components. The scouring powder Barkeeper's Friend contains oxalic acid. Sulfamic acid is the main component of another rust remover. Citric acid is used for cleaning brass - there is a long thread at the cast bullet forum on that. All of these are less aggressive than battery acid (sulfuric) or muritatic (hydrochloric) that you use to clean brickwork. Chemists talk about organic acids and inorganic acids, and pH being the inverse log of the hydrogen ion concentration - all of it is totally over my head.

I know a chemical engineer who would try to explain it to me (again) but it is simpler to use only gun cleaning chemicals on guns.

 

[stagpanther]

I'm an etcher and regularly use hydrochloric acid--it can literally become explosive if water is introduced directly into it--and also releases chlorine gas as it reacts with metals. Of course commercial stuff is water downed compared to the stuff I use--but an acid still does the same basic things--diluted concentrations determine the rate of the reaction over time.

 

[Pahoo]

A Deplorable Conservative

Taking the advice of a good Texas, instructor buddy of mine;
You don't feed a whole bale of hay, to one cow when a "plate" is all you need. When he first used this one on me I had no idea what the heck he was talking about but it good example gave us a good laugh.

Most of the time, when faced with a problem that is my usual approach. My "first" go-to cleaning solvent, has always been Mineral Spirits and progress up the ladder as needed. I'm still working with the initial gallon that cost me $7.00 and has never caused any "surprise" problems. In this case, we are dealing with gummy oil caused by solvents evaporating. When and if I run into rust, I change methods. ....

Be Safe !!!!

 

[Bart B.]

That sight has 40 tpi lead screws. Quarter MOA clicks if the sight radius is 30 inches.

 

[fisherman66]

Thanks Bart. The sight radius is a smidge over that at 32-33”. If my geometry is correct that makes the adjustments more fine, but 1/4MOA will still be close enough.