Newbie needs assistance

[Jwoody]

Hi all! I have searched and not found answers. If I missed them I apologize. Today I purchased my first spencer. A Bannerman shotgun. The gun is trashed. My goal is to cosmetically restore it for show/ conversation piece. I do not plan on shooting it. I need a new stock. The current one is two different woods that were used to repair a complete failure. Are there stocks and fore grips available or is this a custom build? I do woodwork, so if it's custom, are there detailed drawings and measurements available to make a stock from a blank? How about the rust I have? I see lots of wd40 and scotch brite recommendations. Has anyone tried bead blasting? Why or why not? Glass or plastic? I also have a blast cabinet. Last question for now, my magazine tube appears to be brazed to the barrel. I assume this is not correct? How should it be fastened? Thanks in advance for your assistance!

[Jan Buchwald]

"Anything" blasting will make a rough surface. Make yourself a brass scraber, a flattened cartridge case will do, and remoe loose rust that way, oil for the rest.
For the stock, a picture would be nice

[Two Flints]

Hi JWoody,

Check out this link:  http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,25381.0.html

Two Flints

[pony express]

Never tried it myself, but others have had good success with electrolysis:

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=62728

[Jwoody]

Sorry about pics. I tried 4 times last night with errors. This morning I realized file was too big. Duh.

[Jwoody]

Here are a couple more. Is that front sight normal too, or broken off? I am a little nervous about electrolysis. I've done it for engine parts and it works. Still leaning towards blasting. Will research more. I know if I find the right media and pressure it will not make it rough, but it may not take the rust off either

[Jwoody]

Thanks for the link and "exploded view", I had favorited that one. What is the metal finish? I don't see bluing, but it can't be unfinished?

[Jwoody]

I'm going to try the electrolysis. I should have read the article instead of relying on my different experience...the ones I have done were a full car battery charger hooked up to engine parts. Never thought about using a little battery charger .

[ndnchf]

I have used electrolysis for a variety of things.  It is a simple, safe and effective way to remove rust without damage to the base metal.  I even made up an electrolysis rig that fits inside a barrel to remove rust from a muzzle loading musket barrel.

[Snakeeater]

If you use electrolysis, you need to have an separate anode to which to transfer the chloride salts (corrosion), otherwise if there is no other anode present it will only further corrode your shotgun. But electrolysis cannot and will not replace any metal that has already been lost to corrosion, and that includes both the inside and outside metal surfaces. Given the photos you have posted, for areas that are deeply pitted (unless you can find parts to replace them), you may be able to rebuild those surfaces using a TIG welder. Electrolysis is slow and tedious, and could take weeks or even months to work. And the success depends largely on just how "clean" or free of rust you want the surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XD4EnMk5tg&list=UUVYkbbrXEVCGiwOQ3iCC1Gw

If you want something that works faster, might I suggest Brownells' Steel White, a chemical stripper that dissolves the rust but will not injure the base metal. It will, however, etch the surface if left too long, but it will removed all the rust and is chiefly used in refinishing revolver frames prior to buffing. I have used it to strip bluing off musket barrels (using a length of PVC pipe so not to require much solution), to barrel bands, frames, and lock parts. Stripping the bluing requires no more than an hour, while heavier, crusty rust may require 24 hours. "Steel White" is a concentrate, and one quart will make up to 20 gallons of rust stripper. The resulting finish is similar to a surface that has been lightly "bead blasted" but without the surface erosion that comes with aluminum-oxide/copper slag abrasives or glass bead-blasting.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/pre-finish-surface-prep/steel-white-prod1084.aspx

[Two Flints]

Hi


Apparently, the US Navy felt that the Spencer Bannerman Shotgun was of sufficient value to use in military guarding situations as late as 1914.



The sailors in the photo were members of a Naval Landing Force which took control of Vera Cruz, Mexico during difficult times there in 1914.  The sailor on the right is holding an identified  1896 Spencer Bannerman Shotgun. The shotguns were used primarily for guarding prisoners and/or hunting while ashore. Approximately 354 Spencer Shotguns were purchased by the US Military between 1886 and 1893 and used by the Army or Navy.

Two Flints

[Snakeeater]

Here is SN#1

http://www.gunsinternational.com/SERIAL-1-SPENCER-1884-12-GAUGE-SHOTGUN.cfm?gun_id=100388857