Early 1903 Springfield Project

[P0H0]

I’ve been busy degreasing and cleaning parts — using 000 steel wool to scrub some areas. I’ve been doing the prep all morning with no rush as it was 29° this morning. It’s currently 39° outside and maybe 55° in garage at 1 pm — this is about as warm as it’s gonna get. I will start rust bluing in about an hour.

Using warm water with dish soap, naphtha and acetone on the parts not as oily. Scrubbing everything about 3 times and rinsing with 91% alcohol.

Will be using a stainless mesh basket for small parts and wire hangers on the others. Springs are set to the side and just cleaned.

Pictures coming.

[P0H0]

Just started the first round of rust bluing…. Picture are after two coats of rust blue (dry between each coat). The parts are now in the box coming up to around 110° at which point I will introduce the humidifier for about 45 minutes. The metal starts turning immediately after you wipe with a cotton swab.

C0C68FB5-F134-4086-B4EE-059033AE0452.jpeg (175.89 KiB) Viewed 27691 times

D1C35245-7139-489B-9DDA-6CCE4C27BE07.jpeg (132.48 KiB) Viewed 27691 times

826E8F14-F9AA-42CA-A198-D479A37AB16F.jpeg (95.76 KiB) Viewed 27691 times

921E42DD-18D7-4B8C-A0E5-26860851A1C6.jpeg (89.39 KiB) Viewed 27691 times

3A9CB2D6-D841-4CB0-B010-D4DF8818259B.jpeg (138.63 KiB) Viewed 27691 times

[P0H0]

At at 110° I introduce the humidifier — another use for the thermometer (letting the metal warm for a bit first):

60BFA3D7-18F1-402B-A73D-C576E91A9649.jpeg (129.11 KiB) Viewed 27690 times

[P0H0]

Just out of the humidity box — next stop steam pipe:

7A6D2025-A7E5-4140-86DE-228B49AE4B4C.jpeg (95.79 KiB) Viewed 27686 times

F93CA00F-611A-4015-9D37-F9C8D7C0A2E9.jpeg (89.39 KiB) Viewed 27686 times

617A13F0-BB68-4154-833A-1497C19BE505.jpeg (61.16 KiB) Viewed 27686 times

D2D8FE5C-2ED4-466A-8686-D9789642AEC8.jpeg (157.09 KiB) Viewed 27686 times

FC606DB0-1C53-42F7-BE7C-E6EF8D26FA8E.jpeg (81.4 KiB) Viewed 27686 times

[P0H0]

Oh wow! You definitely need gloves to handle the parts after they go through the steam. For those of you wondering if the steam pipe gets hot enough — the weight of the barrel and action suspended from the crossbar with heat bent the PVC pipe. Additionally, everything definitely converted — while the metal is cooling off you can brush the rust off with a finger tip like ashes.

Click for video of flaking converted rust

94B07A58-F8F9-499D-A409-F8BFDEBCCC56.jpeg (167.86 KiB) Viewed 27684 times

D4AF1863-6FE3-4F2C-B9EA-BA020B566A3A.jpeg (49.72 KiB) Viewed 27684 times

[P0H0]

1st Pass Carded:

CF62ABB1-6D6A-4DDC-BA13-7E5567F554EA.jpeg (128.17 KiB) Viewed 27677 times

B3F527AF-E5C9-4111-B054-728FE4BD1B05.jpeg (158.94 KiB) Viewed 27677 times

CB42337E-985E-4A44-B3B7-D5AC487548E1.jpeg (134.49 KiB) Viewed 27677 times

[butlersrangers]

Looks promising!

Are you intending on shooting the 'low number' Springfield, when it's restored?

I'm not trying to open a debate, just asking.

[P0H0]

Hi BR —

I will shoot it — doubt I’m the first nor will be the last…. I understand that the restriction was eventually lifted, and the USMC never did turn in their receivers. Further, data shows no failures between 1908 and 1910 — mine is 1909. I also watched a guy shoot one repetitively for several full reloads — his rifle is around 5000 higher in serial number than mine.

Here’s the video if you want some entertainment

Update - 2nd Pass Completed:

E533A75E-452C-4645-A0E9-D77F46AA4574.jpeg (76.39 KiB) Viewed 27673 times

A5F72DAD-D8D1-40E7-BC23-2C3B81AC327C.jpeg (96.49 KiB) Viewed 27673 times

08C107B7-6905-4716-B18C-AFB25BBF50F5.jpeg (136.13 KiB) Viewed 27673 times

A89773C4-AD98-457F-8814-6E13E68A87A7.jpeg (124.83 KiB) Viewed 27673 times

6CFE90E9-2D75-4644-8FE6-BB71057A4F82.jpeg (131.35 KiB) Viewed 27673 times

[P0H0]

Pass 3 Complete — picking it up again in the morning.

05266A7F-5CBF-4E55-97A3-63B26386B720.jpeg (205.68 KiB) Viewed 27665 times

9FB497D4-4D16-43CD-9029-9C288798798A.jpeg (116.42 KiB) Viewed 27665 times

0095F1B7-502C-40EC-9070-25768B079468.jpeg (133.95 KiB) Viewed 27665 times

559CFD58-0EA0-41BE-9D84-87DDEED98F9F.jpeg (133.22 KiB) Viewed 27665 times

DD18B582-6C16-4128-A559-73A8051DDD63.jpeg (132.91 KiB) Viewed 27665 times

[P0H0]

Pass 4:

C455C4ED-8EBF-42EF-B893-4BC6ED08D7B4.jpeg (119.93 KiB) Viewed 27656 times

82A9E5B3-7B3C-48B9-A44D-3C47404832BE.jpeg (125.87 KiB) Viewed 27656 times

4AE9D394-4743-4D5D-BF36-65F628FE94B5.jpeg (133.53 KiB) Viewed 27656 times

66848CE6-D5F3-45F8-BD19-6EAA55ADAD43.jpeg (137.84 KiB) Viewed 27656 times

1013D79A-3A01-4F2D-B9E0-C67BC9DD9A83.jpeg (159.88 KiB) Viewed 27656 times