Rusty Rem-Rand

[S.A. Boggs]

I recently acquired this pistol with a serial range of early 1945. On the left side front it is heavily rusted and speckled rust down that side. Upon taking it apart there is rust under both plastic grip panels. Pistol is all original with a need of being refinished. The slide is in good shape as is the barrel and all internals.
Upon doing research I plan on using the LaRue products to fill in any pits and finish in Parkerizing to try and match the correct factory finish. Slide is tight to frame and no rust on the rails so that is good. The pistol was given to me so I have nothing in it with the exception of trying to make it back into a shooter.
Sam

[JOHN COOK]

Sam, if you have a battery charger try electrolysis. I have used this on several old tools and it works really good. It removes rust in tight places you can’t get by hand. Use this process outside on your deck, it releases Hydrogen and you need to let it go to the atmosphere..

j cook in SC

[S.A. Boggs]

Sam, if you have a battery charger try electrolysis. I have used this on several old tools and it works really good. It removes rust in tight places you can’t get by hand. Use this process outside on your deck, it releases Hydrogen and you need to let it go to the atmosphere..

j cook in SC

I watched several do this on YouTube and I am going to give this a try. Going to Menards tomorrow to pick up the needed items to do this. You are right about this being a possible explosive situation as Hydrogen and Oxygen are given off in this process. After this is done I have 0000 steel wool to buff the affected areas. On Monday I will order the needed supplies from my smithing supplies Brownells.
Sam

[lyman]

scrub it good, with a good degreaser/cleaner, stiff brush etc,
not something that will take off finish just get the crud and rust off (oily bit of 000 Steel Wool works well, but keep it wet and go easy)


eta, or take the grips off and soak it in a tub of Kero for a few days, then clean,

then wipe it dry and post pics,

I would say that what is left of the original finish is better than a redo,

but it is your pistol,

[S.A. Boggs]

scrub it good, with a good degreaser/cleaner, stiff brush etc,
not something that will take off finish just get the crud and rust off (oily bit of 000 Steel Wool works well, but keep it wet and go easy)


eta, or take the grips off and soak it in a tub of Kero for a few days, then clean,

then wipe it dry and post pics,

I would say that what is left of the original finish is better than a redo,

but it is your pistol,

Never thought of this, have it in penetrating oil and will scrub it with 0000 steel wool today and see what is there. It might not be as bad as it looks is my hope. Refinishing is a last resort.
Sam

[lyman]

Never thought of this, have it in penetrating oil and will scrub it with 0000 steel wool today and see what is there. It might not be as bad as it looks is my hope. Refinishing is a last resort.
Sam


as it should be ,

:headbang:

[Sunray]

"...will scrub it with 0000 steel wool..." It's not a 'scrubbing' job. It's a gently rub with 0000 steel wool and oil. Usually on blued steel.
A light touch with a fine brass wire wheel in a bench grinder works well and is a lot faster. Operative words being 'light touch'. Eye protection is mandatory.
The real issue is the thing pitted or not? There's no fixing pitting.

[S.A. Boggs]

"...will scrub it with 0000 steel wool..." It's not a 'scrubbing' job. It's a gently rub with 0000 steel wool and oil. Usually on blued steel.
A light touch with a fine brass wire wheel in a bench grinder works well and is a lot faster. Operative words being 'light touch'. Eye protection is mandatory.
The real issue is the thing pitted or not? There's no fixing pitting.

I talked with the authority on firearms [Brownells] and I am going to redo the finish. The receiver is too badly discolored so a refinish is in order. I have ordered the rust stripper that was recommended. I am going to take with LaRue tomorrow on their parkerize finish. LaRue has a process to fill pits that looks promising as well. The lettering is clear and was only lightly rusted so it cleared up well. I took pictures but the light just doesn't work so I am going to try something elst to shoot pictures.
If not LaRue then I will do the park from Brownells.
Sam

[Johnny P]

The phosphate "Parkerized" finish is a built up finish and any type of wire wheel will remove the finish. Trying to remove the rust even with 4/0 steel wool will remove the phosphate finish before it removes the rust. The military would have refinished it, as most of their 1911/1911A1 pistols had been.

[Tuna]

Being that its a Remington it will soon be in high demand by collectors. Remington was taken apart by the bankruptcy court and all of the parts offered for sale to the highest bidder. Ruger got Marlin and a group got the ammo portion. The rifle end is still up for grabs but most of the rest has been sold off. But soon anything Remington will like Winchester before it take on a new set of values. Very sad to see another great firearm maker gone.

[gwp]

Being that its a Remington it will soon be in high demand by collectors. Remington was taken apart by the bankruptcy court and all of the parts offered for sale to the highest bidder. Ruger got Marlin and a group got the ammo portion. The rifle end is still up for grabs but most of the rest has been sold off. But soon anything Remington will like Winchester before it take on a new set of values. Very sad to see another great firearm maker gone.

Remington Rand (1927–1955) was an early American business machines manufacturer, best known originally as a typewriter manufacturer

From 1942 to 1945, Remington Rand was one manufacturer of the M1911A1 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol used by the United States Armed Forces during World War II. Remington Rand produced more M1911A1 pistols than any other wartime manufacturer. Remington Rand ranked 66th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts.

[Tuna]

Many gun makers were diverse in what they made besides firearms. Colt for example made electrical switches and breakers. All had to keep the work flowing during times when firearms were not selling.

[Johnny P]

It was not made by Remington Arms. It was made by Remington Rand who was a manufacturer of typewriters, office equipment, and such. Remington Rand got off to a bad start early in production and shut down production until all the bugs were worked out. Under new supervision Remington Rand went on to become the highest production lowest cost producer of the 1911A1.

Remington-UMC did manufacture the Model 1911 pistol in WWI.

[S.A. Boggs]

Started the redoing of the receiver today. First I placed the receiver into a plastic tray with Dawn soap and hot water to take off any oil, dirt that was there. I now have it soaking in Evapo-Rust to clean the rust off the metal and then I will go from there. Was going to do the electrolysis but not a secure area to do it in now.
Sam

[Johnny P]

Will be curious to know if the Evapo-Rust affects the phosphate finish.

[Tuna]

And just where do you think the name Remington came from? It came from E. Remington and Sons. They started a company making type writers
and it was on its own by 1886. Then in 1927 it merged with Rand. Remington still had their owner interests in the company till about the mid 50's when the company was finally sold off.

[S.A. Boggs]

Will be curious to know if the Evapo-Rust affects the phosphate finish.

It did, down to the metal it is pretty clean. I went ahead rinsed the frame in water and then 0000 wool on the rusty parts, not bad some pitted areas. I put the frame back in for another 12 hour bath and then repeat the scrubbing. To dry I am going to use the air dryer that I use for brass.
Now to find out which park the Rem-Rand used in 1945, any ideas?
Sam

[Johnny P]

Remington Rand (1927–1955) was an early American business machines manufacturer, best known originally as a typewriter manufacturer and in a later incarnation as the manufacturer of the UNIVAC line of mainframe computers.

The Remington Rand company was formed in 1927 by the merger of the Remington Typewriter Company and the Rand Kardex Company.

The Remington Rand Model 1911A1 was manufactured in the Syracuse plant, which had previously been used to manufacture typewriters. One of the nicknames for the Remington Rand pistol was "Typewriter Gun".

The General Shaver Company was a subsidiary of Remington Rand that made electric shavers, which made field replacement magazines during WWII identified by a seam down the back and a G on top of the toe.

[ignats]

I recall office/admin types being referred to as Remington Raiders when I was in the service.

[S.A. Boggs]

I just took the receiver out of the brass dryer and I was wrong on the removal of the original finish, it is still there. Discoloration only appears under the plastic grips and some pitting on the front. I doubt that I will refinish it maybe touch up the pits with a little Brownell's cold blue and then card the pitted area for protection from rust.
Sam

[Johnny P]

Now to find out which park the Rem-Rand used in 1945, any ideas?
Sam

Up until late production in 1945 the phosphate finish was the common slightly gray/green finish, but at about the 2.4 million range the finish became a light gray.

[S.A. Boggs]

Up until late production in 1945 the phosphate finish was the common slightly gray/green finish, but at about the 2.4 million range the finish became a light gray.

Sounds like the color of me during my former chemo treatment!:hello:
Sam

[lyman]

if you already have the parkerizing solution, you can touch it up with it as well,

just heat up the solution and using a qtip or similar, dab it on the spot,

sometimes cold blue will leave the spot 'bright' vs parked,

takes a bit to card that down and redo, card down etc to get it to look right

[S.A. Boggs]

if you already have the parkerizing solution, you can touch it up with it as well,

just heat up the solution and using a qtip or similar, dab it on the spot,

sometimes cold blue will leave the spot 'bright' vs parked,

takes a bit to card that down and redo, card down etc to get it to look right

What can I do about the pits? I had thought about using JB Weld to fill some of them and then sand it down. I like your idea!
Sam

[Johnny P]

Anything used to fill pits won't take the phosphate finish. Would look better just finished over rather than trying to fill them.

[lyman]

Anything used to fill pits won't take the phosphate finish. Would look better just finished over rather than trying to fill them.

this, unless you are a really good TIG welder,,,

if they are not too bad you may be able to use a more coarse sandblast media, but be careful with that,

a friend redid a poorly treated Colt 1903 using a good draw file,

he worked it carefully, you can hardly tell it was abused in a previous life once it was reblued,

[Johnny P]

J. B. Weld was mentioned as a filler for the pits. You can fill the pitted area by welding over, but it will have to be dressed down, and then sandblasted to match the resto of the pistol, and then will probably come out a different color under the phosphate. The ends of the slide were hardened, and were normally darker than the rest of the pistol.

[jjrothWA]

Try painting on the rusty surface with a light coat od turpentine and rub with bronze wool or brass brush. might have to lightlypolish with a FINE wire wheel/

[lyman]

Try painting on the rusty surface with a light coat od turpentine and rub with bronze wool or brass brush. might have to lightlypolish with a FINE wire wheel/

I've had good luck on some by soaking in kerosene, then using a brass or bronze bore brush to give the area a good scrub

[Gun Smoke]

If the gun were mine I would take the exposed parts to a machine shop and have them lightly bead blasted (if you don't have access to a bead blaster) then re-park in the light gray finish.

If the pitting is light (which it doesn't sound that way) you could perhaps use your tumbler to clean the parts then re-park.

Being a shootable Remington Rand it will always have some value but mostly it will be a shooter from here on out regardless.