Browning A5 Clean Up

[DuckRyder]

I need to clean up and preserve a Browning A5 16 Gauge, I believe the 5 digit serial number and barrel markings place the mfg date in the late 1920s. Its in reasonable shape for a nearly 100 year old firearm but was left in home with an ongoing waterleak consequently it has some light corrosion and a good bit of mold on it.

By clean up i basically mean oiling it and stopping further spread of corrosion (something like oil and Barricade /Sheath seems to fit the bill here) and attempting to remove and stop the mold without harming the finish. Im reading all sorts of stuff on line like alcohol wipes which i am afraid will harm the finish.

Any ideas?

Once i cross this bridge, i'll cross the functional inspection and is it safe to shoot conversation...

 

[nwjones18]

Remoil and 0000 steel wool for the rust on the metal and some scotts liquid gold furniture cleaner for the stock... That's how I do it anyway. I've cleaned up a good number of moldy old mil-surp rifles and once you get it wiped off and dried out they are fine.

You need to go ahead and dissassemble it (at least get the stocks off) to clean it right. A5 isn't hard to get apart.

 

[BISCUT]

I'm of the belief RemOil is subpar in just about every category. Call me biased on RemOil.

Nowhere near as old as your A5 but my first ever shotgun I bought me when I was a kid (16) was a Browning BPS 12 with a bird barrel. That's 35 years old and I had it stored for many years without use. I took it out to shoot it and it had a few light rust marks. I lost it. Ended up going the route of Kroil oil rubs and the rust is no longer. I'm assuming a 1920's A5 is blued as was mine. And if Kroil doesn't work, no biggie as you didn't make anything worse.

 

[DuckRyder]

I'll try to source some Kroil.

I found some CLP "collectors wipes" and they took most of the rust off, i will let it stew a couple days soaking wet with that and do it again. I think it was blued, it's well used to the point the blue is entirely gone from some parts like the tang. Likewise the checkering is almost worn away, However it appears to have been cleaned and oiled before being put away.

I'd love to hear the story of why the comb is modified the way it is... Unfortunately I can no longer speak with the likely culprit.

I couldn't find Barricade anywhere but then again i dint really feel like wandering around Cabelas either... I must be ill ... maybe i can find mine...

 

[userfriendly]

Browning brought back the A5 in 16 gauge. "Sweet 16".

 

[blkwtr]

Most if those old A5 16 gauge guns shoot a 2 9/16" shell. They will not properly eject the 2 3/4" shells that are standard today. I use 2 1/2" shells I bought from a company that makes vintage shotgun shells.