Demilled one of my OWS tomato stakes

[Smokehouse69]

that I got from OWS (worst of the lot.) I was sort of surprised at the condition of the metal under the wood. The lower receiver was very bright and had no appreciable rust or pitting. The underside of the barrel shroud was in good condition also. Original bluing on at least half of it. Mechanically it is very solid with very little wear on the moving parts (that are there.)
The exposed metal is very rust stained that scrubbing with steel wool and penetrating oil won't touch. The barrel shroud isn't too bad, it should clean with a lot of elbow grease and crocus cloth, since I'll probably re-blue it anyway, but the receiver is supposed to be bright and I don't think media blasting is gonna touch this. I guess it'll just have to have "character."
The bore was horrible when I first peered down it, but brushing it with mineral spirits then bore cleaner removed most of the grime. The lands and grooves looks strong and there is only a bit of frosting in a couple of places.
I think it'll make a nice shooter, once I collect up enough parts to complete it (and the others.)

[pjm204]

Thanks for the HOPE, I ordered a 5 pack today so I look forward to seeing what they look like tomorrow. I'm sure I'll get at least a couple useable ones. I got a stripped bolt, hopefully I can make my own bolt head. Can you post some pics and descriptions of what it took to dissassemble it.

[Smokehouse69]

Most of the screws were missing so disassembly was pretty easy. There was one screw that was really tight, a little Kroil over night loosened it. It was in the front barrel band. After I got it out, I drove the band off with a hammer and a wooden block.
After that it wasn't much to it, depressed the lower barrel band spring and slid the band over it, and off the end of the barrel. Then the barrel and action lifted out of what was left of the stock.
I still haven't removed the barrel shroud, but I have the action and barrel shroud (the threaded part is submerged )in a bucket with a mixture of diesel, mineral spirits and some other assorted chemicals. Hopefully it will penetrate and loosen some of the rust that's probably holding the shroud on.
Bolts are hard to find, occassionaly one with a missing head will show up on Ebay. Bolt heads, ejectors and extractors are being made by a guy I found on another forum. He's selling CNC'd, heat treated bolt heads here's a link http://www.gunloads.com/fam/swedenelson/album2.htm. They are pretty expensive. Apparently somewhere, on this forum there were some deminsional drawings made by the guy that is selling the bolt heads. I guess after he started making the heads he pulled the drawings.
http://p102.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm77
There is a crap load of info at this website.

[pjm204]

yea I figure I can maybe reveerse engineer the bolt head but I know one that one link you sent there was a guy who made a bolt head and an extractor. I'm not too worried about missing screws, I can always re-tap them for a standard thread.

[Smokehouse69]

Numrich has most of the screws in stock, and some of them are probably even available at Lowe's, they are standard metric sizes.

[pjm204]

well i disassembled 4/5 of mine, the one i left is pretty worthless, barrel is broken at the end, screws are stuck. one though has most of the bluing in tact, its in great condition. no stocks though....fun project i must say.

Right now, I am working on cleaning the bore on my best one. I can see strong rifling but it seems like there is rust in there that is slightly rough. I've just been putting patch after patch down it and its getting better. Anyone have a better way to do this?

[Smokehouse69]

Did you get any complete stocks? Only one of mine has a buttstock but the middle of the stock where the recoil lug is is cracked, the rest are all broken off and missing buttstocks. The front parts of the stocks isn't bad, I think I might be able to make two complete shooters and one wall hanger out of them.
That's if I can get some bolt heads and a few other assorted parts. Buying one those CNC'ed heads, for $85.00 seems a little steep to me. Then having to spend another $100.00 bucks for extractors and ejectors, is a little out of hand for me right now.

[XO3319]

Try Foul Out III on the bore to get the copper fouling out by electrolysis

[pjm204]

i think this is well beyond copper fouling, its more of just plain old rust.
I didn't get any complete stocks, I did get a couple that had a good yet broken stocks. I was excited to get a rear sight slider. One is really good, I am pumped about it. One I cleaned the bore and it might as well be a shotgun, and I know it could be since some were 10mm? shotguns but this had some tiny remains of rifling. One has the tip of the barrel broken off. I've only gotten two barrel jackets off so far. the best one did have the trigger broken off.

[Smokehouse69]

If it's rust you might try electrolosis to get it out. I found a website that showed how to remove rust using electrolosis. http://www.instructables.com/id/E17UQMY28PEQ6T2A5Z
I haven't tried this, but it looks like it works. There is some information that this is supposed to weaken metal somehow, but you are supposed to be able to remove the weakness by baking the metal at 350 degrees for a couple of hours.

[fal_762x51]

Well my bore isn't that bad after I started to clean it.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/calegal/gew88.jpg

Now we need to find some extractors or someone to make them.

[pjm204]

so one of my barrels has a buldge near the end, one might as well be a smooth bore, one has the end of the barrel broken off, 2 seem okay. The two with the buldge and broken tip seem very useab;e if I just cut the end off or counterbore them. I think I might cut one or both barrels shorter and then cut the shroud shorter and weld it back togehter to make a carbine.

[Smokehouse69]

Have any of yours appeared to have new barrels? I pulled the barrel shrouds off of mine and it appears that one of them has a new barrel. It is bright white metal, actually better looking than the new barrel that came with my Centerfire CETME kit.
I wondered why that one bore cleaned up so nicely, it was filthy on the inside, but I think most of if was just grime and dirt. A few passes down the bore with a damp brush and 6 or 8 patches and it shined like new on the inside, no frosting, no pits, just perfect! I am pumped! Now I gotta slug the barrel and find out what the bore is.
Even with that good news, the other rifles are just about pure junk. I think I'll be able to get 2 shooters and one wall hanger and a pile of parts from the rest. :scarface:

[nalioth]

My vocabulary seems to be lacking. What is this "tomato stake" being discussed?

[Smokehouse69]

My vocabulary seems to be lacking. What is this "tomato stake" being discussed?

Old Western Scrounger is selling 5 packs of broken up GEW88 Commission rifles, for $75.00. They have broken stocks, are missing bolts and other pieces but every once in a while some good parts sneak through. Tomato stakes refer to the skinny split stocks that most of them come with. Meaning that's about all they are good for! :D

[nalioth]

Old Western Scrounger is selling 5 packs of broken up GEW88 Commission rifles, for $75.00. They have broken stocks, are missing bolts and other pieces but every once in a while some good parts sneak through. Tomato stakes refer to the skinny split stocks that most of them come with. Meaning that's about all they are good for! :D
aaaah, thanks for the clarification.

[pjm204]

I don't think that any of mine have new barrels but I could be wrong. My barrels that show rifling seem to have rust in them, I've been working on them for awhile patch after patch, foaming stuff. They are better but still not shiney. My barrels are in the white as well though, I cleaned one up and hit it with some cold blue and from a foot or two away, it looks really good.

[Smokehouse69]

I'll have to take a picture and post it, it is scary it looks so new! The picture is gonna have to wait, my batteries are dead on my camera.
I have discovered that rifle was apparently rebarreled with a Czech barrel. There is only one proof mark on the entire barrel. I thought at first it was an "A" but under magnification it shows to be a Czech "Rampant Lion" symbol. Very tiny, but very cool looking! :D

[pjm204]

I think if I find a stock and bolt head, I've got one ready to shoot. I could get off one shot without the bolt head, of course then my rifle would be blown to peices...haha. Even though the receiver is supposed to be in the white, I think I may put some type of finish on it, something to help conceal the slight pitting in certain spots.

Wish I could make a stock easily somehow.

[Smokehouse69]

Well, you could order one of the junkers from Centerfire Systems, they have whole stocks, mostly. They might be cracked or missing a forend, but at least you'd have a buttstock attached. Just about anything else can be repaired.
I got the most of the rust off one barrel shroud and throughly degreased it, then I wiped it down with cold blueing and then some oil, to preserve it.
I am going to hot blue the trigger mechanism, magazine houseing and barrel bands. Those parts are small enough to fit in an old stainless steel pot I have for that purpose. That and a $9.00 hot plate along with some fertilizer is all you need.

[pjm204]

I'm considering making some kind of tubular stock and aluminum forend. basically no wood at all, If I can figure out a good way to do it.

[bullseye]

an old stainless steel pot I have for that purpose. That and a $9.00 hot plate along with some fertilizer is all you need.

Could you explain this for those of us that have no idea but would like to?

[Smokehouse69]

an old stainless steel pot I have for that purpose. That and a $9.00 hot plate along with some fertilizer is all you need.



Could you explain this for those of us that have no idea but would like to?

I started with this guys formula.
http://www.geocities.com/kemays/formula.htm

I found some information that SS is a no-no for bluing, but I've never had any problem with the small parts I've done. Apparently it can cause streaking over large areas.
Here's some hints and suggestions that I've picked up from different people.

A black iron pot or tank is perfectly okay to use and is actually prefered by most guys doing small parts and pistols.
The lye mentioned in the formula is only used to raise the temperature of the boiling mixture.
The best temp range is 285-300 degrees F. I use a meat thermometer.
Also some guys claim that a small amount of that black stuff inside of alkaline batteries, will deepen the blue.

Home blueing can be dangerous, so do it outside where it's well ventilated (the fumes will eat our your lungs.) Use distilled water not tap water.
Boil your parts in water and TSP (available at Lowe's or Home Depot) for 10-20 minutes for degreasing.
Dip the parts in ice water between blueing dips, it is supposed to deepen the blue. I've tried it, and I guess it worked, but the extra dips in the pot could have had more to do with it than the ice water.

[kevin]

i had a nice one, i regret selling it, got it from OWS about a year ago for 29 dollars. Barrel was like new. Traded it for a nagant revolver with spare 32 acp cylinder! I was told not to use surplus in the rifle so i figured i would just trade it. I regret it now. Even had unit markings on it and the barrel shroud was in nice shape too. It had the nicest walnut stock ive seen yet on a gew 88

[okie shooter]

Kevin, I saw one of those today in tulsa, and they had two hundred on the rifle.

[fal_762x51]

Well I was digging in the box today and found that a M96 Swede Mauser slide works on the 88 ladder.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/calegal/DSCF0773.jpg

[pjm204]

Blasphemy, we need to keep these 15 dollar rifles all original......JK, good find

[Smokehouse69]

It looks a lot like the M1888 slider too, most people couldn't tell the difference. I was sooo lucky that my POS from OWS 3 out of the 5 had sliders, and that's how many rifles I'm going to build out of them.

[pjm204]

I only got one slider but I don't really plan to restore these to original condition. I'll end up turning them into abominations, but they will shoot, and that's whats important to me. I know some people take offense to it but unfortunately I don't have any stocks to restore so there isn't much I can do.