Just scored an unfired S&W 39-2 that looks like it sat in someone's sock drawer for 40 years.  Pic is from the auction, I'm actually picking it up tomorrow.  There's just a little freckling of rust in the matte areas on the top of the slide, grooves of the hammer etc.

Wondering what the safest way is to deal with it.  Just bathe it in oil and wipe it down?  Electrolysis?  Steel wool is no good because it'll polish out the matte finish, right?  It's just so minty aside from this that I want to make sure I do it justice.  Thanks!

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This stuff is great for that:
https://www.big45metalcleaner.com/

100% copper penny will take it off. Use CLP.

Rub it good with a oiled cloth. Then hit it with some Oxpho Blue

That's the thing though... how will that affect the adjacent factory finish?  And is it a decent match?  Don't want the end result to be splochy or mismatched.

Just picked it up today, while on my way out of town for a business trip.  So, trying a little TLC from the hotel room and I'll have more resources when I get home.

Looks like it's never seen a drop of oil since it was sold as new.  A few 30-minute soaks with Lucas gun oil, and then a wipe-down with a napkin, and it looks about 50% better.  Mag body cleaned up the best, floorplate is the most stubborn.  Going to let it bathe overnight, and then maybe try the penny trick when I get home.  Rubbing a penny on it won't harm the matte finish?   I've never tried before...

Edit:  Old-school S&W bluing helps me appreciate just how terrible hotel lighting is.  

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That's a sweet pistol.

This one got some rust spots when it was in police care after being stolen from a family member. I cleaned it with a 100% copper kitchen scrubby once it was returned. It didn't scratch the polished blue at all. YMMV. The speckles are where the rust was.



ETA - like this type thing:

Thanks!  Here's a pic I stole from the auction, since it's so hard to get a good pic with awful hotel lighting.  It truly looks unfired, and I got it for less than the cost of a boring Glock, so I'm happy with the deal.

Fortunately none of the polished blue areas are affected.  Did you try the copper on the matte areas, like the top of the barrel?  That's my main concern... the polished areas should be pretty safe from copper, but I'm more concerned about "polishing" the matte finish.

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If you do the copper penny thing make sure you use one that was minted before 1982, with copious amounts of oil and go lightly at first to get a feel for it.

No, on mine the matte areas were not affected.

@mr_camera_man

Boil the parts for about 40 minutes to convert the rust to a black oxide. (Regular water is fine) The black oxide is more stable and no longer an active "rust."
You can then use a carding wheel or fine steel wool to brush off the black oxide.

If you re-blue the affected areas, use a non-detergent oil, or oil without corrosion prohibitors in it for the first oiling of the part. Small engine oil (30w) is perfect.
Then you can go back to your favorite gun oil after that.