Hi guys,
I could use any advice you can give. I inherited some old rifles, one of witch is a Murata type 18 (Japanese). It’s an old black powder cartridge rifle and it hasn’t been cleaned since WWII? Has allot of grime and some rust (enough to exceed my current gun cleaning abilities). ––-Even bother messing with the stock? THANX ––B_A http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv113/b_a_bushmaster/gun013.jpghttp://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv113/b_a_bushmaster/gun010.jpghttps://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv113/b_a_bushmaster/gun012.jpghttps://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv113/b_a_bushmaster/gun012.jpg

Makes it look better with the banged up look.

Just clean and clean and clean again, but dont refinish it! Thats just my opinion though.

ETA: No need to throw it down the driveway now.

Interesting rifle, I have never seen one before.

WWII bringback? What is the story behind it?

Sorry, no real tips for cleaning it. Just don't refinish it.

if its black powder why not just clean it with good ole soap and water or a solvent specifically designed for BP cleaning.  Then blow out the barrel with compressed air.

My neighbor told me about this trick.

Wet a paper towel, ring it out so it is barely damp, fold, place over the ding, take your iron (hot of course) and iron out the ding. The water in the rag will swell the wood and it will pop out. It won't make it look brand new, but it will help on the big and small dings. The rest, get sand paper and free time

Finish with a stain of your choice

My grandfather was in the Navy and did a lot of post war reconstruction in Japan. He obtained the rifle then. Kinda bleak details, sorry. I only know that he thought the Japanese were a cruel people (he would remark on how they would treat the elderly, deceased, women etc…)

-1...Dont do any of that.

NO SANDPAPER!!!! Steaming out dents is good, but sandpaper is the easiest way to ruin the value of a rare collectable rifle.

Steam the dents, clean the stock with Murphy's, clean and oil the metal like you do your AR-15s and enjoy your rare collectable rifle.

Start with WD-40 and that will stop anything being done by corrosives. Once you have flushed it out really well with WD-40 then clean it with Break Free.

Dings are war character. And you NEVER refinish a rifle like this.

I was waiting on photos before I replied.  
First:  The rifle appears to be in pretty decent shape.  Nice color to the wood and it looks like there might be a decent amount of finish left on the metal.  
I've restored/cleaned up a few antique firearms and have found the best way to go about things is to start with the mildest cleaners you can find.  NO CHEMICAL STRIPPERS! EVER! If you want to de-grunge the stock, you can try some murphy's oil soap (a wood floor cleaner) and an old toothbrush or washrag.  Don't go too crazy with it as it will take up the crap on the wood, along with some of the oils you want to remain in there.  But! Don't worry, there is hope.  Once you've got the stock cleaned up and dried out, (at least a couple of days) make up an oldskool style wood finish by taking equal parts of Turpentine, Boiled Linseed Oil and beeswax in an old relish or babyfood jar that's sitting in a pot of water on your stove that's just below boiling hot so the wax will melt.  
Once you have this paste made up, rub in decent amount over the stock, let it sit for a few minutes then wipe away the excess.  You'll have to do this a couple of times a day for a week or so for the finish to turn out nicely.
As for the metal?  To remove grime, I start out with hot soapy water and nylon brushes.  If that doesn't cut it, I go with hot water/Simple Green.  Both will cut grease and grime without removing the finish and patina.
The name of the game here is to preserve patina without destroying the age that's on the rifle.  What sense would it make to strip it down to bare metal/wood only to refinish it so it looks like an old rifle that's been beat around and made to look like it is new?


 

Neat rifle.