Help with cleaning a parkerized finish?

K

kmullins

New member
Hello everyone, just picked up a Remington 870 Police Magnum today and the parkerized finish looks a little bit rough. I wasn't sure what to do so I used a slightly damp rag and tried to clean it up, but had no luck. Any advice on what to use to clean it up? I have Ballistol, Kroil and WD40 at my disposal. Thanks.
 
take an old toothbrush and some solvent and scrub it down then wipe clean. spray it down with a good heavy coat of gun oil and let it sit for a couple of days then wipe off excess.
 
If it is worn down to the metal or something all you can do is get it refinished. At least it should be cheaper than blueing it. There is no way to "fix" it if it is worn down or worn away. If it is just scuffed some the treatment recommended by the other guy might help.
 
No, the gun is brand new and is not worn down. It's just dusty and been sitting for a while. I'm just wondering what is the best way to go about routine maintenance with a parkerized firearm.
 
What the Remington factory used to recommend for parkerized shotguns was to field strip the gun per the owner's manual, including the magazine.

Lay the gun on a thick pad of newspaper and spray the entire gun, inside and out with a dripping wet coat of Rem-Oil or CLP Breakfree.
Allow to soak for 30 minutes to dissolve the old lube and dirt and "soak in" the new.

Wipe dry and reassemble.
This will lubricate the gun and impregnate the rough parkerized coating with a protective coat of lube.
Every time you use or handle the gun, apply a little more lube with a tooth brush or lint-free small cloth to keep the protective coating.

DON'T soak the stock or forearm, just the metal, inside and out.
I prefer CLP Breakfree, because its a little thicker than the Rem-Oil, and it builds up a protective layer of Teflon in-on the metal.

One reason parkerizing is a good finish, is because the rough surface holds lube so well and forms a protective barrier to rust.
 
It's not just rough, it is porous. Standard post Parkerizing tank treatment is soaking in water displacing oil. If you use any kind of solvent on it, the oil must be replaced or rust will develop. Shooter's Solutions has a post Parkerizing spray-on treatment that works well. If you've found it necessary to use solvent, I would recommend that. Absent access to the the specialized material, I would use LPS 2 or 3. 3 has the advantage of leaving a waxy material behind, in addition to the rust inhibitor.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. I actually just took a little Ballistol and put it on a lint-free cloth and rubbed the gun down; it improved dramatically and looks great. Ballistol also claims to be a rust preventative so that will help preserve the firearm. Thank you everyone.
 
I have had parkerized 1911s and used nothing but Breakfree CLP on them with no problems. Just keep a good coat of your favorite brand of oil on it.
 
A shotgun might be too big, but I found that a good way to clean Parkerized pistols was to strip them down and toss them in the dishwasher. They come out looking like new.

Jim
 
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