Took a chance on a $260 Mosin at auction with a troubling amount of what turned out to be just surface rust. Steel wool took the rust off to reveal this 100 year old beauty. Marked SA on the receiver.
It was just a local auction house. They don’t usually do rifles, this was an exception. It’s usually store returns, furniture, etc. Took a chance on this and it paid off!
Another commenter just made me realize this but in the future use brass or copper brushes to remove rust not steel. Brass and copper can't damage steel but they can remove rust, meaning you don't damage the actual gun or it's original finish like steel wool can.
Most gun shops should carry them.
Also any penny from before 1981 works for this since those were all copper.
nice man, $260 is a good deal but I still remember when RTI was selling crates of 10 for $1000. Hopefully it lasts you another 100 years despite corrosive primed 54R.