Update:
Last night I decided to move on and start electrolysis for rust removal. Photos will be posted in the album when time permits. Catalyst media was 3 tbsp baking soda (heated to 450 deg F for 10 minutes, to change it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate) dissolved in 2 gallons of tap water. Anodes are rebar. Source is an electric car battery charger set at 6 volts. Time in tank = 3-4 hours (magazine body was only in for about 20 minutes).
Results were excellent for rust removal. The steel magazine body came out clean as a whistle and only required a few strokes of 0000 steel wool and a clean dry cloth to make it ready for bluing. I will most definitely be cleaning up the rest of the magazine parts and putting them back together for use.
I also put the frame, barrel/slide, and rear toggle in (coupling link pin still in place, thank you
). As expected rust removal was very good where exposed. Post-dip clean up with steel wool was more difficult due to the number of nooks and crannies but again provided acceptable results. The bore has also started to clean up-lots more brown gunk came out and I am seeing lands and grooves that are a tad better defined than they were before. I suspect that with further cleaning geared toward copper and lead removal this will improve. Balance of small parts will not be subjected to rust removal as they are all relatively rust free after initial pre-dip detail cleanup.
Goal number 2 is chrome removal. I was interested in whether or not the formula above would remove the chrome plate as many have speculated this process ruins chrome-lined bores. I can now confidently report by way of observation that the chrome plating on these parts was not affected in any way by this process and remains intact and shiny. Although the difference in hard chrome bore lining and shiny decorative chrome plating is understood I would submit that the comparatively mild (slightly alkaline) electrolysis process above will not affect either chrome format.
My next step will be to change the catalyst media to muriatic acid or other suitable chemical to remove the chrome plate.
Final step before bluing prep will be to subject all parts necessary to a final detail cleaning and degreasing.
As this process continues I am becoming further convinced that rebluing will be the preferred finish. Again, any assistance is appreciated in finding a list of which parts are blued, which are strawed, and what remains in the white. Research on this site hasn't come up with much that is definitive (not flaming!), but I think this would be sticky material if it could be had.
Thanks for your interest and input,
Justin