Lead filled Luger

[ithacaartist]

Happy Saturday, everyone,

A friend of my buddy Steve--who runs Gunblack in Interlaken NY-- has dropped off a couple of Lugers for him to restore. One is a matching Mauser Banner, but the one in question is a matching 1938 Military Mauser.

It was plated (I think nickel) without a lot of obnoxious buffing. The big question is what to best do about how it was "deactivated." The end of the barrel and the action were poured full of melted lead. The toggle knobs are raised around a half inch above their intended position in battery, and everything is frozen/locked in this position. Therefore, exact extent and location of what Pb was poured into the action is unknown.

Since the temp needed to melt the lead is below that which would affect any of the gun's heat treating, I've tentatively advised that the grips be removed and the gun set up and heated so that as much lead as possible will melt and run out, perhaps helped along by compressed air.

The melting process will not remove it all, of course, but enough needs to go that would allow the upper, TD lever, etc to move enough again for its disassembly. I'm thinking that donning a pair of good, heavy oven mitts might allow moving the related parts while they're still hot enough, before the residual lead has re-solidified.

Does anyone have experience performing this trick, or suggestions about another approach? (I am remiss in that I came away without snapping at least one pic, sorry.)