Should/how do I clean this rifle

I picked up this rifle some time ago, and have done nothing to it but wipe the metal down with oil. I have not disassembled it.
Finally getting around to some of my projects and was going to start cleaning it, but recent posts on this forum have me wondering what if any cleaning is appropriate. The rust is not active, but the rifle is not attractive to me in this state, but I do not want to detract from its collector interest or value. The rifle is all matching, and I believe a rather difficult to find maker/date.

My plan was to use lots of oil and 000 steel wool on the receiver and bolt, and oil and bronze wool on the rest of the metal. The wood would not be touched other than wiped down with a slightly damp rag to remove surface dirt.

Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated. Simson Suhl, do you need any info from this rifle for your research?

runner

You can just sell it to me

Runner- nice one! Yup that codes a pretty tough find. Personally the only thing I would do is oil the metal. If you have to clean it, I would use bronze wool not steel wool.

Runner, I would very much like to see the right receiver and all acceptance stamps on the stock! More pictures the better really, this maker-date isn't very common, especially original-matching. Unfortunately, most that do exist aren't in any better shape, Suhl makers typically are well used and abused.

I would suggest taking your time with this one, but if it were my rifle I too would clean it, 0000 steel wool at first, only on bare steel like you suggest, bronze on the blued areas, though depending on how that worked out I might go a little rougher in places. Obviously the stock is best left alone in 90% of situations regardless of how bad it looks.

Naturally if you ask 100 collectors you would probably get 99 or 100 different answers, but I generally do not like this kind of look to any rifle I own, whether it is a mistake or not to clean it only the owner can say. If it were mine I would, but only you can decide how far to take it, I just suggest go slow with whatever you decide and think about it before you go to the next step, - you can't go back as they say.

First pictures in cleaning process

Started the cleaning process on the rifle this afternoon. Rifle came apart pretty easy except for the lower band which was a bear to get off. All the numbered parts match except the firing pin, which has no marks of any kind. The inside of the handguard has numbers but they are not legible. No cleaning rod with this rifle so I will be looking for one.

Most of the parts are soaking in oil right now. I did try to get some pictures for Simson's research, they did not come out as well as I had hoped. I will try for better ones later. Please let me know what areas you want to see.

Thanks, these are pretty good, certainly enough for what I trend. The barrel code would be nice, many are JPS (S&S) barrels, but not all... also most important is all stock markings, it is tough to get pictures of them sometimes, but any acceptance stamps on the wrist and along the bottom would be helpful.

The receiver looks better than I was expecting, these pictures are better than the earlier ones. I think it might come out quite decent if you get a little lucky!

I didn't use any steel wool, a brass brush on the receiver, just bronze wool on the blued parts, the barrel actually cleaned up pretty well. The stock got nothing but a wipe down with a damp cloth which removed a lot of surface dirt.

small parts still soaking in oil, will probably go over the receiver again.

Simson, do you still track barrel codes on K98s or are you focused on Imperial items only.

regards, runner

Barrel codes 1898-1945 I track, acceptance patterns too (RR, stocks primarily), also all sub-contractors, trademarks, and the machinery and steel industry.

The BC study started with the 98k, it has several thousand rifles recorded and pretty useful (while a miniscule percentage of actual production, it does seem to be reasonably accurate, at least not often are there surprises), the Imperial era are much smaller, they are much harder to get data for, most collectors do not show the BC and some collectors act like you're asking to kiss their wife asking for their BC, so it is a much smaller study.

Anyway, yes, the 98k study is still active.