Need help, old Win. model 12 not looking so good

[CP]

Don't re-blu or refinish it, that just ruins the value of any classic firearm.  Use oil and brass wool to remove the surface rust and let the patina stay intact.  Keep it oiled to prevent the rust from reappearing.

I'm not very concerned about the monetary value as I think it likely has little but I am interested in keeping it looking "old."  I would really like it to not look "ruff" and "old" which is what I currently have.

Saving money is always cool but I like the idea of doing the work on this old shotgun myself.  It'll sort of give me a tiny bit of connection with it versus it just being some old shotgun that belonged to a family member I never knew. 

Soooo, do I saturate the brass wool with oil and scrub the surface or do you lightly dampen it with oil or??  Also, is there any particular type of oil I should use with the brass wool and then when I'm done and the surface is clean what type of oil should I use to coat it with to prevent surface rust from forming again???

I get my Great Grandfathers  old 16ga. Model 12 cleaned up and I'll have it and my Grandfathers Model 12.  My Grandfathers is a late 40's 12ga. Model 12 with a solid rib.  Neither has much monetary value but it's cool to have both of them.  My dad has the twin to my Grandfathers model 12 and if I hadn't been such an IDIOT when I was younger and traded my late 50's 16ga. solid rib model 12 in on a new Rem 1100, I could have passed four generations of Winchester Model 12's on to my daughter.   

Use lots oil on both the gun metal and on the brass wool.  Any good quality gun or machine oil or CLP will work.  The oil will become rusty as you work so flush with clean oil often.  For deep rust spots you can scrap the rust off with the edge of a flattened  .22 shell case.  Just smash the empty case on the open end with pliers.  The brass will not scratch the metal or the bluing but work softly, using just enough pressure to do the job.  Take off all the “active” rust and leave the patina.  Patina protects metal from active rusting and it looks like an old gun should.

I’ve done many guns in this matter and I like the look a lot better than a re-blu.   It saves the gun’s monetary value, historical value, but most importantly it saves the gun’s character.

[CP]

Here's a M12 that I removed the rust from in this manner:

[Don Fischer]

I'm big on do it yourself stuff but, if I was wanting to refinish my great grandfather's firearm, I'd take it to a pro. You mess it up and you don't replace it!

[b23]

I don't want to do anything that will make matters worse than they already are and I have no problem spending any reasonable amount ($500ish) it would take to have any and all work done by a professional.  But, considering its current condition, I'm not sure I could really make things any worse than they already are.  The bluing appears to be mostly gone.  The barrel, especially, looks to be nearly all bare.  It has kind of a bleached out, dry, look to it.  If that makes any sense.

Considering the current condition, what are some of the concerns I should have with regard to doing more damage than what's already been done by time and nature???

Also, keep in mind I'm not really trying to "refinish" this old model 12.  I'm more interested in just getting it cleaned up an removing the surface rust.  I don't want a shiny 100 year old model 12.  I'm ok with it looking old and dull but the surface rust I would like to get rid of.

[j_h_nimrod]

Post some pictures so we can all see what you actually have. Some peoples surface rust is totally rusted to crap while others is just slight spotting.