Rust Treatment and Prevention

hello-

upon field stripping my pistol earlier this past week, I noticed rust on the metal components of the frame :smt076. it wasn't serious, just a little bit of brown and green that was unsightly rather than causing malfunction.

However, I of course want to fix the problem and prevent it from happening in the future (or getting WORSE!!). After doing some reading, it occurs to me that simply oiling the metal components with hoppes lube oil after cleaning, and once in a while may not be sufficient in preventing rust. I treated the affected (read "partially rusted") parts with CLP and I'm waiting for that to soak, again, before rubbing at it with an old toothbrush and wiping the excess off with a clean rag.

It is my understanding that there are chemicals out there to prevent rusting. I read about Rem Dri 35, a desiccant apparently designed to be used in a safe? Would buying a safe and this desiccant, and treating the metal with CLP and then wiping it off be my best bet to prevent rust in the future?

What do you all recommend to keep guns from rusting in somewhat humid apartment environments?

Apparently the Sig Sauer case it came in isn't exactly the best place to store my pistol...the case can be locked, so that's what i've been using up until now. also, this is the only handgun i own so I don't need a huge safe...at the moment.

Any help is greatly appreciated. :smt023

Google "Bullfrog" gun care products and you will find one of my favorite gun cleaners for years, and an awesome rust remover/preventer.

They claim that a metal part sprayed with their rust preventer, can stay outside in the elements for one year without rusting.

I'm a big fan of G96. This is the cleaner that I've always used and never had any rust issues. :smt023

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/8...pictureko1.gif

-Jeff-

Also look for Boeshield, although it's an anti-rust, preservative coating, not a lubricant.
Maybe coat the rust-prone sections with Boeshield, and then use a normal gun lubricant elsewhere.

I thoroughly clean all of my weapons with Hoppes Elite and then spray them with EEZOX. It has been proven to prevent rust for several years or storage. It dries and protects dry, as a hard film, so you do not have to worry about it gumming or drying out. It also lubes dry. I use it on all of my semi-autos.

http://www.eezox.info/index.html

Just to add to the desiccant, yes it does work. Remington makes a packet of it labeled Rem-Dri for about $15. It will come with an indicator that turns pink when it needs to be changed or recharged.

Essentially what it does, is it soaks up moisture in the air. When the substance, which is in crystal form, is used up, you can either replace it or following manufacturers instructions, recharge it. I have Rem-Dri myself, and if I recall right, the recharge time is 6hrs in a 200F oven.

On further note, no that case is not ideal. When it comes from the manufacturer its coated in a heavy oil to prevent rust. However, gun cleaning oil is generally a much lighter material. Plus, a thief will still take the manufacturers case, so locking it up isn't much help [want proof? Watch "To catch a thief" on Discovery]. I'd recommend getting a decent case or safe. If you're tight on cash, Stack-On makes small cases for around $100 that will hold several firearms, and being 40lbs itself and much bulkier is harder to be stolen [it can also be bolted to the floor or walls].

February 5th of this year, my house was taken by a tornado. My long guns (10) were in the closet with me and my wife. We were pulled out of the rubble, but the guns were exposed for three days of intense rain (24 hours/3days) before I could get machinery and get them out. When I finally got them out I learned a hard lesson about rust prevention. About half of them were coated with oils, of several name brand types and the other half had been waxed. I was just starting to wax the guns after reading about it in a forum.

Oiled Guns: rusted badly (all of them, all types of oils including some already mentioned)

Waxed guns: no rust, not a spot.

Wax used was not expensive type (Renwax, etc) but just plain old Johnson's Paste Wax. (Yellow can, no cleaners just wax)

No scientific manufacturer's test here, but it convinced me.

I now paste wax the outside of all my guns, including my EDC.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wjh2657

February 5th of this year, my house was taken by a tornado. My long guns (10) were in the closet with me and my wife. We were pulled out of the rubble, but the guns were exposed for three days of intense rain (24 hours/3days) before I could get machinery and get them out. When I finally got them out I learned a hard lesson about rust prevention. About half of them were coated with oils, of several name brand types and the other half had been waxed. I was just starting to wax the guns after reading about it in a forum.

Oiled Guns: rusted badly (all of them, all types of oils including some already mentioned)

Waxed guns: no rust, not a spot.

Wax used was not expensive type (Renwax, etc) but just plain old Johnson's Paste Wax. (Yellow can, no cleaners just wax)

No scientific manufacturer's test here, but it convinced me.

I now paste wax the outside of all my guns, including my EDC.

---

I am sorry to hear that you had to go through something like that!!!!

Wjh, I sure hate to hear that you lost your home to a tornado, but that was an interesting post about the wax, I have never heard of that before now, I will do a little archieve looking on this site but if you would post up what you use and do to all parts of the gun I would appreciate the information.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Teuthis

I thoroughly clean all of my weapons with Hoppes Elite and then spray them with EEZOX. It has been proven to prevent rust for several years or storage. It dries and protects dry, as a hard film, so you do not have to worry about it gumming or drying out. It also lubes dry. I use it on all of my semi-autos.

http://www.eezox.info/index.html

---

Eezox is the only thing I have used on all my guns for years. As long as its available, I wouldn't use anything else. All the guns that I have bought new, still look new. The ones that were used when bought, look like when they were bought. Takes about 1/4 the time to care for guns as with other methods.

I'll third the Eezox. I've only been using it for about nine months and it has served me well, but I've also read a lot about this item during this time, and I have yet to read of anything that resists corrosion better.

An item I've used for a number of years is the Sentry Solutions Tuff Cloth. I use it on the outside of barrels and receivers and the like, and always on my Euro breakbarrel air rifles. Because you have to grasp the barrel to cock these things, they will easily rust from the contact with your hands unless you use a good rust preventive. None of my breakbarrels have any rust at all.

hth,
PhilR.

The green you mentioned indicates copper which ought not remain after cleaning. You might need to do a more thorough cleaning to remove contaminates that promote rust or clean and re oil sooner than you have been after shooting it. Wiping the exterior surfaces is not enough.

None of the products will prevent rust if not used on the gun reasonably soon after after shooting which burns it off.

I have hunted in rather wet weather and as long as my equipment was cleaned and cared for soon after returning home it did not rust. I don't necessarily mean same day but within a week of getting wet.

There is no magic potion for this subject either.