Routine Gun Finish Maintenance & Rust removal

[Gump]

http://hunting.about.com/library/weekly/aa110299.htm

[Likwid]

Thanks for the link, I've got some light rust on my slide... gotta take that shit off

[chevysoldier]

I've used steel wool before to take rust of firearms. If you have patience and go slow, it works really well. Oiling the gun down is the number one preventative maintenance item you can do. If it's a gun I use often, I just put a very light coat on it. If it sits a lot, I use a heavier oil and put it on thicker. In a pinch, motor oil works very well too.

[ReconRat]

I use 0000 steel wool and take my time. Cold bluing pens work well as far as I can tell for touch up.

[serpentracer]

I've used steel wool before to take rust of firearms. If you have patience and go slow, it works really well. Oiling the gun down is the number one preventative maintenance item you can do. If it's a gun I use often, I just put a very light coat on it. If it sits a lot, I use a heavier oil and put it on thicker. In a pinch, motor oil works very well too.

cosmoline is the best thing you can use on a gun. the navy even uses it on ships I've been told

http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/

if you guys have a old gun and want to retain it's value don't use steel wool etc. you'll ruin it's value.

[chevysoldier]

Oh yeah, that stuff is great, just a bit on the high side in price. I find it to be over kill for my needs but it won't drip/rub off over time like oil can. Never knew they used it on ships, makes sense though.

[serpentracer]

yeah suposedly they used it a lot on the guns etc because of the sea salt etc. but that was back in ww2 I think.

[speedytriple]

For my carry gun I strip and clean/oil it once a week. Just to make sure it does not rust. Stainless would have been better but I could not find one at the time.

[TSB67]

BTW, since everyone has been on an 870 kick lately, that black matte finish on the 870 express WILL rust if you don't oil it.

I was under the assumption that that coating was corrosion resistent, and I had little rusty fingerprints on the barrel in no time. At that stage they just wiped off with Hoppes and oil, but if you look really close you can still see the etch.

[Gump]

if you guys have a old gun and want to retain it's value don't use steel wool etc. you'll ruin it's value.

So is there a better way to get it off if it has really light spots of rust, all down the top of the barrel, but you don't want to mess up the blueing or the value? I never really understood the situation of retaining the bluing and value yet trying to clean it up scenario. Would it be better to leave it or remove it.

[serpentracer]

So is there a better way to get it off if it has really light spots of rust, all down the top of the barrel, but you don't want to mess up the blueing or the value? I never really understood the situation of retaining the bluing and value yet trying to clean it up scenario. Would it be better to leave it or remove it.

I don't know anything about restoring guns but I've been told to never use steel wool to clean one.

it basically makes it worthless. this is old guns. not something modern.

[Gump]

Every gun cleaning article I can find concerning rust says steal wool (0000). Except the onion lady.

[C-bus]

I used aluminum foil and gun oil to remove some rust on my deeply blued 870. Worked well.

[ReconRat]

I don't know anything about restoring guns but I've been told to never use steel wool to clean one.

it basically makes it worthless. this is old guns. not something modern.

The aged patina on an old gun makes it more valuable. Changing or removing the "age" does indeed ruin it's intrinsic value.

edit: btw, never use a rust remover on a firearm. Bluing and browning is a form of corrosion and will be removed.

Voice of experience here, I had to re-blue a part on a Colt for my stupidity. I did hot bluing on the stove to fix it.

.

Edited October 25, 2010 by ReconRat