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- Thread starter Dmn0166
- Start date
That's rust and maybe your bluing failing. Try 000 steel wool and be gentle, don't remove the finish. I would take the whole gun apart and look for more rust.
If it's bad you can plug the barrel with wood dowels, boil the whole barrelled action in distilled water converting red rust into black rust, and "card" the rust off with a carding wheel, which is a lot like a buffing wheel, then refinish. You could paint but I recently cold blued a gun and it came out nice.
There's an at home process called cold bluing. Pretty easy. You'd scrub all the old finish off with a scouring pad and gun cleaner, wash with soap and water, soak the action in gas or acetone over night, handle with gloves/dont get any oil on surface, hang like painted parts, and apply this cold bluing chemical, let almost dry, and wipe off with a clean rag. Preheating before application with a heat gun helps, not hot to the touch just warm. Buff gently with 000 wool between coats, don't remove your surface. Makes a very thin layer of rust that inhibits destructive rust. Most people do 3-6 coats. When you're done spray cold water from the garden hose on it to help close the pores of the metal. Takes an evening.
If it's bad you can plug the barrel with wood dowels, boil the whole barrelled action in distilled water converting red rust into black rust, and "card" the rust off with a carding wheel, which is a lot like a buffing wheel, then refinish. You could paint but I recently cold blued a gun and it came out nice.
There's an at home process called cold bluing. Pretty easy. You'd scrub all the old finish off with a scouring pad and gun cleaner, wash with soap and water, soak the action in gas or acetone over night, handle with gloves/dont get any oil on surface, hang like painted parts, and apply this cold bluing chemical, let almost dry, and wipe off with a clean rag. Preheating before application with a heat gun helps, not hot to the touch just warm. Buff gently with 000 wool between coats, don't remove your surface. Makes a very thin layer of rust that inhibits destructive rust. Most people do 3-6 coats. When you're done spray cold water from the garden hose on it to help close the pores of the metal. Takes an evening.
+1 for @whatluck 's comments. If you won't have time to address the corrosion with a more permanent solution, you will at least want to take the barreled action out of the stock and thoroughly wipe it down with a quality gun oil such as RemOil or the like. Leave a slight film of oil on the parts when storing.
Oh- one more thing from Captain Obvious: If that unfortunately happened on your watch, be sure to address the cause of the rust. If it happened in the field, be more vigilant for keeping a protective film of oil and/or more thorough drying if exposed to moisture or water. If it happened during storage- correct that issue.
Oh- one more thing from Captain Obvious: If that unfortunately happened on your watch, be sure to address the cause of the rust. If it happened in the field, be more vigilant for keeping a protective film of oil and/or more thorough drying if exposed to moisture or water. If it happened during storage- correct that issue.
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There are differing opinions on steel wool for rust. Some people say it is fine. Others say that steel wool can get tiny bits of the steel wool into microscopically pitted areas, and then the steel wool traces rust more easily and continue the rusting process.
I have used Chore Boy brand pure copper scrubbers with good results. These are recommended by some people who don't like steel wool. I am not sure whether I believe the issues about steel wool or not, but Chore Boy copper scrubbers definitely work OK to remove rust while minimizing any damage to blueing. Note that you want pads labelled "pure copper." There are other copper looking pads that are actually copper plated steel, which is not what you want. You can sometimes find these pads next to the other pot scrubbers in the supermarket, but will most likely need to order them.
There is also another product called Big 45 Metal Cleaner. I have not tried them and have no connection to them, but they make scrubbing pads that are specifically designed for removing corrosion from blued firearms.
I have used Chore Boy brand pure copper scrubbers with good results. These are recommended by some people who don't like steel wool. I am not sure whether I believe the issues about steel wool or not, but Chore Boy copper scrubbers definitely work OK to remove rust while minimizing any damage to blueing. Note that you want pads labelled "pure copper." There are other copper looking pads that are actually copper plated steel, which is not what you want. You can sometimes find these pads next to the other pot scrubbers in the supermarket, but will most likely need to order them.
There is also another product called Big 45 Metal Cleaner. I have not tried them and have no connection to them, but they make scrubbing pads that are specifically designed for removing corrosion from blued firearms.
45collector
NES Member
I have one. It works amazingly well without putting any scratches on the finish.
