Salt Water and Sidearms

[Producer]

Quick Story. Went to Washburn island in a canoe this weekend. Spent a few nights there. On they way back took on heavy water, got my pristine PPK wet.

I took it apart and wiped it down. Sprayed the heck out of it with WD40. Its now sitting in pieces soaking in a rag. Any other things I should do?

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

I'd have rinsed the whole gun under running fresh water first to rinse out any salts, then blown it dry and soak the whole gun(minus grips) submerged in WD40. You should be ok if you sprayed it down well.

Last Westfield shoot, everything I brought was soaked by rain all day so I stopped and bought two gallons and six spray cans of WD40 on the way home. Soaked all the small parts for a couple of days in it and sprayed down the receivers and bores with the cans. Nothing rusted.

 

[RKG]

Over time you will come to the conclusion that the only guns that go anywhere near salt water are stainless.

 

[Martlet]

I've dumped numerous shotguns while duck hunting off the coast. When I get home I wipe it down well with solvent. I soak the cracks (drip it in). Then I blow the whole thing out, cracks and all, and clean it as usual. A day or so later I wipe it down again. I've never had a problem.

 

[n1zfg]

I'm with Finalygotabeltfed.

If you got it hosed down really well, you should be o.k.
Check it over periodically for the immediate future, just in case you missed a spot. It is easier to remediate light surface rust than serious pitting.

FYI:
WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement 40th attempt".

I hosed WD-40 on a couple of ratchet tie downs that I had managed to get soaked by wet snow, then hung them in the garage to dry. When I came back to them several weeks later, I noticed that instead of rust, there was this nice light oily residue over their entire surface. I was happy.

 

[jamz]

I only bring a glock to the sea with me, so if it gets wet I don't care.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I only bring a glock to the sea with me, so if it gets wet I don't care.

There are a number of interal parts in a glock that are metal. A rusted spring, etc', could cause you just as much trouble without you even noticing it.

 

[TomH]

Salt water will corrode any metal, including stainless steel. I was told once the only thing stainless about stainless steel is the name! Of course it won't rust, but it will corrode over time like other metals; but at a slower pace.

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

Like the others said, rinse thoroughly a couple of times with fresh water and dry (be careful of compressor blown air...it has water in it). But I don't care too much for WD-40 (true on the name). I prefer Break-Free. Soak all metal parts down with it and let it sit for a day or so. Then repeat at least once. Then give the gun a light coat of oil and store as usual.
Be aware, though, if you have wood grips, they'll be soaked with salt water and you'll never get it out.

 

[USMC109]

I'd only bring a glock with me near salt water.The springs are cheap enough to replace if it does happen to get submerged but if your on a boat unless you dump it in the drink the air won't hurt it or even a few splashes and if you're in the water I'd suggest leaving the gun elswhere,lol.ALL stainless will rust especially if submerged and left.Tenifer is the only gun coting I would trust not to rust.

 

[RKG]

Salt water will corrode any metal, including stainless steel. I was told once the only thing stainless about stainless steel is the name! Of course it won't rust, but it will corrode over time like other metals; but at a slower pace.

I have taken a handgun to sea for over 25 years. Before stainless revolvers became common place, I would acquire beaten up K-frames. Even dosed with WD-40 and sealed in freezer bags with dessicant, they would rust. My stainless 66 and 65 have been aboard for more than 10 years now, just in a Ziplock (which is not always fully "zipped"), and nary a mark.

 

[sig shooter]

soak the whole gun in warm water than spray down EVERYTHING minus the grips with rustyduck gun lube. i prefer this lube because it has 4 different rust inhibitors in the formula.