im guilty of neglect and negligence and stupidity

[nagantguy]

I take care of my tools and gear; growing up poor and military service drilled it i to me, my tools and guns and such are my bread and butter of what I do and love and it makes me smile to know my grandkids will have this stuff some day...last night I got my mini 14 ranch rifle out of the tool box of the truck, where its lived in a specially padded case since the mid 90s. I call it my killing stick cause its always close buy and I've used it to dispatch 1000s of varmints a few deer a few turkies when living where they could be got with a rifle....its my go to trusty gal. Anyhow for some reason yet to be determined the tool box has started to leak!! Ammo was in plastic but the metal has rusted, must have only been a couple of days most came off with a chore boy a few pits on the bottom of the barrel and trigger guard and scope mounts, finish it starting to flake off the stock and the scope has mildew on it...the barrel cleaned up fume after 4 patches they came out rust free and with the bore light looks fine and shiny. This is the worst rust I've ever had on a fire arm, so to make it up to the old girl she's getting her wood refinished the metal is getting an acid bath and im gonna powder coat all metal, thinking od green as the nagant I did this spring turned out so sharp. Today ill study the box and see if I can find what made her leak and fix it or get a new one. Now this gun wasn't pretty and the finish wasn't perfect but it was well taken care of and I feel like a heel, just wanted to vent and admit my mistakes in public.

[texassako]

A leaky box is why a ranching neighbor switched to a synthetic stocked stainless mini 14 from the blued steel and wood ranch model.

[Maximumbob54]

I've not tried them but you might try one of these for the future:

https://www.zcorrproducts.com/

Also, I switched from regular CLP type gun oils to Eezox or Frog Lube for far superior corrosion protection. I've not had a speck of rust since with either product and with both a little goes a long way.

[pworley1]

I am glad you caught it when you did.

[bikerbeans]

I've owned a half dozen different pickup truck toolboxes and I thought they were designed to leak.

BB

[Artful]

I've owned a half dozen different pickup truck toolboxes and I thought they were designed to leak.

BB

Here in Arizona they only leak when it rains - no big deal - right

[andremajic]

Perfect time to rust blue it!

My solution is for sale in Swapping and selling. check it out!

Andy

[osteodoc08]

Why would you keep it in a tool box as opposed to in the cab? Not criticizing, just curious.

I think your plan of Durakoting it is good. It hides small imperfections and the finish is darn tough.

[Pepe Ray]

doc;
could it have been condensation?
Pepe Ray

[Pepe Ray]

nagantguy
could it have been condensation?
Pepe Ray

[country gent]

Also look at the case as it appears it may have help moisture when the box leaked onto it. Water on good well blued steel should dry before heavy damage is done. If its not being held there to keep working. Just a thought I had when reading your post.

[nagantguy]

Seems one of the rubber washers on one of the 5 screws holding it to the bed of the truck failed, only place with rust and a closer look showed the rubber around the screw head all but gone, its rained a great amount her in the last two weeks, so much crops are late getting in. A little water getting in and being a black metal box the whole thing was full of condensation. It'll all be all right, test fired her tonight for function and accuracy, same as before. Now I will make her inscrutable and she will be the beauty I always saw her as. Monday she has a date with the sand blaster then a spray of a color to be determined and a hot date with the oven this weekend her wood will get some attention. Reason she doesn't ride in the cab is cause of the time the truck spends ion job sites, being bolted to the truck bed and internal and external locks it would be no small feat to break into. If im at my house or dads or uncles she is on the seat, trucks been broke into once or twice, tool box never.