Tips for taking rust off of gun barrel

[Northface37]

I have a 30.06 that is around 10-15 years old and has accumulated some rust on the barrel. Anyone with tips for removing the rust and gun back to like new condition.

[Alchemist]

If it's just light rust, polish it off with 0000 steel wool and gun oil. Keep a good film of oil on the metal and rub with firm light pressure. You'll get a feel for how hard you need to rub it. Just be patient and stay at it. Take the oil off with a soft cloth (an old T-shirt) whenever it looks like rust soup and put on some fresh oil.

Hope that helps....good luck.

[DCP]

Can you use a white 3M pad it is suppose to be the same as 0000 steel wool?




If it's just light rust, polish it off with 0000 steel wool and gun oil. Keep a good film of oil on the metal and rub with firm light pressure. You'll get a feel for how hard you need to rub it. Just be patient and stay at it. Take the oil off with a soft cloth (an old T-shirt) whenever it looks like rust soup and put on some fresh oil.

Hope that helps....good luck.

[Char-Gar]

I have used 000 or 0000 steel wool and oil for years. These days I just Kroil on the same pads. It works.

[Bret4207]

I'm like Chargar, 4/0 steel wool and a light oil.

[Multigunner]

Balistol is great for removing surface rust without damaging bluing.
I usually use a wooden scrapper made from a popcycle stick to break up hard rust deposits.
I've used non abrasive synthetic hair pad I had leftover from upholstery to scrub away rust, but with balistol you can often just apply,let it go to work ,and wipe with a cloth, then repeat.
I've found balistol continues to break loose rust from pores long after the finish looks rust free.

[uscra112]

I use a BRONZE brush and any sort of thin oil to float the rust particles away. It doesn't seem to touch the blueing the way steel wool does. Ditto case colors. Have more experience than most at this - I keep buying old relics to restore.

I've read up on electrolytic rust removal and am about to try it. Reports are that it gets the rust and doesn't touch the blue. All you need is washing soda, a sacrificial electrode, and a 12v battery charger. For spots, they say you don't need to immerse the part, just separate the electrode from the work by a sponge or cloth soaked in the alkaline solution.

www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm

[kywoodwrkr]

Balistol is great for removing surface rust without damaging bluing.
I usually use a wooden scrapper made from a popcycle stick to break up hard rust deposits.
I've used non abrasive synthetic hair pad I had leftover from upholstery to scrub away rust, but with balistol you can often just apply,let it go to work ,and wipe with a cloth, then repeat.
I've found balistol continues to break loose rust from pores long after the finish looks rust free.
Plus one for Ballistol.
Been using it for almost a year now to clean rust and smoke off 'things' that were in a smoky environment, plus some heat and then water. ie fire!
Nothing worked as well as Ballistol in this cleaning process.
As stated, soak with Ballistol, try to clean, re apply and continue.
Will not harm plastic, wood, leather etc.
WW1(black powder) German bore cleaner and every bit as useful today.
Just MHO from use.
YMMV

[KCSO]

Nevrdull will take the rust and not touch the blue.

[Junior1942]

If it's just light rust, polish it off with 0000 steel wool and gun oil. Keep a good film of oil on the metal and rub with firm light pressure. You'll get a feel for how hard you need to rub it. Just be patient and stay at it. Take the oil off with a soft cloth (an old T-shirt) whenever it looks like rust soup and put on some fresh oil.

Hope that helps....good luck.By coincidence I just finished doing that to my great-nephew's 410 single barrel shotgun. It now looks nearly new. Only I didn't oil it first. I used steel wool, then an oily rag. He's 6 and might get squirrel n gravy this coming weekend!

[Molly]

Four ought steel wool and oil do the trick on very light rust, and often, you can't even tell the rust was ever there. For heavier rust and pitting, I use a fired cartridge case to scrape off the rough stuff. An ordinary penny works well too. The idea is to use a metal that is harder than the rust, but softer than the steel. Most anything that is softer than the steel will do the job. Then follow with the steel wool. I used four ought exclusively. I tried three ought once, and scratched the blue.

[ilcop22]

I use a brush and some Kroil. Apply BreakFree CLP after you're done to ensure the rust does not return.

[Ben]

Northface37


To remove the rust, take 0000 steel wool and wet the barrel ( and any other rusted metal parts ) with WD-40. Allow it to soak for a few minutes, take the 0000 steel wool and begin to rub. You may find it necessary to spray more WD-40 onto your 0000 steel wool to keep it wet. The rust will begin to leave the barrel and go into a liquid with the WD-40. You'll end up with a red / brown liquid all over the barrel. You can now take an old white cotton T shirt and begin wiping away the rust. This may require several applications of this technique to remove all the rust.

Once the rust is removed, put a light coat of this material ( in the link below ) on your metal ( and inside your bore ) once ever 2 months. Your rusting will be OVER.

Never store a pistol, rifle, or shotgun in ANY type of case. Keep them in a constant temp ( and preferably a low humidity area ) in the open or in a gun safe with a Golden Rod.

Here is the material you'll need to prevent any additional rust ( You MUST apply this material after you've done the above technique or the rust will reappear and I mean quickly ! WD-40 is a very poor, long term, choice for a rust preventative on your firearms ) , once your metal is cleaned and is rust free, use this product :

http://www.fluid-film.com/

It is one of the best rust preventatives that I know of. It will not harm fine bluing . A lot of farm supply stores carry the product. It is some amazing stuff when it comes to preventing rust.

Ben

[Rio Grande]

Ditto on the penny idea. For the heavier rust build-up, kind that will leave small pitting. Breaks up the crusty stuff. Use a pre-1982 penny - they are solid copper. Then the steel wool and oil.
For the lighter stuff, just steel wool and oil.

[Flinchrock]

Northface37


To remove the rust, take 0000 steel wool and wet the barrel ( and any other rusted metal parts ) with WD-40. Allow it to soak for a few minutes, take the 0000 steel wool and begin to rub. You may find it necessary to spray more WD-40 onto your 0000 steel wool to keep it wet. The rust will begin to leave the barrel and go into a liquid with the WD-40. You'll end up with a red / brown liquid all over the barrel. You can now take an old white cotton T shirt and begin wiping away the rust. This may require several applications of this technique to remove all the rust.

Once the rust is removed, put a light coat of this material ( in the link below ) on your metal ( and inside your bore ) once ever 2 months. Your rusting will be OVER.

Never store a pistol, rifle, or shotgun in ANY type of case. Keep them in a constant temp ( and preferably a low humidity area ) in the open or in a gun safe with a Golden Rod.

Here is the material you'll need to prevent any additional rust ( You MUST apply this material after you've done the above technique or the rust will reappear and I mean quickly ! WD-40 is a very poor, long term, choice for a rust preventative on your firearms ) , once your metal is cleaned and is rust free, use this product :

http://www.fluid-film.com/

It is one of the best rust preventatives that I know of. It will not harm fine bluing . A lot of farm supply stores carry the product. It is some amazing stuff when it comes to preventing rust.

Ben

Fluid Film....GOOD STUFF!

[EOD3]

For those suggesting pennies...

A No-2 pencil can be used to "scribble" the rust off. When the rust is gone, the pencil will slide smoothly over the metal, then use the eraser to remove any graphite left behind.

This will remove all the oil so plan accordingly.

[Northface37]

EOD3- Pretty creative, first time Ive heard of that one. Has anyone tried the nevrdul stuff other than KCSO? I have two different rifles that could use some lovin so I may just try and run a few trials. Ill post the results if anyone is interested. thanks to all.

[DANCELIONDANCE]

Nevrdull - great stuff! Use on any metal for rust - smells terrible but works well. Little bit of oil and oooo steel wool goes a long ways - a good paste wax on barrels also helps prevent rusting after you get all the rust off. Vanns Instant Blueing, Arrow oils, wood finish and gun wax help to keep a gun looking new - I have a Savage 110 that is almost 45 years old that looks almost new. For info on these products (http://mpi.wesitewizard.com/Home.html) Also consider VCI bags for long term storage, I use them for guns I don't shoot often and have never had a gun rust when using them. (www.polygunbag.com) Good source if you only need a few - can buy cheaper in larger quantities - just Google "VCI bags"

[Lee]

Well????? Junior, did he get some quirrel n gravy?????:smile:

[Molly]

VCI bags are available inexpensively in a variety of lengths and diameters from Highland Technologies, Mt. Orab, Ohio. They also sell gun cases treated with VCI, and VCI capsules you just toss in your gun safe to prevent rust for years. Good folks. Give them a holler.

[EOD3]

VCI bags are available inexpensively in a variety of lengths and diameters from Highland Technologies, Mt. Orab, Ohio. They also sell gun cases treated with VCI, and VCI capsules you just toss in your gun safe to prevent rust for years. Good folks. Give them a holler.

Molly, would you happen to have a website for these folks? I'm apparently having a senior moment and can't locate them. :-?

[frnkeore]

A copper scouring pad also works well. I get mine at Walgreens.

Frank

[uscra112]

Just make sure it's really copper and not these copper-plated-steel substitutes most places sell now. Steel, including steel wool, will scrub the surrounding blue off.

[Molly]

Molly, would you happen to have a website for these folks? I'm apparently having a senior moment and can't locate them. :-?

Umm. I'm in the process of an interstate move and am using my brother's computer. All I have at the moment is an email:
"Lester McFarland" <lester@highlandtech.biz>,

[EOD3]

Umm. I'm in the process of an interstate move and am using my brother's computer. All I have at the moment is an email:
"Lester McFarland" <lester@highlandtech.biz>,

Thanks Molly, "highlandtech.biz" is enough to get there. Turns out I did find the site but the pictures of cell-phones on the main page threw me off.

[El Bango]

You may think I'm nuts but this was in one of the Kinks books ,I don't remember which.I tried it on a 1947 Marlin 39A and was impressed.I used a hard chrome plated Snap-On round shanked screwdriver.Rub the rusted area with the shank of the screwdriver hard then wipe off with a dry soft cloth,repeat as necessary.This won't even affect the blue.