Rust prevention on blued barrels/actions

[jaysouth]

I have a couple of guns that get exposed to rain/dampness in the field. Someone suggested that I strip all the oil/grease off the exterior with Actetone and treat the metal with Johnson's Paste Wax to waterproof and rustproof the metal surfaces.

Any other ideas?

[stubshaft]

I live in an environment where it is usually damp and rainy whenever I go out hunting. I usually do not coat my guns with anything special when going outside. I will strip and spray/wipe it down with WD-40 if I've been in the pouring rain and coat the metal part with a thin coat of Liquid Alox (xlox) or Vaseline, then reassemble and store it.

I've tried virtually all of the "rust preventatives out there, from LPS through heavier coatings, including paste wax. Alox comes the closest to good old cosmoline and has not failed me yet.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I give my guns a coating of renaissance wax.

[Jeff Michel]

If your storing them, I'd use something akin to cosmoline. If your using them, I wipe mine down (lightly) once a month with Ed's Red and never had a hint of rust.

[JimB..]

Paste wax will neither waterproof nor rustproof, and if you get water under the furniture against the metal you will get rust.

There really isn’t a perfect solution, but I would dry them and wipe them down lightly with oil.

For long term storage I like vci bags and dessicants.

[trapper9260]

Paste wax will neither waterproof nor rustproof, and if you get water under the furniture against the metal you will get rust.

There really isn’t a perfect solution, but I would dry them and wipe them down lightly with oil.

For long term storage I like vci bags and dessicants.

You right , I do the same as you said wipe down with lightly oil and have no problems.

[Shawlerbrook]

For long term storage RIG and a good coat of paste wax for use in damp or rainy environs.

[pworley1]

I live in Mississippi. If you have ever been here you know about humidity. I make sure that they are as dry as I can get them and then I give them a good coating inside and out with "Ed's Red" oil (just equal parts of transmission fluid and kerosene) this coating lasts much longer than the bore cleaner mix. I never have a problem with rust.

[Newboy]

Sure I do.

Send it to a commercial coater like Black T, or nickel, or chrome, or teflon.

After that, you can store it in salt water and it won't rust.


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[Der Gebirgsjager]

I think that there are different situations that require different treatments. Bluing is itself a rusting process, a black oxide that is more pleasing to the eye than the red oxide of rust, and therefore it is very vulnerable to rust given the right circumstances. Although I live at a high elevation where there is a lot of snow in the wintertime, I can not say that it is particularly high humidity. I do wax some of my firearms, and I use Trewax which has a high carnauba content. I use it on both the stocks and the metal, apply it a dab at a time and rub it on with my forefinger in a circular motion to fill all the pores. Let it sit for perhaps 15 minutes, then buff it off with a soft cloth. I've never encountered rust after treating a firearm with Trewax, and I routinely reapply the wax annually. For firearms on which I don't wish to use the wax I use a light coating of gun oil. If I leave oil in the bore I stand the rifle on it's muzzle on top of a folded cleaning patch for several days so that any excess will run out and be soaked up by the patch, rather than finding it's way into the stock if it was standing on its butt.

DG

[lightload]

Most of us take care of our guns. This fact is more important than the product used. I can attest to Rig Gun Grease's high level of protection. Regular Hoppe's gun oil works well also.

[Winger Ed.]

All I've ever used is automotive motor oil as needed for the particular situation.
It does everything a car engine asks of it.
I can't figure how a firearm would need more than what the oil can do between frequent applications.

[Geezer in NH]

For serious hunting guns I use Rustoleum Matte black Paint. The Brits were not wrong using paint on their SMLE's. It will keep rust away. Looks like you painted it.

[knifemaker]

Instead of using paste wax, use Renaissance wax. It was made for protecting metal surfaces along with wood and leather. It is what the British Museum uses to protect their artifacts from rust and corrosion. I use it on carbon steel knives to prevent tarnish or rust. You can get it from knife supply outlets or Ebay or Amazon. Do not use any paste wax that has silicone as it will trap moisture between it and the metal.

[Gtek]

I have been on the coast here in Florida my whole life and sometimes I can see things rusting. I take a hair dryer or lay out in sun and get it saturated well above 100 degrees. I have a very large supply of Mil-ISSUE rifle grease that I thin some with TRI-FLOW and apply and then let cool to ambient. Gloved up work excess around and reassemble then light wipe excess of visible exterior/internal and push around a little with compressed air. High humidity, quick passing rain and dew laden mornings and evenings with airboat rides, no rust under stock line or nooks and has worked very well for me for decades.