What do you do when you see rust starting?

[hminsky]

I took a Winchester rifle out of storage and noticed a little rough patch on the bottom of the magazine tube, it looks like it might be the start of some rust under the blue finish.

What is the best thing to do now to prevent this from getting any worse?

 

[SKS Ray]

Get out the Break Free or Kroil and 00 steel wool and start rubbing.

When its gone, clean it and touch it up with some cold blue. Then when buffed out, apply a light coat of oil and you should be good to go.

 

[Sleepytime]

First try rubbing it with a little WD-40. It that doesn't do the trick (and it is only a quick fix) then get some rust/blue remover and some liquid gun blue. I have some Perma Blue rust and blue remover and Liquid Blue. It worked great on the screws of my beretta .22.

 

[HTRN]

WARNING ON RUST/BLUE Remover!!

This stuff will indiscriminately remove ALL rust, ALL BLUE and case hardening..

I recommend the 000 or 0000 steel wool as Mill Surplus 4 ME stated with some break free.

Most times you wont even need more blue... After rubbing the surface rust off, put a thick coat of BF on wait over night and then buff out.

Apply a light coat of oil (BF is always good) and off to the range you go!

 

[Pilgrim]

case hardening..

you gotta be kidding.

Case hardening is done by heat treating.

 

[Mike-Mike]

you gotta be kidding.

Case hardening is done by heat treating.

+1 some how I think he meant parkerizing

 

[HTRN]

No, case hardening too.

Basically, pack the metal part with leather and charcoal, and heat it until the carbon reacts with the surface of the metal.

The sulfuric acid in Blue/Rust remover will take this thin layer of carbonized metal off.


Added: I had an old muzzle loader that supposedly had some case-hardened parts (specifically Carburizing) this stuff took it off very easily.

 

[Tackdriver VillenTactical]

If it very light try thyethe wd-40. After that I'd try Flitz polish.

Dave

 

[Asaltweapon]

I mistreated my Colt 1911 once. Socked it in BF for a while and rubbed it off w/a rag.

 

[C-pher]

I do like they said above with oil and a corse cotton rag...seems to do a good job and doesnt scratch the finish.

Then I added a second Golden Rod in my safe. Haven't had a problem since...

 

[vellnueve]

WD40 and a rag usually does it for me.

 

[Dick]

Rubbing with the copper "Chore Boy" pads you can find in the supermarkets and a bit of oil will remove rust down to bare metal without harming the surrounding blueing.

 

[kevin9]

First time I saw rust my reaction was this:

*

Gun oil and a course cloth or very fine abrasive pad (3M 7448) worked to remove the rust without damaging the bluing. Treatment with cold blue, rust preventative and proper storage has kept it away.

*thanks SAS

 

[Pilgrim]

No, case hardening too.

Basically, pack the metal part with leather and charcoal, and heat it until the carbon reacts with the surface of the metal.

The sulfuric acid in Blue/Rust remover will take this thin layer of carbonized metal off.


Added: I had an old muzzle loader that supposedly had some case-hardened parts (specifically Carburizing) this stuff took it off very easily.

If you're referring to the color of the metal that the case hardening process creates, I might agree with you but case hardening is the process whereby the metal is hardened and the juice will NOT remove the case hardening.

 

[vellnueve]

WARNING ON RUST/BLUE Remover!!

This stuff will indiscriminately remove ALL rust, ALL BLUE

At the risk of sound like a smartass, it does sort of imply that in the name...

 

[HTRN]

At the risk of sound like a smartass, it does sort of imply that in the name...

Smartass.

 

[HTRN]

If you're referring to the color of the metal that the case hardening process creates, I might agree with you but case hardening is the process whereby the metal is hardened and the juice will NOT remove the case hardening.

Okay, the carbonized blue-ish pattern created by the process will be removed.

This is also removing the barrier that helps control rust.

The metal will not soften, if that is what you are implying.

So the hardness will not change.

For my info, is there a name given to this case-hardened blue that is more specific to reference?

Thanks Pilgrim!

 

[vellnueve]

Case color

 

[HTRN]

Case color

Cool, thanks!

 

[n1zfg]

No, case hardening too.

Basically, pack the metal part with leather and charcoal, and heat it until the carbon reacts with the surface of the metal.

The sulfuric acid in Blue/Rust remover will take this thin layer of carbonized metal off.


Added: I had an old muzzle loader that supposedly had some case-hardened parts (specifically Carburizing) this stuff took it off very easily.

The rust removers I've worked with (when fixing my car) used phosphoric and not sulfuric acid. It was also benign enough with un-oxidized steel that the not so rusty sections showed no signs of etching.

It may take off bluing or any heat discoloration, which is not the same as case hardening where the carbon will diffuse into the metal a lot further than just the first few layers of molecules.

 

[SKS Ray]

Hminsky... all the hype aside, just take a little piece of 00 fine steel wool and soak it in some Break Free, WD40, or Kroil and gently rub the area that looks rusty. Wipe it clean and apply a little protectant oil to that area.

I've taken rifle barrels that were scaled with rust and treated them using 00 steel wool and Break Free and have never had any rust come back.

 

[Executive]

Marvel Mystery oil on 0000 steel wool works pretty well too.


Chris

 

[hminsky]

Hminsky... all the hype aside, just take a little piece of 00 fine steel wool and soak it in some Break Free, WD40, or Kroil and gently rub the area that looks rusty. Wipe it clean and apply a little protectant oil to that area.

I've taken rifle barrels that were scaled with rust and treated them using 00 steel wool and Break Free and have never had any rust come back.

I'll try that ... thanks everyone for the help!