What Auto is least likely to rust?

I have somewhat toxic sweat and every gun Ive carried has at some point, and someplace, had rust on it. Ive had a couple of SS handguns that looked like Loners Colt above under the grips.

Glocks have been the most resistant and forgiving. Hard chrome has also worked well, but I have had some fine rust even with it, and again, mostly at or under the grips.

Ive had great results with Eezox on things that rust, and its what I use on my wipe down rags. Ive been using it on a couple of guns, my reloading equipment, and a bunch of tools in a damp basement for a number of years now, and not a spot of rust on anything Ive treated with it.

Works well on carry guns too, but, like anything else, you do need to constantly keep up with it and wipe things down on a daily basis, especially in warmer weather.

I would say my 6 "no rust" guns (stainless steel/polymer frame), would be my Ruger SR9c, Kahr CM9, S&W Model 686, Model 649, Model 638, and my Beretta Model 70S with Metalife hard chrome plating. All have been carried a lot (the Beretta is probably the all-time champ in that category), with never a trace of rust appearing anywhere on the metal. With my blued guns I like to use RIG Universal Gun Grease as it stays put wherever you apply it to the gun and does a great job of protecting the metal.

A HiPoint is good for a garage gun.

My firearms get disassembled, cleaned, and oiled every few months whether they have been shot or not.
This just gives me an opportunity to check on their condition and do precautionary maintenance on them.

They are put away by holding a wax-infused or oily rag to prevent corrosive marks on the finish.
That said, I have been pleased with both NP3 and Roguard finishes now done by Wright Armory.

Using basic firearms care will ensure the health of any semi-automatic that is picked.

We live on a couple of hundred Texas Hill Country acres and use a Honda UTV to get around on the place. I have a Taurus SS Judge that has riding in it for several years (seven or eight) with no outward problems. It is loaded with .410 for rattlesnakes (has several to its credit). I do switch it out during poaching season with a Taurus SS 1911. I sometimes carry both. They are very seldom given any TLC and have no outward blemishes of significance. After seeing the damage underneath the grips, I am going to check mine.

I also carry a Win 94 (post 64) and a cheap TriStar 12 gauge (also has some rattlesnakes to its credit) in an overhead roof rack that not have done as well. I have them in silicon stockings and periodically take then down for a good oiling and rubdown....

FWIW...

Just find a good cheap throw away gun & swap it out every 3 to 6 months or so.

I carried a Glock 26 for about 14years every day, inside and outside holster, in NYC humidity. Not a speck of rust to this day, about 25 years old now.

When I retired I bought a Ruger LCP, rust spots almost immediately.

Whatever you buy, Ezeox or WD-40 Professional LongTerm Corrosion Prevention Spray will keep it in good shape.

viking499 said:

If a person was looking for an auto to keep in a garage, automobile or say a freshwater houseboat for part of the season, whick brand of semi-auto is least likely to rust on the outside and internally?

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Speedo66 said:

I carried a Glock 26 for about 14years every day, inside and outside holster, in NYC humidity. Not a speck of rust to this day, about 25 years old now.

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I've had Glocks that were kept in garages or basements or vehicles for YEARS (in the mid-Atlantic humidity) with absolutely zero maintenance and zero rust.

AK Hunter said:

Just find a good cheap throw away gun & swap it out every 3 to 6 months or so.

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I always scratch my head at this sort of comment. There is no such thing as a 'good throw away gun'. Either it's a throw-away (in which case you probably ought not rely on it for SD unless you can't afford any better), or it's good (in which case there shouldn't be a need to treat it as throw away).

JCooperfan1911 said:

Robar

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Robar is out of business. Wright Armory now offers Robar's NP3 and other finishes.

Yet ANOTHER "old timer" once told me... "It's stain-LESS not stain proof"

For corrosion resistance I'd choose a Glock

Erief0g said:

My wife son has a smith MP40 that was a case queen. Rarely shot and after about six or seven months of sitting in the factory box it had pitting spots on three or four areas. I soaked it and scrubbed it to stop the rusting but explained that without desiccant and occasional oiling this would worsen quickly.

Nothing will trump correct care, oiling, and humid free storage

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My M&Ps, XDs and Glocks have done months in my car during the summer months in Alabama with nothing more than an occasional wipedown (a few seconds with a cloth maybe once a month). Not a bit of rust.

Glock.
I purchased my G17 in 2011. It's been left in the pickup many times on humid nights with a window cracked, and I I've carried it many times while mowing and other yard work and sweated all over it. The outside of the slide saw very little oil over the past 10 years. Six months ago I found a tiny speck of rust on the front top corners of the slide where its getting a little holster wear. First time I found rust on it.

The Ruger KP97 it replaced did good too.

Dont use a CZ75b. The polycoat works just fine but the barrel, safety, slide release, and mag catch will rust quick if left in a humid environment. I found that out the hard way and why the KP97 replaced it as a car gun.

Garage gun, boat gun....?
I would buy whatever best suitedmy intended purpose and plan to store it well.
About anything will keep reasonably well if you pause to give it a little care once in a while.
I'll bet that storage isn't as hard on things as edc. That'll take the new off anything.

If you really want to see a weapon rust-up, in my day of long ago, then Fort Sherman in the Panama Canal Zone-Jungle Warfare School is the place. It rained just about everyday!

someone left my Keltec P11 factory hard chrome in a puddle of water pooled behind the seat of a car that had the windows open in the rain. It sat for months, and when I was called about it, I took it apart, only the recoil spring was rusty. Even the blued parts held up decent. The chromed parts were fine. This was exclusively oiled with 10w30 motor oil, so no magic lube. Anything hard chromed will hold up.
I have had several stainless pistols under water, in heavy rain, and generally abused, and they do just fine. 1911's are widely available in stainless, and CZ-75 exist. Just about every revolver. I had a parkerized 1911 left out damp for a week or two and no rust appeared... motor oil again.

I am not a huge fan, but mine goes bang every time, is fairly corrosion resistant, and cost very little... a Hi-Point might not be a bad idea.

Obturation said:

Hi-point . it's like plastic coated zinc or something. Plus no one would be tempted to walk off with it.

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They are a cheaper, relatively dependable alternative. In the event they do rust, you've got great warranty coverage, and you're not out a lot of money.

ojibweindian said:

My M&Ps, XDs and Glocks have done months in my car during the summer months in Alabama with nothing more than an occasional wipedown (a few seconds with a cloth maybe once a month). Not a bit of rust.

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Let me rephrase.
Wife's sons gun was abused. It was carried inside the waistband for a few months and then set in its purchase case for months. Not cleaned and not oiled.
It's not too say they rust easily. More that all need sone semblance if proper care regardless of which one is purchased

I believe a salt nitrided finish would fare best. I have owned a XD and a M&P that I have never had a problem with rust on. I have a stainless 1911 that had rust spots appear after I left rubber grips on it for a while. I suspect the pistols that have a stainless slide & a polymer or aluminum frame would probably be fine. I haven't really tried it for storage but when carrying a blued handgun I have used a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax to avoid problems with rust.

Steve in Allentown said:

Robar is out of business. Wright Armory now offers Robar's NP3 and other finishes.

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NP3 has always been done by Coating Technologies. https://coatingtechnologiesllc.com/np3-metal-coating/

Wright Armory is one of the gunsmith shops that handle the firearms.

Most rust issues I've seen on newer pistols has not been the slide or barrel, but the small parts like the takedown lever and such. None of my Glocks have ever shown a spec of rust, but an M&P Shield had issues early on with the small parts. Same with an M&P40c. My brother has a S&W 686 that is his hunting sidearm, and he left it in his chest rig in his garage for a few months and all the black parts such as the sights were rusted pretty bad.

So I would say avoid S&W.

My choice would be a gen 3 Glock. I have had mine in saltwater, every fluid in a car poured on it, and I have caustic sweat that kills watches in a year. The finish still looks great on it with minimal care from me.

No matter what you choose, check on it every 3 months or so and clean as needed and oil the finish and it won’t be an issue. It really can be that simple. Clean, oil, store in a quality ziplock bag, and inspect every few months.

The original military grade of parkerizing is one of the best coatings around. I would also recommend some of the fewer Teflon based coatings as well.

Yup. A lot of your grandparent's tax dollars were spent to come up with a highly durable mil spec coating. Parkerizing won that contest. I have Parkerized pistols that are 40 years old that I have shot matches in the rain with and carried for years. Never a speck of rust in all those years. Park is cheap, available almost everywhere and just works.