642 rusting already-anyone else?

[gruesomenewsom]

I took a look at my 642 the other day-now i bought this gun about 2 months ago, it has been cleaned after every time i shot it, and had been last shot maybe 3-4 weeks ago-and it had rust already building up on the cylinder swing-out piece (i dont know the terminology sorry). Obviously the frame being aluminum alloy and the cylinder being stainless steel those werent rusted at all. But the swing-out piece, which appeared to be stainless steel as well, was starting to rust! Now i work in water treatment which means i work in a watery, salty, and salt watery environment (similar to that of a salt-water boat) but the gun has never left my pocket, never gotten wet, and had been cleaned immaculately less than 3 weeks earlier! I'm gonna get into more often wipe-down habits for sure, but anyone else had this problem?

 

[Rexster]

If you are using a cleaning product that strips away all lubes/protectants, the bare steel will rust right quickly.

 

[Master Blaster]

Is this a resurrection or a Dejavu???

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=343367

 

[Baba Louie]

...i work in a watery, salty, and salt watery environment (similar to that of a salt-water boat) but the gun has never left my pocket...

Every night, take it out of the pocket it never leaves, wipe it down. Inspect beneath the grips every now and then. Moisture and salts in your clothing (maybe holster too?) and body heat has shown you that even stainless will oxidize.

'Sides that, the little guy probably likes being fondled and loved (who among us does not? )

 

[Steve Wynn]

That's a hard way to be reminded that stainless is not rustproof. I hope it cleans up ok. If you really need it almost 100% rustproofed. Call Mag-na-Port or SSK Industries. They can help you out with some first class work.

Steve

 

[Confederate]

Stainless shouldn't be rusting on you like that. Yes, I know that stainless isn't rust-proof, but I've had a lot of experience with stainless guns and I know that unless you've embedded steel wool into the stainless, or unless some corrosive elements got embedded during the maunfacturing process, it shouldn't be rusting.

Check to see if the part is really stainless. If you have some cold blue, drop some on the part to see if it changes color.

Ruger, I think, makes a better grade stainless than Smith. I've seen 681s with barrels so soft that the front sights were worn off by the holsters. Smith's stainless finishes also look like they were done with sandpaper much of the time, which ticks me off. The only problem I had with Ruger is a Security-Six I bought that was an FBI commemorative. Looked fine on the outside, but inside it was eaten up by rust. It was a case of tools embedding corrosive elements in the steel. Don't know what Ruger did, but when they sent the gun back, it was clean as a whistle, inside and out.

 

[sm]

gruesomenewsom,

I do not need to know the answers, none of my business, just trying to assist is all.

Your pH could be part of the reason as well.
Have you ever had a problem with anything else rusting?
Every been told you have acidic skin?

If not, how about any recent surgeries, getting on new meds, changing dosages, and medical conditions?

Old time methods like using Johnson's Paste Wax or RIG [Rust Inhibiting Grease] work very well.

Now some of these new guns, have special finishes and some gun cleaning products, some homemade gun cleaning recipes and techniques will hurt special finishes and rust will be easier to form.

Acidic skin and some skin secretions "might" get past any coatings, and therefore cause a problem.

 

[RyanM]

Different alloys of stainless have varying degrees of stain resistance. Whatever my 9 year old Kahr MK40 is made of, I basically have to keep it oiled like a blued firearm, or it starts to freckle after about a month.

 

[gruesomenewsom]

I basically have to keep it oiled like a blued firearm, or it starts to freckle after about a month.

Perfect description of my problem. Its not like a rot where metal has been eaten away, its more of like a freckling like he says. I took it out shooting yesterday and cleaned it up nice, still a few tiny spots but i mean tiny in every sense of the word. Unless you knew the spots were there you wouldnt see them in a million years. I'm not terribly worried about it. The only spot at all thats been "freckling" is the yoke and crane, and if it gets bad i can always replace that one part.

 

[boredelmo]

Do you happen to keep it in some kind of pistol case/foam box/holster when it's not in use? If so, that could be your problem. Let it air out.

 

[The_Shootist]

No Rust on My Blued Taurus M85

...and it dates from 1999. Probaly wasn't decently cared for (heck - some little old lady probably didn't take it out of the box!) 'til I bought it in Nov of last year.

The round count is climbing and it gets cleaned after every range session (every 1-2 weeks) and still no rust.

Ya need to get yourself a real snubiie ....blued with no rust and NO LOCK

 

[sixgunner455]

I carry my 642 almost every day. I sweat on it, a lot, in the summer. I've had it for four years, and it has no rust on it.

Of course, there is also an increasing lack of finish on the aluminum frame. What ya gonna do? If you're going to carry it, it's going to have wear, whether from the environment or just getting bumped and rubbed against stuff as you go through your day.