Cant believe the rust\damage on this Ruger LC9

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ba ba booey

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Okay, so I bought a new Ruger LC9 less than two months ago, and have been CC it for about 5 weeks in a crossbreed style holster. The function and dimensions of the gun are great, and I've been really satisfied with it as a carry piece. I've also have always been happy with Ruger products which played a part in why I bought the LC9

At the end of the day I've either been unholstering the Ruger or leaving it in the holster till the next day. It has been hot in SC and I'll sweat like anyone else but I haven't been swimming and taking a shower with this thing.

So a few hours back I happen to notice that I have some surface rust on the slide near the front sight on both sides of the pistol. This was alarming but I figured that it would clean off with a little oil and that I'd be more diligent about wiping the gun down with a silicone cloth every night. Get that surface rust off with Rem Oil and a cotton patch and see that it has definitely decayed the finish, eaten it away and in one spot the size of a flea taken it total down to the bare metal!

Now I will admit that I should have been more observant, and really wish I'd siliconed the slide every few days. Upset with myself for not doing so. However I am a little disappointed in the blueing on this gun. I know it doesn't have a Glock type finish and I shouldn't expect it to, but I've carried a Glock daily for years and its been subjected to way more than this with no ill effects on the finish. See attached photo of the damaged blueing. Short of having it reblued it I don't think that it would look right and don't know what it would look like if I used a cold blue touch up. I have one but have never used it for anything. Anyway, check out the picture (click to enlarge)
 

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thanks for the suggestion. I went to the link, is this stuff commonly used on firearms?
 
ba ba booey said:
Okay, so I bought a new Ruger LC9 less than two months ago, and have been CC it for about 5 weeks in a crossbreed style holster. The function and dimensions of the gun are great, and I've been really satisfied with it as a carry piece. I've also have always been happy with Ruger products which played a part in why I bought the LC9

At the end of the day I've either been unholstering the Ruger or leaving it in the holster till the next day. It has been hot in SC and I'll sweat like anyone else but I haven't been swimming and taking a shower with this thing.

So a few hours back I happen to notice that I have some surface rust on the slide near the front sight on both sides of the pistol. This was alarming but I figured that it would clean off with a little oil and that I'd be more diligent about wiping the gun down with a silicone cloth every night. Get that surface rust off with Rem Oil and a cotton patch and see that it has definitely decayed the finish, eaten it away and in one spot the size of a flea taken it total down to the bare metal!

Now I will admit that I should have been more observant, and really wish I'd siliconed the slide every few days. Upset with myself for not doing so. However I am a little disappointed in the blueing on this gun. I know it doesn't have a Glock type finish and I shouldn't expect it to, but I've carried a Glock daily for years and its been subjected to way more than this with no ill effects on the finish. See attached photo of the damaged blueing. Short of having it reblued it I don't think that it would look right and don't know what it would look like if I used a cold blue touch up. I have one but have never used it for anything. Anyway, check out the picture (click to enlarge)
Click to expand...

Leaving a blued gun in a holster is the worse thing you can do. You do realize bluing is rust right? What did you think would happen?
 
and have been CC it for about 5 weeks in a crossbreed style holster.
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A cheap knockoff?? Seems like you might have got a holster that wasn't vegetable tanned in order for it to rust that quickly...
 
Give it a couple coats of a good car wax. That'll protect the surface metal from humidity. Keep waxing it from time to time as part of your gun care routine.
 
When I had a problem with one of my guns starting to develop surface rust (my backwoods gun which I carried a lot), I decided something other than a blued finish was needed. I came across Metalife which does hard chrome plating. I think at the time it actually cost less to have it done this way than to have it reblued. That was many years ago and the gun still looks as good as the day I got it back from being plated. For concealed carry gun I highly recommend checking them out.
 
Blueing is the least protective of finishes.

If you're keeping the pistol I'd check out getting the slide refinished with one of the epoxy baked paints.

BSW
 
Happened also to my Kel-Tec PF9 pretty quickly here in southern Florida. I ended up replacing the slide with a hard-chromed one (which is also trying to rust, but it's holding up pretty well after two years.)

I might give that Corrosion X mentioned above a try on some of my other pieces. In the left column on their site, you'll see a product version specifically for firearms.
 
Don't cold blue it - that finish wears off very quickly but it'll give the gun a smell that will last years.

Honestly, I'd look into chrome plating. That'll wear much better than bluing and just the slide can likely be done for under $100. Short of that with a blued gun carried that frequently you'll likely have to oil it and check for any rust rather frequently.
 
Its a carry pistol, a working gun. It'll look even worse in a few years. Improve your rust preventative procedures and carry on.

If function is 100% and you shoot it well then don't give a hoot about how it looks!
 
Sell it and carry your glock... Ruger is an obsolete firearms company now. Their QC and materials quality is non-existent now.
 
Like others have said, I'd just clean it up and be more careful with it. My trusty little LCP has pitting and scratches here and there from daily carry. She still fires just fine even if she won't win any beauty contests.
 
brbdwyr said:
Opinion or some top secret inside knowledge?



Regardless, Sweaty wet gun is gonna rust.
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Range safety officer, FFL, instructor, collector..... Sweaty glock, H&K, Sig, even walther doesn't rust...

Sorry, but you get what you pay for. You pay for a cheap blued pistol, you get a cheap blued pistol...
 
^^ Please tell me you're not in Florida..

No professional "RSO" or "FFL" would make the blanket statement of..

Ruger is an obsolete firearms company now. Their QC and materials quality is non-existent now.
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.. without backing it up with fact (unless they were employed by Glock.)
 
Guys, I've got nothing to prove... I mentioned walther, H&K, sig.... As well as glock. He mentioned he had a glock and rather than to buy one of the other ones, I suggested carrying that instead. Ruger is not what it used to be. Plain and simple. Look up all he issues ruger has now. I've seen first hand so many examples of poor firearms produced by that company it's staggering.

Think what you will. Carry what you will. Pray the rust isn't in places where it may actually matter when you need it most.

Now, carry on and pretend I was never here. ;)

OP, good luck with your beloved Ruger.... Rust and all.
 
Scrubber3 Sell it and carry your glock... Ruger is an obsolete firearms company now. Their QC and materials quality is non-existent now.
Click to expand...

You were saying?
 

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MedWheeler said:
^^ Please tell me you're not in Florida..

No professional "RSO" or "FFL" would make the blanket statement of..



.. without backing it up with fact (unless they were employed by Glock.)
Click to expand...


I know of no "professional" FFL btw.. Or RSO as that's about like saying "professional chair sitter"..

I've seen many a semi-auto ruger have many, many problems...

As I said earlier... Carry on... I was never here. ;)
 
^ wrong it's classic galvanic corrosion reacting to the dissimilar metal tab in the sight and on the barrel locking lug.

The only thing that truly won't rust on a glock is the polymer fame.

While ferric nitrocarburizing offers protection it's not absolute
 
Btw, the holster is an alien gear holster, which as fae as function is concerned has been an unbelievable value. The bad (pictured) side is the one facing the kydex shell. Always try to look after my stuff, feel like $%#@ for letting this happen. May try to find a place to hard chrome it if that wont affect the reliability of the slide on the receiever.
 
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