Remove/keep tarnish off gun?

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addedpulp

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I don't get to fire my guns very often. I was cleaning today and noticed that, in the past few weeks, my revolvers and shotgun, all blued, have tarnished. Maybe it's humidity, I don't know. I don't keep them in cases, I keep them in drawers and other places, but in fabric, so I assume cases won't help much if the moisture can get to them there. What can I use to clean them up (inexpensively), and how can I keep this from happening again?
 
It's not "tarnish" -- it's rust. This is bad. You need to do two things: first, get them out of the fabric cases. Fabric attracts moisture. Second, you need to maintain a barrier coating on the metal surface. Oil is good, but doesn't last too long (has to be renewed regularly). A grease like RIG or cosmoline is better if the guns aren't used a lot. Or, you could wax the metal surfaces.
 
A thin layer of oil or wax are needed to protect steel, even stainless, during storage.

There are specific oils for rust prevention during storage, like Breakfree's Collector. There is a nice product called Renaissance Wax, as well.

Storing the firearms in a dehumidified area is a big plus, too.
 
Thank you for the posts. Any ideas on removing the current rust safely and cheap?
 
None.

Thorough, vigourous surface cleaning with a non-scratching cloth and cleaning oil will remove the surface stuff, and oil or wax should prevent the rust from getting worse.

Any chemical that will remove rust will remove bluing. Your choice is to have the old bluing removed, the metal polished, and the gun reblued. Professionally.

There are lots of guns out there with some surface rust.
 
I'm looking for a good, cheap alternative to gun oil. I have some cleaner, but now I'm worried about keeping them protected. I've heard motor oil will work? I just don't have anywhere available to pick up gun oil around here on the weekend, and even if I could, the local gun shops are incredibly overpriced.

I also read that ammonia will pit and rust metal quickly. I have two cats in a small apartment... I'm wondering...
 
Thank you for the posts. Any ideas on removing the current rust safely and cheap?

Yes, use bronze wool with any light weight machine oil. The bronze wool is softer than the bluing on your gun, but harder than the rust. Just wet it with oil and rub. It works well on surface rust, but won't do a thing for pitting.

There is a great deal of info on this subject in the gun-smithing section. Just do a search.
 
I had to leave my modest collection, including a few arms that were still "in the white" with no appreciable finish at all in an unheated or conditioned shack for three years. When I came back, there was no apparent rust on anything. I'm attributing that to a good cleaning and lubricating with Eezox.
 
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