Rust cleaning

[Jvpwtf69]

I recently bought a 1942 mosin nagant and i think there may be some surface area rust growing on the end side of the barrel were the bolt sits and some other little parts....

What is the best way to clean it and what gun oil is best used to put on the gun so it will prvent rust from growing??

 

[LaserSpot]

If the finish is polished & blued, try fine steel wool soaked with Break-Free CLP. The will take off light rust without taking off the bluing. Don't scrub too hard. You may need a brass brush for the little parts. I'm not sure what this would do to a phosphate finish (dull grey).

I've seen a few tests, and done my own; for rust protection, Eezox and CLP are the two best gun lubes. CLP is probably the better lube and cleaner, plus it's easier to find.
Regular oil, such as RemOil, or 10W30 do almost nothing to prevent rust. Never use WD-40 (turns to gummy varnish).

 

[Jvpwtf69]

I really appreciate it because i really didn't want to have to completly re blue the gun,,,thanks again

 

[jimmyraythomason]

BS on the WD-40 referrence. I always use WD-40 in has never gummed. It will work very well with 0000 steel wool removing light rust.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Use bronze wool rather than steel. It won't remove bluing.

 

[Welsh Warrior]

oil

I use 3 n 1 oil never any issues and cheap. Get at walmart or about anywhere.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

0000 steel wool wont remove bluing either if wet with oil.

 

[LaserSpot]

Maybe I shouldn't say "never"; WD-40 is probably fine for guns that get cleaned regularly.

A co-worker once brought his dad's old 16-gauge Remington Sportsman 58 auto-loading shotgun out to the trap range to give it a try; it hadn't been shot in years. We couldn't get it to fire more than once or twice without jamming and the bolt felt gummy when it was pulled back. All the part inside had a tacky residue, kind of like varnish that isn't completely dry; he said his dad used to use WD-40.

We went back to the car and I found something in the trunk to spray in and loosen it up; it worked ok after that. Actually, I was smoking pigeons with that thing like I never had with my own shotgun. It was very fast handling, must have just fit me perfectly. Wish I had one.

 

[wally]

I've had lots on non-gun things thoroughly gummed up by WD-40. I'd never use it on my guns unless desperate.

--wally.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I have used WD-40 on guns,door locks,lawnmower parts,engine components(carburator linkages and throttle bodies) and so many different things that I can't remember them all over the course of 40+ years. In all that time I have never experienced any gumming of any kind on any mechanical devices. For those who have,it is my contention that ANY lubricant would do the same in the same situation(improper cleaning and long term storage). Use it or don't it's your call. I have better lubes that I routinely use as well. Don't blame a good product for poor storage practices.

 

[Jvpwtf69]

thanks guys......will bronze wool be as effective as steel wool??

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Yes,the bronze wool will work very well but(in my experience) not as readily available.

 

[plateshooter]

You can use a "copper" pot scrubber pad. Be sure it is copper, not copper plated steel. I use "Chore Boy" brand and cleaned up many rusty guns with no damage to the current finish on the gun.

 

[waldonbuddy]

In my experience the WD40 is good {not great} for getting off sticky nuts, etc., but it has rusted the crap out of things I used in on in the past.

When I was a kid I found WD40, and had a ball with it. I sprayed it on everything even my Marlin 22 rifle, which stayed at my grandparents house. I remember spraying my rifle down with WD one weekend, and comming back the next weekend to find it crusted in rust.

I went back to the old 3in1 that my grandparents had plenty of {which wasn't great, but never did what the WD did}.

Years later, I got a fairly large storage shelf from a local auto parts store that was changing over its brass fittings. I put all of my orphan bolts, and nuts into the plastic containers. I then sprayed them down with WD, a few weeks later I was looking for a bolt and CRAP!!! They were all rusted!

Since then the shelf is still in the same location, and after replacing the rusted bolts, and nuts with new {or, maybe better, not rusted}, and using nothing to lube them I have never had another problem........

 

[natman]

I'm sure bronze wool works fine, but I've done hundreds of guns with 0000 steel wool without damaging bluing. The trick is to rub gently and use plenty of oil.

I once tried to damage the bluing on a scrap barrel. After about 10 minutes of rubbing as hard as I could, I managed to get a bit of fading. You won't have any problem with normal rubbing.

 

[snubbies]

Bronze Wool

Try this location
http://www.steelwool.biz/Bronze_Wool.htm

 

[rcmodel]

I have used 0000 Extra Fine steel wool & oil for going on 50 years with never a hint of bluing damage.

Finishing shops use it to remove bluing tank residue & give a final cleaning on brand new bluing.

I don't like to use bronze wool or chore-boys because it doesn't work as well on rust.
And you have to use copper solvent to get the bronze ruboff off the bluing after you use it on guns with machine marks on the barrels and such.

rc

 

[warnerwh]

Here's a test on various oils that some of you guys might find interesting. I did when it came to WD40.

http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html

 

[JohnKSa]

While steel wool will not damage blueing unless you get very agressive, the rust particles are iron oxide which is an abrasive. The rust particles WILL damage blueing if they are scrubbed back and forth across the blueing.

If you're just going to scrub on a clean blued piece of steel with steel wool then using oil is best. But if you're going to try to remove rust you don't want the rust particles to stick to the steel wool or the the surface of the metal being cleaned. That means using the steel wool dry and frequently dusting the removed rust particles off the finish and out of the steel wool will cause the least damage to the finish. If you use oil with it the rust particles will stay in the oil and create an abrasive slurry that can rub off the blued finish.

I know that I'm going against the consensus but all I can say is that I've tried removing rust with steel wool both ways (with and without oil) many times and found that using the steel wool dry inevitably provides better results.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

WD-40 does not cause rust! Moisture promotes the formation of rust,WD-40 dissplaces moisture.

 

[azyogi]

"used WD-40 on guns,door locks,lawnmower parts,engine components"
IMHO as for lube for locks [key type not the ones on guns] only powdered graphite should be used, anything else is just asking for trouble.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

No door lock problems with using WD-40 in over 28 years(now retired)of maintaining commercial vehicles.

 

[Smeg]

0000 steel wool + oil to remove rust. Eezox to prevent it. Eezox > all when it comes to rust prevention, period.

 

[azyogi]

could just be the dust out here, was pretty damp today humidity at 21% for us thats a wet one. put WD or any oil on a lock and it will draw dust from blocks around.

 

[-eaux-]

the "WD" in "WD40" stands for "water displacement".
wd40 will not by its own merit rust your metal.
i do not use wd40 as an internal lubricant for my guns, but i do use a wd40 soaked rag for external rubdowns on all my guns. no rust problems, and i live in louisiana: 100% humididty 100% of the time.