Rust is popping up everywhere on one of my rifles... what do I do?!

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CmdrSlander

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My Winchester Model 320 .22, which has a very thin (evidently) blued finish seems to have more surface rust on it every time I look at it. I am hesitant to take it the range because I don't want the sweat and humidity to do any more damage.

What are my options? Currently I am looking into OXPHO-BLUE from Brownells, it seems like a good solution.

Also, it is a classic rifle and a heirloom so putting a new age finish like a Cerakote or Duracoat on it is a non starter.

ETA: The receiver remains untouched by rust while the barrel's finish is a rust-apocalypse. What could this mean? Better steel on the receiver? Better finish on the receiver?
 
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Also, what is the best way to keep preserve the rifle's finish in future?

...and in case anyone ask I am very good about cleaning and storing my guns and my other firearms are rust free, this one however is a rust magnet (though it is worth noting it is my only blued gun, my other guns are parkerized, thank god.)
 
Go to the hardware store and get some 0000 (4 zero) steel wool and gun oil such as Hoppes No. 9 oil, not cleaner.

Put plenty of oil on a steel wool patch and gently rub the rust, wiping occasionally with a rag and applying fresh oil.

Once you have removed as much rust as you can, apply a light coat of clean oil with a rag and leave it on the metal.

Do not attempt rebluing.
 
I use Kroil and 0000. After cleaning off the rust, I usually lay the gun on a towel and heavily apply Kroil and just let it sit for days.
 
Post #6. Renaissance wax to follow. I have an older Knight Muzzleloader prone to rust that I recently applied Frog Lube to. It's winter here so it may be too early to pronounce it cured but preliminary results look positive.

Two more storage options to try and fairly cheap. Zerust, a small (9V battery size) anti-corrosion emitting product good for up to 12 months can be tossed in the safe or ZCORR storage bags use similar technology for individual firearms with numerous sizes available. MidWay carries them and I believe the entire line is under $20 ea.
 
Pro Shot makes a cloth called "metal care cloth" that will flat out remove some surface rust; be be careful because it can remove bluing too with a lot of elbow grease. If i ever have something on the finish of a firearm that will not come off; i resort to the Pro Shot metal care cloth. It is a pink cloth and you will see the brown rust on the cloth after you wipe the gun. It will flat out clean better than many other products. Then as far as preventing rust; Inhibitor is supreme. Squirt it onto a silicone cloth and wipe it down and you will notice the awesome oil coat that lays into/onto the metal. If you cannot find inhibitor; Walmart sells a tall bottle of Rem Oil in a spray bottle( pump; Not aerosol). Remington has recently changed the mix and the bottle says "new vci technology" and on the back it reads "vci supplied by Inhibitor." If I am going to put a gun up and not shoot it for awhile; I spray it down with the Rem oil with inhibitor vci. If you follow this advice you will see results and no further rust, it is important that you store the gun in a moisture controlled environment. if you have no safe or cabinet, then a closet will do but go to lowes or home depot and get a product called "Damp Rid." it will absorb any moisture in a closet environment. Or you can use a silica gel gun safe moisture absorber. They can be recharged in the oven. Damp rid is cheap and disposable and lasts 45 days. I am a gun cleaning freak and have more gun cleaning gear than anyone I have ever known. I have tried a lot of products. But I have never removed bluing and re-applied new bluing.

Oh yeah; the sportsmans guide sells gun socks that are impregnated with silicone. I have one for every firearm. Good product! Will flat out help preserve the newness of a gun.
 
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Kroil won't harm bluing and that's why it is so often used and suggested. 0000 steel wool (no substitutes on this, not 00, not 000) used carefully won't harm it either. Used together they will remove the rust, my personal experience.

Renaissance Wax is used by the National Firearms Museum exclusively because it works. Like similar waxes it forms a protective barrier but unlike other formulations it is non-acidic with an indefinite shelf life. Unlike oils, it will not evaporate. Again, personal experience.

ZCORR products are GSA approved and were designed from the ground up for the express purpose of long term firearm storage. Zerust is a product I have used for 3 or 4 years for personal storage of firearms, ammo and reloading equipment. I've meant to try ZCORR bags but I rarely let any firearm sit more than a few months between shooting and try to clean everything on a monthly basis.
 
My Winchester Model 320 .22, which has a very thin (evidently) blued finish seems to have more surface rust on it every time I look at it. I am hesitant to take it the range because I don't want the sweat and humidity to do any more damage.

What are my options?
Click to expand...

I would start by looking for the source of the rust as in what are your storage conditions for the rifle? I see you are in Texas so you may want to make sure this rifle and any other guns you have are stored under low humidity conditions. Even if you have to get a cheap gun safe or even a home brew container. I use descant packages in my safe with little humidity indicators. There are also a variety of GoldenRod GunSaver Dehumidifier Rod 110v type devices out there to be had. My thinking is the rust you are seeing is merely a symptom and you need to eliminate the cause after removing the rust.

As to the rust removal? I use Rem Oil but any good gun oil will work like those mentioned. Wet it down and follow up with the good old 0000 steel wool. Wipe it down and reapply leaving a nice light coat.

Just My Take
Ron
 
Various companies sell little packet or tab type things that give off a vapor that greatly inhibits corrosion. Our company sells the same product in large bags to put inside boilers and cooling tower chillers during the off season. Those are made from mild steel, are in typically humid conditions, and have puddles of water in them. This stuff works. Also good for tackle boxes so your hooks don't rust.

You can find them in the larger sporting goods chain stores. Wax would be great for surfaces, but this stuff helps inside the action also.
 
For preservation I would recommend Corrosion X. Store in a very dry place.

Here's where I would go and some of you may call me a blasphemer because this goes against the general rule for collectable antiques. I'm no Win 320 expert, and not claiming to be. These rifles were made in for a very short time 1972 - 197X??? - I believe. Not sure how many were made.

I would find an expert bluing shop/smith. Yes they exist. One guy locally for me does great work. Talk to him about matching the original bluing. Break it all the way down. Strip all the oils off the gun, repeat. Then remove all the existing bluing (or have the smith do it). Reblue the entire gun to most closely match factory original.

I have done this with three guns so far with fantastic results. One example: Restored beater - nasty rusty painted Camp9 for example, I rebuilt this gun to factory specs, and no one can tell it was completely stripped and reblued. The guns look near factory new and the best part is no more rust battles with simple preservative measures. I have found, once rust starts the battle will continue forever, risking actual pits and surface damage. Unless it's a true antique museum piece I would reblue the entire rifle and then wax it or preserve it as you wish.
 
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I'm a great believer in wax as a gun preservative. I'd had a Chrome-Moly barrel in the white on my benchrest rifle that I used auto wax on and it never got a spot of rust in 10 years.

Seeds were found in Egyptian tombs that were wax-preserved for thousands of years and when planted, grew. That sold me on wax. I heard a rumor that it sometimes works on vehicles too. :rolleyes:
 
One modification, use bronze wool. Takes a little longer but it is less likely to scratch the surface of the rifle.
 
Strip it down, clean, degrease, boil suspended in distilled water for 10 minutes, remove any loose oxidation with oiled 0000 steel wool,saturate with Kroil, clean and reassemble a few days later. Eez Ox offers excellent protection.

YMMV
 
I have no rust problems with any of my rifles, except one that had a constant rust problem on the barrel. This did not happen on the receiver, the steel trigger guard, the bottom metal, etc. Just the barrel. I believe it had something to do with the stopping process used in the bluing operation on this relatively high priced rifle. I tried every rust preventative known to man and nothing worked until I applied a couple coats of Johnson's paste wax. Bingo! No problem for years.
 
I had this same issue with my one of my R55 Benchmarks which has a blued barrel. As others have recommended in the past, I used 0000 steel wool and oil to get rid of all the surface rust and the barrel came back to almost new. There were some minor dark spots on the bluing but at least no more rusting.
I now wipe down the rifles with Remoil cloths after use and store them in VCI gun socks. I also bought some VCI blocks for the safe.
 
I have NEVER had a rust problem. I use LPS2 as my wipedown solution. Apply then let dry. LPS is a rust preventative and lube. I believe Breakfree is the same stuff.....chris3
 
As suggested in several previous posts remove the rust with oil and 0000 steel wool, with the barreled action removed from the stock. Go over all the metal with a soft cloth to remove excess oil.

Then apply plain MINWAX PASTE FURNITURE WAX, to ALL the metal surfaces, let it set up then buff with a shoe brush and finally burnish with a dry flannel cloth, then repeat.

Don't forget the wood, make sure it's dry apply the Minwax to the surfaces, especially the barrel channel ,stock to action screw holes, do it twice also.

A Golden Rod or GUNSAVER, ( same people make it but it's cheaper 'cause it's black instead of gold) electric heater in your locker-safe-small closet, or 2-3 two pound dessicant bags or cans, will keep the area a few degrees warmer and not let condensation form, no mostue = no rust.

You can get the Minwax at any hardware store, if you can find that use Kiwi nuetral shoe polish. A couple good coats of wax will stop the rust, the dryers or rechargeable dessicant cans are back ups.
 
Yup, 0000 steel wool.

I use it dry, then blast it with compressed air to blow away any microscopic bits of the steel wool that might be lingering.

After that, I slather it with Break Free Collectors oil. That stuff has some serious staying power - I coated a few rifles with it at Thanksgiving and it's still "wet" to the touch, despite being in open dry air the entire time since.
 
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