Sig 220ST: Rust bucket?

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Surefire

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I went through my safe to do routine maintanance, and what do I find.... my Sig P220ST has RUST forming on the slide! There were small amounts of rust on the back of the slide, by the hammer, and a little bit in the side of the slide by the slide serrations. I put TONS of oil on each gun before they go in the safe.

Surprisingly, all my blued pistols (including Sigs) have no rust.

Has anyone else had a 220ST that has rusted from being in a safe. What can be done to prevent this from getting worse?
 
Maybe some bore cleaner was still left on the slide? It will rust if that happens, even if its covered with oil. I did the same thing to one of my pistols barrels.:uhoh:
 
I use the Remington "Rem Oil with teflon". Is this bad oil to use?

I suppose its possible bore cleaner might have gotten on the slide. Even so, I find it odd that no other pistol had rust-I don't treat this one any differently.

Granted, the rust is in the very early stages (a few flakes here and there, nothing totally dug in yet). I *think* and *hope* that it was just surface rust, and that the fine steel wool I used completely got it out.

This is my favorite semi-auto, so it was quiet disturbing to find rust on it--even in the early stages.
 
use the Remington "Rem Oil with teflon". Is this bad oil to use?

It's not the oil, it's a good oil. I use that one too for my HK. no rust.
As for bore cleaner, if you use hoppes 9, I really don't think it's the bore cleaner.
It's just a Sig's thing.
 
When you handle the firearm do you wipe it with an oily cloth before storing it?

I had sorta the same thing. I have a Taurus Model 63 22 cal that sits in the safe with all my other guns. The butt plate is "COVERED" with rust. It's never even been wet.
 
When you handle the firearm do you wipe it with an oily cloth before storing it?

I had sorta the same thing. I have a Taurus Model 63 22 cal that sits in the safe with all my other guns. The butt plate is "COVERED" with rust. It's never even been wet.

This is a good point. I will typically spray the oil on the gun before putting it in the safe. I have not used oil rags. Perhaps by just spraying it the oil is just going over my finger prints, rather than protecting the steel?

I do try to limit touching as much as possible, but perhaps I need to use an oil rag rather than spraying?
 
YOur fingers have acids/salts on the them that can cause rust if you don't wipe off the fingerprints.

Still,

Isn't this a stainless gun? I would think it would do better than that.
 
Good points on wiping down, and using a cloth to put the guns into the safe. I've used both silicone impregnated cloths and homemade cloths with CLP in them.

As for the Rem Oil, I'm not a fan. Used it for a bit, and experienced gumming from the oil breaking down. I've read similar accounts several times here on THR. I'd recommend using CLP (Breakfree) or a good synthetic motor oil - I kid you not, many folks do this. I use it on all my guns.
 
ugaarguy said:
...or a good synthetic motor oil - I kid you not, many folks do this. I use it on all my guns.

ATF (Automatic Tranmission Fluid) is also one of THE best (and cheapest) anti corrosion/lubricant products you can find, though you don't hear about it much. Any Dexron/Mercon III ATF will do.

I pay less than $2 a QUART at my local auto parts store.
 
Stainless aside, rem oil isn't very good at all as a preservative/protectant. If your looking for the best then get some boeshield.
 
YOur fingers have acids/salts on the them that can cause rust if you don't wipe off the fingerprints.

I suppose with Sigs, you have to do that. I've never have to do that with my HK/Glock. Hell, I sleep with it, so it gets inside the safe when I leave, out of the safe when I'm home. My guns ge touched a lot, I like to hold it when I'm watching tv :D Want to know the kicker? I live near the ocean.

I don't wipe it, no rust.
 
Better not let that Beretta barrel go uncared for, it'll look like a carrot in short order!:D
 
I've never been able to figure this out myself. I luckily have very mild problems with guns rusting, mostly my Romak has this problem. I find those silicone gunsocks solved the problem for me. What's weird is some of them really need the sock, but most don't.

It's like anything else I've ever had made of metal: despite my precautions and understanding of what rust is and how it forms, it just seems random sometimes. I have had Gerber multitools that rust when you look at 'em funny, and I know people who have had those same tools for years in humid places, no rust at all. I've had two Leathermans, same model, bought within a year of each other, one seems to rust a lot, the other never has.

Adjust for Kentucky Windage and go on, I suppose.
 
M-pro7, Slip 2000, Snake Oil, Gun Butter, Pal oils. Some use Motor Oil. not me.



Rem Clean is not very good oil and definitely not good for long term storage.
 
The same thing happened to my P220ST about 2 years ago. I oiled it regularly, but the slide still started to rust slightly. I sent it back to SIG for them to refinish it, but I believe they may have simply replaced the slide with a new one (at no cost to me). The Sig customer service agent said they use a lot of carbon in their stainless that is more prone to rusting, but that the rusting was still somewhat unusual. The new slide has been perfect. The frame always stayed perfect. Rusting has not been an issue on my other guns kept in the same environment.

I really like the "golden rod" heating rod for the safe and have started using them.
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0005569210423a.shtml
 
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