From: towle@vssteg.enet.dec.com (Clark Towle Gunsmith)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Rust control
Date: 12 Aug 92 23:33:39 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <9208111454.AA01260@gilligan.webo.dg.com>, googs@gilligan.webo.dg.com (Joe Gugliemino) writes...
#I've taken to storing my less-used guns in the attic in gun sleeves.
#This keeps them out of sight of prying eyes and calms my somewhat
#anxious fiancee.
#This morning I had to get something out of the attic, and just for kicks
#I pulled a few out of their hiding place to check on them.  I was
#shocked to see they had started rusting, one severely.  Obviously I have
#made a few mistakes in assuming that a) my attic was relatively dry; 
#b) the polyester sleeves would keep what moisture there was off the
#guns; and c) potential damage to the woodwork from oiling outweighed
#potential rusting from not oiling.
#Now that I've had this revelation, I have two questions.  What is the
#best way to clean the rust off?  Steel wool is the obvious choice, but I
#don't want to damage the remaining finish any more than I have to.  Is
#there some sort of cleaning compound that I can use?  The rust is
#primarily on bolt handles, magazine boxes and receiver backs, although
#there is a little on one scope, and my HK single shot has seen better
#days. 

 Steel wool, 000X or 0000X will do it without damaging the remaining blue.
Don't use anything like Naval Jelly or anything like that or you'll remove 
the blue for sure.

#Once I do clean them up, how do I keep the rust from returning?  I've
#thought of applying silicone, oil, or WD40.  I'm not too excited about
#cosmoline - from what I've heard it's a long-term storage compound that
#would have to be removed/reapplied whenever I wanted to head to the
#range.  Obviously I need more weathertight gun cases - any
#recommendations?  

 I've always had good luck with any of the pure silicone products. I've had 
guns in storage for years after application of silicone and have never had any 
rust problems (I live in very humid New England)

  Oil, like motor oil or plain gun oil (any kind) or WD40 is not recommended.  
The Moderator is correct in that WD40 can remove blueing.

 Another consideration for long term storage is to choose a container that 
will either completely seal out the elements, (PVC pipe) or choose a container 
that will let the gun breath, (cotton cloth) to help prevent moisture buildup 
from heating and cooling cycles. The ideal thing though is to choose a storage 
location where the temperature does not vary. A closet somewhere inside the 
house is a better storage location than the attic where considerable 
temperature fluctuations occur. Without wasting lots of disk space on the 
cause and effect thing, the daily heating/cooling of the guns and the 
attendent moisture that occurs because of it is what causes and promotes rust.

#Should I consider rebluing?  What does that do to the value of the gun?
#I've already damaged them by letting them rust, but I don't want to hurt
#them more than I have to.  What are the pros and cons?  Are there other
#options? 

 Steel wool should do the trick. Reblueing devalues a gun unless its a 
clunker to begin with, so if the items in question have any collector status, 
don't reblue them.