Earlier this year I purchase BNIB Smith & Wesson model 17 and I've fired approximately 1000 rounds to date. I always clean then wipe it down with a cloth sprayed with a little Fluid Film before putting back into the safe. Its stored muzzle down in the door pocket. I haven't looked at it for a couple of weeks or so but when I removed it from the safe today, I was shocked to see what appeared to be white fungus on one side of the barrel right where its threaded into the frame.
It was a little less than dime size and it easy flaked off when I rubbed it with a cloth. I sprayed that area with some Ballistol oil and gave it another wipe. In my haste to get this white 'fungus' removed, I forgot to take a picture of it. There is a very slight difference in the colour of the bluing where the 'fungus' was but I have to get the light right to see it.
I checked the safe pocket and found nothing suspicious. My other revolvers and pistols are fine, no fungus. The only thing I can think of is bluing salts that didn't get rinsed out completely at the factory and has leached out from the barrel threads/frame over the last couple of weeks. I'm I right?
It was a little less than dime size and it easy flaked off when I rubbed it with a cloth. I sprayed that area with some Ballistol oil and gave it another wipe. In my haste to get this white 'fungus' removed, I forgot to take a picture of it. There is a very slight difference in the colour of the bluing where the 'fungus' was but I have to get the light right to see it.
I checked the safe pocket and found nothing suspicious. My other revolvers and pistols are fine, no fungus. The only thing I can think of is bluing salts that didn't get rinsed out completely at the factory and has leached out from the barrel threads/frame over the last couple of weeks. I'm I right?
