Removing rust from rifles

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northerndad

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Hello,

Newb question. We moved to a farm late 2018, and I locked up my guns and stored them. I just checked them and some of them have spots of rust! Yikes! Where I lived before rust was not a problem at all. They've only been sitting since Nov '18, so 4 months.

So, how do I treat/ remove rust? I have cleaned them all again and oiled them with gun cleaner and oils; however, it's fairly obvious the oil is just covering the rust flecks. I am anxious to attack the rust with anything aggressive that will hurt the guns.

thanks!
 
Use 3-in-1 oil and rub with burlap or other rough cloth.
If that fails, is #0000 steel wool. Lots of oil, buff lightly.
That will take surface rust off without scratching the blueing.
 
How about fluid film? I know it’s used for rust prevention and I’ve heard it converts rust too. Been hesitant to use anything but gun products on guns. Don’t have any collectibles, mostly just hunting rifles and shotguns. The worst was a fairly new mossberg rifle that came with poor factory blueing. Bores were all ok and actions too - was really mostly outside of the barrels and a couple scope rings. Annoying. Looks ugly.
 
northerndad said:
How about fluid film? I know it’s used for rust prevention and I’ve heard it converts rust too. Been hesitant to use anything but gun products on guns. Don’t have any collectibles, mostly just hunting rifles and shotguns. The worst was a fairly new mossberg rifle that came with poor factory blueing. Bores were all ok and actions too - was really mostly outside of the barrels and a couple scope rings. Annoying. Looks ugly.
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A mechanic one told me “Any oil is better than no oil and good oil is better than any oil”. I’m not sure where fluid film fits but I like it and use it on all my guns. I also use singer sowing machine oil in trigger mechanisms. Guns are like kids, you don’t tell them the truth about what you give them.
 
If rust has advanced to the scab stage, a copper scraper and oil is useful. Even the edge of a penny - when we still had them - worked.
If rust is more of a blush, oil and wool work well. Bronze wool might be preferred to steel wool.
I have seen it suggested than oil plus iron oxide is abrasive, so dry wool might be preferable. I've always used oil and am satisfied.
 
I saw a trick that I had to try and it actually worked. Could not believe it. Have an old Remington single shot 20ga that had a lot of rust on it. A little 3 in 1 oil and rub it with a penny. Took a little elbow grease but within an hour the gun was virtually rust free!
 
tiriaq said:
Bronze wool might be preferred to steel wool.
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I usually start with (pure) bronze wool, but wouldn't hesitate to use #0000 steel wool either. One thing to keep in mind with bronze wool or copper is that you may be left with a yellow "blush" on the blueing. If you get this, a follow up with a mild bore cleaner that can dissolve copper (e.g. Hoppes #9) will remove the discolouration.
 
Try soaking it in Fluid Film.
P/A has the stuff on sale now.
Surprising how lathering it on and leaving it
for a bunch of hours lifts the culprit.
 
Another major fan of Fluid Film here. Worked wonders with all of the woodworking equipment we used to have when we were running a custom woodshop. And it does an excellent job on rusty gunky stuff on every firearm I have used it on in our cabinets. Great stuff,I use it on everything with a little help from very fine steel wool saturated in the stuff.
 
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