Shotguns, Rust, and Coating?

[aippi]

Mega Dittos to Terryger's post.

[akjunkie]

Rem Oil w/ Teflon. $6 a can @ Walmart. Got 2 cans of BreakFree CLP sitting on the shelve since i tried the Rem Oil.

Rem Oil doesnt drip like CLP. "Bonds" to the metal like Zep 45.

[Rigma]

I recently stored my shotgun in a silicone treated gun sock. Is this a bad idea?

[lewdogg21]

Lots of good points.

I duck hunt a lot and have used the same Benelli for nearly 10 years in conditions so bad sometimes I wonder why the hell I'm out there (the kind of storms with 40+mph and rain blowing sideways). With that said I have seen surface rust spots appear seemingly in 2 hours out in the blind but it's nothing that a good wipe down and dryout won't take away and prevent it from accelerating in a safe. I've learned to wipe down my shotguns if it's been raining or foggy and leave them out of the case for the ride home or the same spots can appear.

Generally these conditions are about as extreme as you will find. A good cleaning just to strip everything down and make sure it's clean and dry will prevent any issues you have. The only rust on my gun was due to the times when I didn't do this preventive maintenance and it was my only fault.

Never seen rust in the barrel and this includes countless days where the gun is propped up and so it's raining right down the barrel when in the field.

[tpowers]

Hrmm, okay. Most of what I've been getting is from LEO and Mary/Marine buddies using Remington 870's and their clones, plus my own shock at seeing my relatively new shotgun have small rust spots develop after being stored in a foam lined case for a few weeks after returning from a shooting trip. I heard back that it happens fairly often with Remington and similar models. Perhaps this is a fairly limited issue, but in regards to getting new finishes done, what is recommended? Just new bluing? Parkerizing? Cerakote? Duracoat?

If you want guaranteed rust prevention then have all your metal parts coated in Cerakote. It has zero penetration after 1000 hours in a salt test, which is currently the highest in the industry.

[jamesonamac]

Hrmm, okay. Most of what I've been getting is from LEO and Mary/Marine buddies using Remington 870's and their clones, plus my own shock at seeing my relatively new shotgun have small rust spots develop after being stored in a foam lined case for a few weeks after returning from a shooting trip. I heard back that it happens fairly often with Remington and similar models. Perhaps this is a fairly limited issue, but in regards to getting new finishes done, what is recommended? Just new bluing? Parkerizing? Cerakote? Duracoat?

My 870 (w/ the express or bead blast type finish) got rust pitting when new by wiping it clean and storing it in the original box (My fault, I know better now). In my experience, I would say this finish IS more prone to rusting then a regular polished blue finish. My Model 700 was in the box right next to it and never had any problems. Again, I was younger and would not store anything in its original box or a case anymore. Like others have said, I let the air circulate w/ no more problems.

[jt1911]

It depends on the shotgun and it's not necessarily about the price tag related to the shotgun. My buddy has a Benelli SN and he can leave it soaking in a brine bath and it won't rust. But for whatever reason my BPS, though a real beauty of a pump and costs a few more bills more then his, will rust pretty quickly and easily. Also location plays a role. I'm relatively near the beach and the salt air is death on metal. I keep my pump in a copper coated bag and make sure to rub it down real well with a gun cloth after each handling. But as others said, at the end of the day its not meant to be put on display.

[aGunForEachHand]

I recently stored my shotgun in a silicone treated gun sock. Is this a bad idea?

I store all my guns in the "Bore Store" silicon gun sock in my safe. I have not had any problems, but I am curious to hear what others say regarding this question.

[CamW]

Get your shotgun coated with Cerakote. Dave's Metal Works in Covina does a great job.626-859-0299
Here's a thread with some photos of a Remington and Benelli he did.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=3016025#post3016025

Check out the Cerakote gallery on his website. www.davesmetalworks.com

[mjsweims]

I store all my guns in the "Bore Store" silicon gun sock in my safe. I have not had any problems, but I am curious to hear what others say regarding this question.

I prefer to let my guns breathe in storage - no covering. If anything I would put a very low grade heater in the cabinet to keep the relative humidity down. Dessicant will also help.

[aGunForEachHand]

I prefer to let my guns breathe in storage - no covering. If anything I would put a very low grade heater in the cabinet to keep the relative humidity down. Dessicant will also help.

Thanks- I have one of those eva-dry dessicant things in the safe as well. I like the bore stores because I don't have to worry about guns banging and dinging each other when being put in and taken out. I have recently considered switching my nicer over/unders to the VCI gun socks that Browning makes.

[an actual gun]

I too have heard people say it seems like their shotguns rust easier. I do not know why this is or if it is true, but perhaps it only seems that way to them because shotguns--with their big bore barrels and usually wide receivers--have a heck of a lot more real estate.

What you describe with your shotgun sounds like simple surface rust. It is not a big deal but I treat surface rust like a doctor treats high cholesterol readings on a lab chart. It's not necessarily a medical emergency or life-death situation but it does require swift action, does require the patient (in this case shotgun) to undergo some lifestyle changes, and failure to take said actions could become a serious issue down the line.

When you see rust on any gun you need to assess the situation. If it really is only surface rust it will rub off with gentle cleaning and you can count your lucky stars. Regular maintance makes sure you prevent/find surface rust before it becomes deep pitting. I recommend wiping Breakfree CLP on all exterior surfaces of all blued firearms about once a month depending on how you store it. I recommend field stripping every 3-6 months and inspecting the interior parts for possible rust/wear.

When you see surface rust use a light solvent and some cloth to slowly wipe it down. Don't get freaked out and scrub it down with a brillo pad or wire brush. You will only exacerbate the problem if it is mere surface rust. Removing surface rust may show some slight damage to the bluing like a fade in the darkness of the finish, or it may not. If there is obvious or apparent damage to the finish you may consider having the part touched up or entirely refinished, depending. Consult a gunsmith for advice.

Rust has to be nipped in the bud early and so when you see rust, clean it as quickly as possible, clean the entire firearm, and oil it. You don't want to let rust "spread" or cross-contaminate other parts of the gun from the same source of rusting. Don't just clean the spot. Clean the spot gently until there is no more visible rust, assess the damage, and then immediately clean the entire firearm.

[Killawhale415]

I was just reading the manual for my Kimber the other day and there was a little section on maintenance and right smack in the middle of the page it says RUST IS NEGLECT in big 'ol caps, I just that was kind of funny.