I'm an idiot...help me save my shotgun

[Chris M]

This evening, I was spending some time in the garage, and when I opened my safe, I noticed that one of the guns was missing - my turkey gun - a 3 year old Remington 870 Express. Fortunately, I immediately knew where it was...Unfortunately, I knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

4 weeks ago, I went turkey hunting on opening day - If you're in Northern California, and you went turkey hunting on opening day, you'll remember how wet it was. Well, stupid me, I put my gun into a soft-sided zippered case, and when I got home from the hunt, I must have forgot to put everything away. My rain-soaked gun sat in that case for nearly 4 weeks. I'm just glad I caught it now, and not later.

I took the gun out of the case, and there was surface rust all over it - the barrel, the receiver, the magazine tube, and the bolt. Fortunately, most of the rust was just surface rust, but some started to damage the bluing.

I immediately took some very very fine steel wool, and gently used it to wipe away the rust spots. I followed that up with a generous rub-down of Rem-Oil.

Is there anything in particular that I should do to minimize the corrosion and pitting? Any other recommendations? Keep in mind, I don't need the gun to be in pristine condition - after all, it's a field gun. But I'd like to at least keep it looking somewhat presentable.

Worst case - I get to learn how to re-blue a gun.

[rero360]

My cousin did something similar, he was out duck hunting on a lake in western NY, got called into work, in hurrying up to pack up all his stuff he left his shotgun leaning against a stone wall just inside the woodline on the shore of the lake, totally forgot about it for over a week. When he remembered about it and went to get it, it was still there but rusted pretty bad, he sent it off to get one of those hydro dippings and it looks brand new and still functions flawlessly.

[x22]

Re-blue it ,or Krylon some camo on it

[brantly04]

I am an avid waterfowl hunter. I have an 870 (the best gun ever) blued and one in camo. I take the camo out now when it's going to be wet because....it doesn't rust. My buddy took a grinder to his. Like you said it's a field gun... it's inexpensive? Grind the rust off and re-blue if needed. But if it were me I'd camo it up and not worry about it. I clean my waterfowl gun at the most twice a year when it doesn't cycle the shells out like I want it to.

[Southpaw45]

When you remove rust from a gun, you need to soak the rust with oil for a little while. Then you need to use fine steel wool like 000 or 0000. Apply a gun oil to the steel wool pad then use some elbow grease. The oil will lubricate and help protect the bluing from coming off while the steel wool cuts through the rust. Heavier rust spots you can use some 00 wool with some Navel Jelly but then bluing will be removed when this is done and it will leave micro scratches that will have to be rubbed out. If you dont mind buying a product, this Blue Wonder I hear works good too. >>>> http://www.bluewonder.us/RustRemoval...unCleaner.html

[email]

My 870 express rusts if you look at it funny.

Bought it about 1990 at Big 5. There's a reason the express is less expensive. ;-)

[Chris M]

Thanks for the replies. A camo paint job sounds like a fun project...I'll have to look into that. I've been thinking about replacing the stock and fore-grip with the Camo Sure-Shot stock. Maybe I'll try to paint the rest of the gun in similar colors & pattern.

Usually this gun doesn't experience wet weather, and I hadn't had rust issues until now. I don't use it for waterfowl hunting. It's used mostly for Turkey hunting and occasional Trap shooting. My primary waterfowl/skeet/trap gun is a Mossberg Over/Under.

[subrosa]

My 870 express rusts if you look at it funny.

Bought it about 1990 at Big 5. There's a reason the express is less expensive. ;-)

Mine rusts sitting in my safe with a "rust off" thingy installed.

I have used steel wool, scouring pads, and a lot of elbow grease (but not too much). It works, just takes some time.

[saki302]

Have it duracoated. No more rust- great for field work!

-Dave

[FXR]

This evening, I was spending some time in the garage, and when I opened my safe, I noticed that one of the guns was missing - my turkey gun - a 3

I hovered over the link to this thread and only got to read this much... I thought this was going to be a much worse story!

[Reductio]

Don't use steel wool: find some bronze wool. Kroil seems to work the best for rust removal, but whatever oil you're going to put on it, you'll want to basically let the whole thing soak with oil all over for a bit to get in and work the rust loose.

Once you're sure the rust is completely gone, go to down with some KG Gunkote.

[duckman1]

^^^^Do this.

[smle-man]

If you apply paint to the surface and haven't gotten all the rust off it will keep rusting under the paint.

[email]

I think I'm going to parkerize mine (or paint). It's the only gun in the safe that rusts. Piss poor coating job by remington

[SJgunguy24]

You really need to blast that thing before any refinish is applied. That's the only reql way to ensure you got every spot of rust off. I use Moly resin, the semi gloss looks like a deep dark blue when it's sprayed.