So how do you keep your guns rust free

[ddgears]

Haha, just discovered a light freckling of rust on one of my guns that I took out to shoot last week. Blaming the humidity in here in sunny San Diego though it was probably my own fault for forgetting to put it away after I cleaned and locked it. So anyway how do you keep your guns from rusting.

[BucDan]

Silica packs, humidity control things, and oil the rifles. Humidity here in SD isn't really too bad at all unless you live near the ocean. Are you sure it's rust and not copper scratchings?

Sometimes if you sweat on your hands, you might want to wipe the rifles down as your sweat contains some salt content.

[707electrician]

Shoot them out before they have a chance to rust

[ddgears]

Yeah I live ten minutes from the ocean haha. oddly enough I also found some rust on the mags of another gun. On the bright side though is seems to be limited to the outside of everything. Guess I should invest in a few fresh packs of silica.

[Carbuncle]

Not sure if this would adversely effect semiautos, but Uberti suggests applying a thin coat of carnauba-based wax before the usual oil coat to help prevent rust.

[bsg]

Yeah I live ten minutes from the ocean haha. oddly enough I also found some rust on the mags of another gun. On the bright side though is seems to be limited to the outside of everything. Guess I should invest in a few fresh packs of silica.

consider running a GoldenRod inside the safe, as well as the silica packs.

i store my guns openly inside the safe; i don't store them inside plastic cases, boxes, gun rugs or other smaller containers within the safe.

check and inspect your guns at regular intervals.

[BucDan]

Or be like me, I don't have a dehumidifier, but I do keep my rifles oiled with a bag of rice as my water soaker. I have small rust on the outside of my AK mags too, but go figure, it's steel. Just don't get on my rifle! I've stored my rifles in a soft case before for sometime, never really had a problem at all.

[Fjold]

After cleaning and oiling, store them in the silicone treated gun socks.

[bsg]

Sometimes if you sweat on your hands, you might want to wipe the rifles down as your sweat contains some salt content.

if the last thing to touch your gun metal is a finger tip, the results can be permanent alteration of bluing. i've seen some beautiful old guns that had beautiful patina on original bluing... except for the presence of a permanent fingerprint smudge.

[ddgears]

if the last thing to touch your gun metal is a finger tip, the results can be permanent alteration of bluing. i've seen some beautiful old guns that had beautiful patina on original bluing... except for the presence of a permanent fingerprint smudge.

ha ha yeah the mags are rusted in what looks like a palm print and some fingers almost perfectly.

[meaty-btz]

I have never "socked" my guns, ever.

I clean and oil and put away. No silica not desiccant, etc. I just keep my guns oiled.

This includes a 1929 production 38 special that has a good bit of holster and finish wear so lots of bare metal and a lifetime of bare metal trigger and hammer. What rust? The pistol was carried for decades in NYC and Long Island so humidity, rain, ocean only to be moved to Monterey with Ocean Air. No rust. Care for your weapons and they wont rust. Hell the pistol sat in its LEATHER holster for upwards of 4 years without any corrosion. The last thing you should do on cleaning is an oil rub-down without touching it again, put it away. No sweat, no hand oils, no rust. I think a lot of people do not oil their guns. I am not talking wear parts I mean the whole bloody gun to give it an oil sheen. That is protection right there.

[BucDan]

^ Yup. Just oil it all with a nice layer. When it comes to shoot, just wipe the outside down nice and go.

[Hopalong]

Use, oil.

[prob]

Clean, oil lightly, and put in a safe with a Golden Rod. Also, whenever someone else touches your firearms, ALWAYS wipe the gun with a slightly oily cloth. I've found this to be a foolproof method of ensuring that firearms stay rust free.

By the way, note that I make a point of saying to LIGHTLY oil firearms. There is no need to drench your guns in oil. Drenching serves no purpose other than to make a mess and possibly damage a stock and/or its finish.

[Meety Peety]

I've always oiled my guns well and like above, never had issues with rust. I don't leave them sopping wet either, I take a cloth and wipe them dry before putting them away and I don't have issues. I used to use a golden rod on top of that but it died out and it took me a while to get a new one.. long enough that I realized I didn't need it at all (So I never replaced it). It very well could depend on your safe though, because I have one that will collect moisture and one that won't. My old safe that is now basically just storage for important documents, jewelry and whatnot will likely rust a gun. Without silica packs, the paper inside it will feel lightly damp after a day or so inside there, I don't have that issue with the new one.

Another easy way to rust a gun is to leave it in a padded case after you take it to the range. Direct contact on the foam (Foam absorbs moisture) will cause some freckling if you leave them in there too long without a nice coat of oil on them.