Exterior barrel rust

[mikee51848]

I have a Pedersoli Bess, which I built from a kit. The barrel, lock, and ram rod will show rust spots if subjected to the slightest bit of moisture, be it rain or humidity. The exterior of the barrel has already discolored from the original in the white, which is fine with me, as I'm a militia man. But the rust is frustrating. After each event, I have to rub the spots with steel wool and then oil. Anything else I can try?

 

[Zonie]

You might try one of the superwaxes made for clear coat auto finishes.
I'm not sure they will resist the corrosive fouling from the pan flash but they should resist almost anything else.

Zonie

 

I'm having great rersults with Stumpy's Moose marrow formula. It really inhibits the rust. I use it for rubbing down the whole outside of my guns. For some reason that combo of beeswax, Murphy's, and castor oil works better than anything else I've tried. I'm even using it as my final hot wipe on my forged iron camp tools.
This is an unsolicited testimonial for Stumpy's brand, no endorsement fee has been paid :rotf: Bill

 

[JWP]

I've been rubbing down lock, stock, barrel and trigger with wonderlube every time I clean the gun.
Sometimes I will notice a bit of surface rust where I've grabbed the gun (barrell) but very slight.
My buddy had trouble with surface rust on his barrel - he wipped it down with soda water then oiled the heck out of it .... he also uses wonderlube on everything - what can I say, it works :v

 

[wallgunner]

Come on, cleaning your musket when it turns orange everynight at an event is the best part :winking: I'm a reenactor too, and I put nothing on mine. I don't own a tent, so it's me , my blanket, and my musket kept between my thighs. Works pretty well for moisture, except that orange streak across my forehead from the barrel resting there all night! All little rust is historically accurate, especially for us rebel :winking: Adds character, and doesn't hurt the gun!

 

[mbritt]

My experience has been that using steel wool to rub out the rust causes it to rust more. It leaves tiny pieces of the steel wool embeded in the steel. So now I use a small fine brass brush or bronze wool. Ballistol works good to prevent rust.

 

[mikee51848]

Thanks for all the help guys. :hatsoff:
Hey Wallgunner, if you were at Schohary this year, that gun would have froze to your forehead! :haha:

 

[wallgunner]

I was not at Schohary this past year, or the last few. It usually falls on the same weekend as the Hartford Conn. Antique gun show. Can't miss that! But I've been to Scohary many a time, and yes it would have!

 

[Tim Clark]

I second the Ballistol wholeheartedly.

 

[renovato]

You might try some CorrosionX on it. That's about the best rust proofer I know of. It's a dang good lubricant also.