Now I'm paranoid... (Rust)

[sooter76]

So due to a PCS move down to Texas and training requirements as I prepare to deploy again, I haven't been able to shoot my flintlock for about 4 or 5 months now. The last time I did (both my flinter and my Lyman GPR), I did my standard thorough cleaning and put them up. We get down to Texas and all my guns, except for my flinter which is too big to fit, go into my gun safe in the garage that I have a plug in dehumidifier inside to protect from moisture and humidity. My flinter I wrapped up in a wool blanket and put it in the closet when we got down here in january... Fast forward to Wednesday and I pull all my guns out of the safe to oil and lube for while I'm gone and they all look good. I pull my flintlock out of the closet and unwrap it and it's covered in rust! Insides the barrel, outside the muzzle, on the lock, and even inside the ramrod pipes. Keep in my that I cleaned it just as thoroughly and have shot it far less as my GPR which is perfectly fine. I take it out clean it up for hours but after running an endoscope down the barrel I look to still have rust in the rifling. I've bought enough 'Birchwood Casey Blue & Rust Remover' to pour down and soak the entire inside of the barrel in hope that it'll break up the rest of the rust and allow me to clean it completely before I leave next week.

Does anyone have any advice on what else I can do to get a more thorough cleaning and removal of the rust from the rifling cuts?

Also, this leaves me quite paranoid to leave for 9 months. Does anyone have some recommendations on what I can do to best protect my BP guns from the Texas humidity?

 

[Rifleman1776]

wrapped up in a wool blanket

That is a big no-no. :nono: Wool will trap moisture.
Just do a good job of cleaning your rifle and store in the open air. Or disassemble and put in the safe.

 

[Hipshot]

Man that sucks, I did a lot of traveling years ago and had the same problem. I would not wrap it in anything. After throughly applying a good rust preventative I would lock it in an empty closet with a lamp with a long life incandesent bulb left on to drive the dampness away. It has worked in the past for me when I lived in a very humid climate.

 

[Flintlock]

Don't wrap with anything and no cases, use a little grease on the inside of the barrel. Seems I read a test on assorted oils as rust preventative and plain ol engine oil held up the best. I'm sure Ft. Hood looks a little different now, I was born there in 64.

 

[rich pierce]

Get a smaller jag and scrub the bore with a piece of green scotchbrite pad with water or Wd-40 or whatever. That should clean it good.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Wool makes a nice temporary protective covering for long guns for transportation, etc., but not for long-term storage.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Ditto on not wrapping it in anything and thanks for your service. God speed. Take care.

Dave

 

[hanshi]

By all means, no wrapping in blankets, etc. put a heavy grease in the bore for looong term protection.

 

[wattlebuster]

For long term storage that you are talking about I would give them a good dose of good ole fashion RIG gun grease. I have seen guns put up for yrs at a time an be perfect shape when they are brought back into service :hatsoff:

 

[rushlake1]

stiff bronze brush wrapped in coarse steel wool..and light oil to remove the rust..wrap the wool tight.

1+ RIG wins hands down.......

Ode Wattles is a might schmart!

Safe travels..keep your head down!

 

[Snakebite]

I PCS'd from Fort Knox to Germany and left all my guns with my father in Victoria TX which is much more humid that Fort Hood. When I got back 3 years later to Fort Hood they were fine, no rust. I wiped to bore down with WD-40 before I left. He would occasionally wipe them down with WD-40 while I was gone. I know a lot of people here don't like WD-40 and say it's not good for long time storage but it's been working for me for almost 40 years. I never leave them wrapped up in anything just wipe them down every now and then. What works for me may or may not work for others. :2

 

[smo]

I trust Barricade on my guns. But mine live in a safe most of the time. As stated above RIG would probably be the best bet and leave in the open or a light stretchy nylon gun sleeve. The closet trick with the light bulb works well too. I used it for years prior to owning a safe. Thanks for your service, Take care my Friend :hatsoff:

 

[crockett]

On the rifling, years ago muzzle loading barrels were "freshened". A gunsmith had a small cutter on a dowel and would make a couple of passes for each groove. Now a days I think it would be better to drill a hole though a couple of balls, or a slug and ram it down to getting the pattern and then put on lapping compound and run it in and out.
JB bore cleaner. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bro...gclid=CJOvnrWBxdQCFRUHhgodQRwFHw&gclsrc=aw.ds

That stuff works very well.

On storage- grease it up good and then just face a clean up job when you get back.

Isn't there good hunting right at Ft. Hood????

 

[azmntman]

I use wd-40 (now trying barricade too cuz a all the praise, dont know why WD worked forever :youcrazy: ). Disclaimer: heard the humidityin Payson was 3% yesterday (fire down there and they report all the goodies). Thats THREE percent.

Now if the scrubbies n such do not work INSIDE the bore here is what I recommend. Get molasses from feed store (3-4 a gallon here). Mix it 8 parts water to one molasses. Stir well. Plug the touch hole or cap and fill that barrel full and set aside for several days. Dump and clean NO MO RUST (you can soak stuff too). BEWARE: it will affect bluing so nothing on the bluing. I had a spare cylinder the wife "put up" with some crap headed for the dump. Long story short the crap got covered with keepables and ended up outside 3 years behind a shed. When i found it it was ruined beyond hope. I gave the ol molasses a try and after two soakings 3 days long not a spec of rust (but the bluing was dull, not bright). Ya gotta wonder what on earth made the first guy that discovered this give it a try :hmm:

Thanks for your service, return safe and hoping yer guns are too! :thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

I went though this a few years ago. Not the same but rust. I changed my cleaning regiment. I should have known better and I should have checked every few days after cleaning. I went bac to the way I cleaned before and no problems. Wrapping up a gun is a bad idea as well as storing in gun cases.

 

[rdstrain49]

Used this for nearly 50 years, no complaints yet.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/773343/hoppes-9-gun-grease-1-3-4-oz-tube

 

[Darkhorse]

I would not oil the outside of the gun. I would wax it. About 10 years ago I started putting wax on all my guns that might rust. I put a heavy coat of wax all over, when that dries and I buff it out I repeat it 3 times.
When I come in from hunting or shooting I take a soft cotton cloth and buff the outside till all fingerprints are gone and put it up. I go all season like this. I've never had a spot of rust yet.
I have a large can of Johnsons Past wax I use for lubing wood screws and such when I'm building a rifle and I use that for waxing a gun.
My guns are stored this way all year long, year after year. Never once had a problem.
Just another way of doing things you might consider.

 

[hanshi]

I use Johnson's Paste wax, too, but only wax them periodically. It is good stuff.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I trust Barricade on my guns. But mine live in a safe most of the time. As stated above RIG would probably be the best bet and leave in the open or a light stretchy nylon gun sleeve. The closet trick with the light bulb works well too. I used it for years prior to owning a safe. Thanks for your service, Take care my Friend :hatsoff:

Best Answer! Barricade is extremely effective for both bore & exterior rust prevention. RIG grease if you plan to leave the country for a few years (as I once did) :thumbsup:

 

[nhmoose]

Uh that means RIG is better