Preventing barrel rust

[mikee51848]

I have a Pedersoli Bess and can't keep the barrel from rusting. I had to scrub it with steel-wool after the last re-enactment to get that layer off. When I took the barrel off, the bottom half that lays in the channel looked as good as the day I assembled it, but the exposed section had lots of rust spots. It has been real humid here in the NE, which has not helped. Is this gonna be a constant maintenance issue? :boohoo:

 

[halfstock54]

Here's what I do after browning a barrel. After my last carding (I use a dicel wheel), I give it a good rinsing with HOT water and baking soda. I mean HOT.. After that, I rub it liberally with beeswax to seal it. After each cleaning, I rub it down liberally (lock stock and barrel, and leather sling) with ballistol. I've never had the rust start up again.

Scott/Ne

:results:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Scrub it up as you want it to appear (pulverized red brick dust makes a good and authentic scouring powder). A 3-M pad or metal cleaning pad works as well and is much less messy. I prefer a non-shiny appearance. I used to rub apple slices on my Bess after removing all the oils with acetone and then allow it to stand overnight to darken the metal slightly, then buff it just enough to remove any rust without making it shiny. Once you have it as you like it, wipe it with a penetrating oil (Rem-Oil or Sheath). Wipe it with a dry rag until it is well worked in. Then, rub beeswax over the barrel (melting it will help but is not necessary). Rub the barrel and wood with a rag and repeat until the whole barrel is well treated. It doesn't have to be glopped on thick, but it must be worked in to every pore and surface. The easiest way is to "draw" on the barrel with a cake of the wax like it was a crayon or chalk, then rub it well in once it's all covered. The heat of rubbing will work the wax in.

Maintenance is just wiping with oil again after after cleaning and rewaxing. If you do get a problem spot, scrub with the dust or pad and re-oil/wax. With practice you can blend in the dark and shiny spots until it takes an even gray patina. With your gun already having had rust it will show as a nice dark gray that looks right :imo:. This works for any "in-the-white" finish.

Looks like this when you're done.

 

[sherpadoug]

Any infantryman in the regular army who let his barrel go brown would be flogged :shocking:
I have found a big culprit is fingerprints, especially if your hands are wet with seawater (My group does marine reenactments). On the other hand Nevr-Dull leaves a transparent coating that seems to slow rusting. Keep it armory bright and try handle it with a slightly oily kerchief when you can.
:m2c: :thumbsup:

 

[mikee51848]

Thanks, guys. :thumbsup:

 

[SAJones]

Keeping the metal bright was one of the onerous chores of the old soldiers. Van Steuban even warned the troops not to use their ramrods to "burnish" the barrel as it bends the ramrod & makes flats on the barrel.

Anyways, being a collector of very long knives, I use a good carnuba wax to keep rust off my blades. So I started waxing my in-the-bright muskets, especially under the barrel. Works well for most conditions, but even so I have garnered a good deal of rust on my Charleville when I loaned it to someone for a reenactment in a drizzle. The kid just tossed it in a tent w/ wiping it down. But it wasn't so bad that a little scrubbing put the bright back on.

 

[mule ear]

If you are not looking for PC, I have never had a problem with RIG (RIG, Sparks NV) Avaliable from Brownell's. One coat lasts me a season of hard hunting.