protecting bare steel

[TDM]

rottonstone I think

That’s it!!!! Thanks.

 

[scratcherky]

Rub a very thin coat of RIG on it and let it set for a couple of days and then you can just oil it once in awhile.

The RIG will dry out a little and leave a very thin coat and lasts for a long time, you can refresh it once in awhile as needed.

The lock on the Jaeger below was built and left in the white back in the 80's and RIG and Ballistol is all that have ever been used on it.

View attachment 241643

Excuse my ignorance, but what is RIG?

 

[Nav]

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...sey+40045+rig+gun+grease+firearm+grease+12+oz
It's a viscous, heavy petroleum based gun grease. It's a much better successor to cosmoline (or god forbid that fish oil they put on Asian firearms). It does cure a bit, but it uncures when it's heated. I use it on all gun parts that slide. Makes Government M pistols smooth.
Perfectly good long-term protectant as well (which is their advertising schtick).

 

[moonlori83]

Nope. 220-grit is plenty fine enough. Rust-based finishes need some tooth.

After draw filing and polishing to 220-320 grit I lightly bead blast the surfaces to be browned. The light bead blast offers just enough bite to the browning solution to produce an even finish.
After washing residue off I dry and seal the surface with a wipe on-wipe off coat of boiled linseed oil.

 

[French Colonial]

R.I.G.

Rust Inhibiting grease, started using it when I lived in a house with no air conditioning in a very humid environment, any time you touched the metal on a gun within hours you could see your rusty fingerprints so we handled them by the wood only.

Started using RIG, no more fingerprints.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I remember my Dad varnishing the stock on his old single shot 22. While he was at it he varnished the barrel while it was out of the stock. That was way back in the 1950's in humid Western Oregon. That 22 is still in the family and has never rusted.
I like RIG too. I've never had a bore rust problem with it in long term storage. I even used it for patch lube when I hunted in the rain.

 

[Brokennock]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is RIG?

As others have said, it stands for Rust Inhibiting Grease. They also make a grease marketed as a lube for stainless steel unmentionables.. if you have one, or any, such as a stainless version of an unmentionable designed by John Browning and made by Colt, it is supposed to prevent galling when the stainless surfaces rub together.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

"Patina" is just another word for corrosion.

 

[HSmithTX]

The +P grease is what I think the stainless grease is called. I have used it for 20+ years on stainless guns and it works well, mostly hinge pins and ejectors on O/U shotguns and no sign of wear on hinges that have seen tens of thousands of cycles. It is tough and stays put, the only downside is that it is heavy and can cause issues in cold weather if you use much of it. Good product.

 

[Pete G]

I believe it was brick dust and ash, but don’t remember what it was called.

It was called “Keeping the Troops Busy”

 

[The Appalachian]

Renaissance Wax is all you need to protect bare metal long term. Apply one coat, polish with a cloth. Wait a day and apply a second coat as insurance against what you missed with the first coat.

 

[user 34300]

Why would the outside of the barrel take any different rest preventative measures than the inside of the barrel?

 

[The Appalachian]

Why would the outside of the barrel take any different rest preventative measures than the inside of the barrel?

Assuming you mean just oil......

Because oil can, and does, eventually evaporate. Unless constantly renewed it is at best a short term solution to preventing rust. The "thinner" and the "lighter" the oil, such as common gun oil, the faster it evaporates. That's why many complain about surface rust on stored firearms despite a supposed "good regimen" of applying gun oil.

And as far as the bore, it will rust as well unless the oil is constantly renewed. You've never pulled a brown patch out of a bore that you KNOW you oiled before you put it up? Gun oil just isn't the magic potion many think it is.

Most wouldn't ever want to wax their bores, myself included. I bear grease them, same stuff I lube patches with. Better than oil for my bores.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

It was called “Keeping the Troops Busy”

A busy soldier is a happy soldier.

 

[user 34300]

And as far as the bore, it will rust as well unless the oil is constantly renewed.

I have not had any rust for decades. I clean the bore well with water, soapy water, or windex. The key is water and well. Then dry. Then oil or grease. GTG for the foreseeable future in my climate. I never re-oil bores between shooting sessions. A lot of my stuff goes years between shooting sessions.

My most used oil is transmission fluid plus a bit of lanolin that was melted in. For long term storage I like LPS-3. I do not use CLP or WD in carbon steel barrels. Noting magic, there are lots of suitable products.

 

[The Appalachian]

FWIW, trans fluid isn't oil by definition, it's defined as hydraulic fluid. Still, tear apart an old AT that's had lots of time for fluid to drain off of steel parts in the upper casing, and you'll find some rust. Because gravity thinned it, and the atmosphere evaporated it enough to allow oxidation to start.

Saying only oil is necessary, means only oil. Presumably crude oil based standard gun oil. Coming back with trans fluid, lanolin, grease, LPS-3, etc., contradicts the only oil narrative, and airs down the argument.

Suitable products....yeah, sure. But, most of today's technological advances in gun industry lubricant/protectant have been mostly to separate you from your money.

It's tough to fool a race team, or the aerospace industry, or the heavy equipment industry, and the farming industry knows exactly what their equipment needs....but the gun crowd will jump off a cliff for the latest and greatest new super duper awesome snake oil, pun intended, because the last thing used, didn't work.....

I do have a sympathetic spot or two for the traditional muzzleloader enthusiast who has no access to bear oil/grease. Not enough sympathy to share my supply, but sympathy nonetheless. Hate your luck Pard.......

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Original lock plates were often burnished and left in the white.

Polished then burnished?