Rust Problem on Plains Rifle

[Ken Rummer]

I agree that the wash water temperature is very important. I get much more flash rusting with water near boiling than water out of the hot tap.

An issue with Ballistol is that the liquid works better than the spray for coating the bore for storage. It is easier to slop enough liquid on a bore patch to coat the entire surface. Spray does not seem to get as much coating.

I think the ideal oil would be Break Free. I use it on all my other guns.
The question is how much cleaning is required to get the Break Free out of the bore?
Will wiping with dry patches be adequate?
Is a solvent like alcohol required?
Can you tell when you shoot the gun that you did not get out all the Break Free?

 

[BrownBear]

Along those lines, when putting guns (both cartridge guns and MLs) away for long time storage, I use an oil inside and out that dries without leaving a film. It doesn't collect lint and such, which in turn would collect humidity and hold it against the steel. My pick is EZ-Ox. A couple of times I've forgotten to clean it from the bore (Hoppes) before shooting when I took the ML from storage. Didn't even run a patch down the bore. Guns fired just fine both times. Usually I just run a dry patch down the bore to inspect for problems, and I get no misfires in that case either.

I'm not pimping EZ-Ox, though I love it. I am saying that there's a difference in what stays behind after you oil a bore, and that in my experience the ones that leave a dry film work best for long storage, as well as for shooting without cleaning after storage.

 

[renovato]

I'm not so sure on the Break Free. That's the one lubricant that has caused more rust on my guns than all the others put together. I get it for free by the case here (military surplus) so if it would work for me, I'd use it in a heartbeat.

It works ok for a couple weeks, then rust starts if I don't keep a close eye on guns treated with it. That's the very reason I started using CorrosionX in the first place. Break Free had let me down after some minor flooding in the shop and several guns were all but ruined, meanwhile guns in the same room treated with CorrosionX looked like new.

 

[BrownBear]

Same here on the Break-Free, Plink. Too many bad experiences with it to trust it.

And not just in storage. I can treat a gun with it to start a rainy, drizzly day and come home at night with rust spots. Lots of others don't work that way.

 

[ringdove]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I am completely revising the way I clean and store my rifle.