Unbeatable bore rust

[LME]

Have any of you guys encountered unbeatable rusting of the bore?

I've been scratching my head for quite awhile on why my bore keeps rusting, albeit slowly over multiple shoots.

I do absolutely everything I can and what others suggest to combat it, but it always ends up coming back after scrubbing it out.

I'm not really asking for cleaning and storage advice. I can't imagine doing something else that would work better than what I'm already doing, but wondered if there's anyone here that just "lives with it" and whether I can expect major pitting 10-20 years from now.

If you are getting flash rust don't worry . I have the same problem and the cure is after the barrel is dry I use machine oil and a couple patches to oil the barrel. I check it in a few days with a clean patch to see if I got it good enough. I wipe the barrel clean and oil it again. I have no more problem. I have rifles bought in the seventies that shoot as good as ever.

 

[wiscoaster]

Rough bore is the likely reason. As above, steel wool or scotchbrite or better yet lapping compound will improve shooting, accuracy, and cleaning.

Agreed. Rough bore is more difficult to clean spotless (you may not see it, but it's there). Even more, smooth surface doesn't give rust near as much opportunity and surface area to grab hold.

 

[Iron Jim Rackham]

Barricade works very well on steel barrels. I shoot a lot of iron barrel originals and get good results with olive oil. RIG works well for storing firearms that won't be shot for several weeks.

 

[waksupi]

WD40 will leave a residual build up. I made a lot of money over the years cleaning guns that wouldn't function, because of the buildup in the mechanisms. Shotguns that were used in wet weather were the main victims of WD40. It will show up brown looking at the bore with a scope, and as brown residue on a clean patch. It will actually form a varnish build up where used if not completely removed before oiling.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

The only time I have ever had a problem with rust was many, many years ago when I let a guy talk me into using his magic moose milk cleaning concoction which contained Peroxide. Thought I was never going to get that barrel to stop rusting. Needless to say nothing containing Peroxide has ever been near any gun I own since. Been doing this since the 70's and have always used WD40. Have a Douglas barrel that has been sitting in my workshop for probably at least 30 years. Every year or so I run a couple patches soaked in WD40 through it and have never had a problem with rust in the bore, the barrel has a beautiful natural brown on the exterior though. Going to make that into a rifle one of these days.

 

[BS2366]

I've never had a bore get rusty on any of my firearms. Muzzleloaders get cleaned with lightly soapy hot water, a few pass with alcohol or acetone patch, a coat of straight balistol, followed by a dry patch. Other firearms get Hoppes or a foaming cleaner, let it sit and work, brush out the bore if needed, then patches until it's clean, light coat of balistol, then dry patch.

My dad only used wd40 on all his guns. I hear that it can get gummy and that it can cause rust. But it never did in his guns.

 

[Buff1958]

After I clean mine I dry it well then run a patch down with bear grease, I go back the next day and run another patch with bear grease. I pretty much live in a swamp but have never had an issue with rust once the barrel is coated with the bear grease

 

[Eric Krewson]

I use WD to dry out my bore then swab it out. I got rusting with Barricade when we had a month of solid rain, my guns are in a safe out in the garage so they have ambient temp and moisture changes. I put a bigger dehumidifier rod in the gun safe and swabbed my bores with 30W motor oil for storage, no more rust.

 

[Siringo]

What is your patchlube?

 

[JDBraddy]

Living in Texas, took me a while to figure out condensation was my problem, moving gums back and forth from an air conditioned storage to outdoors, or a hot car, condensation would form on the cold metal, even inside the barrel, within a matter of hours I had visible rust.

 

[springfield art]

Try Molasses? VERY weird but works wonders. Mix up some feed store type molasses 8-1 water to molasses. Plug the breech end and fill the barrel and let it set 2-3 days. Then scrub and clean. I have restored INRESTORABLE cylinders etc, rusted so bad you could hardly see the nipples. LIKE NEW. BUT it will dim the bluing so use protection. Let us know if you decide to try if it works. Shouldn't but it does.

Interesting. I always knew there were some unusual tips here, but this one is really new to me! Wonder what chemistry is happening there? Thanks. Probably have to go to Farm Supply for molasses like that.

 

[azmntman]

Been like 10 years so but I paid $3-4 dollars for a gallon of it so it's pretty cheap too

 

[ZUG]

I've seen YouTubers using molasses and it does work but I think it would be a bit MESSY to clean it up. There are other products that will remove rust and easer to clean up after.

I totally agree with some of the others here that say your issue with rust is caused by a rough bore that prevents your cleaning and bore protection from doing its job. If it's that bad, I would consider send it to Bobby Hoyt for a re-bore and re-rifling job.

 

[HighUintas]

I do not know where you came up with this but it is total hogwash. You must have talked to someone who doesn't like it.

Is it water soluable, yes, it is mineral oil, but it is still oil and results since it was invented prove this wrong. I have used it extensively over the last 20 years or so and there are guns tucked away that have not been touched in several years and no rust (Yes, I need to thin the herd, but I like them all).

And it smells good! (Had to throw that in there!)

I should have been more accurate in my statement. There's no proof that it will allow rust over time, but I did get rust when I used it. I looked into the soluble part more...It actually creates an emulsion with water, leaving the oil behind when the water dries.

Rough bore is the likely reason. As above, steel wool or scotchbrite or better yet lapping compound will improve shooting, accuracy, and cleaning.

I think so. I'll get a couple of pictures with my scope. It started out very very very rough. I have given it at least 3 very good scrubs with very tight (had to pound the rod to get it started!) oiled 3m pad and then oiled steel wool. There's a notable visual difference and also in feel when patching, but it still looks pretty rough.

Is there a method to using lapping compound that doesn't involve lead lapping? I have no experience or knowledge on how to do that.

What is your patchlube?

At the range, usually hoppes black powder cleaner, sometimes TOTW mink oil. Mink oil hunting

 

[Doug Fay]

Naval jelly works better to remove rust than anything else I've found, although i've not tried it on guns. It also leaves a darkened surface that reminds me of anodizing (although it's not anodizing). I think (?) I read that this darkened surface actually has some protective effects against further rusting. You have to let the naval jelly sit for a while for it to work (overnight would be good). Then I suppose i'd run Scotch Brite up and down the barrel to shine it up again. Might be worth a try.

 

[acavdragoon]

That's really strange. Is that to remove the rust without having to scrub it with steel wool?

Not that I won't try something new, but it seems like I've tried everything.

No pyrodex has been used! Only BP

I live in Utah and it's not particularly humid in my house. I have no issues with any metal objects rusting in my garage and some of our laundry is hung there to dry. I don't store my gun out there.

I have zero issues with rust on the outside of the barrel and my lock.

Here's my process in case you're wondering.

Clean asap. In some cases I might have a couple hour drive home before I can clean it but so so immediately when I get home.

Take barrel out. Rinse with cool water.
Fill up bucket with clean cool water and put a really tight patch (2 patches) on the jag and work it up and down the bore for about 5 minutes with the breech in the bucket.
Use 2 new patches and do it again.
Rinse a couple times with clean water ( I've tried distilled also)
Dry bore with 2 patches, replacing the 2 patches a couple of times.
Douse it with WD-40, in the touch hole and down the bore. 1 patch up and down a couple times to make sure it's coated and squirt oil violently out the touch hole.
Sit barrel bore down for a couple hours.
Patch out the wd40.
Use CRC sp-350 in the bore for rust protection.

I have tried acetone and alcohol after dry patching to help dry it. I've tried a bit of soap when cleaning. I've tried hoppes BP cleaner.

Replace the WD-40 and the CRC sp-350 with Ballistol.

 

[SDSmlf]

Naval jelly works better to remove rust than anything else I've found, although i've not tried it on guns. It also leaves a darkened surface that reminds me of anodizing (although it's not anodizing). I think (?) I read that this darkened surface actually has some protective effects against further rusting. You have to let the naval jelly sit for a while for it to work (overnight would be good). Then I suppose i'd run Scotch Brite up and down the barrel to shine it up again. Might be worth a try.

Naval jelly is pretty aggressive and likely not something you want to pour down your gun’s bore. It is basically phosphoric acid with a bit of sulfuric acid mixed in. The manufacturers do not claim the stuff to be a rust preventor. If left on steel for an extended period of time it will corrode the steel, taking a nuisance and creating a problem.

If one feels the need to chemically remove rust or corrosion from a gun’s bore, a product like EvapoRust works well, and homemade formulas that use things like molasses also work. Just remember that anything that chemically removes rust will also remove the bluing on any surface it is applied to.

 

[GBG]

After I clean mine I dry it well then run a patch down with bear grease, I go back the next day and run another patch with bear grease. I pretty much live in a swamp but have never had an issue with rust once the barrel is coated with the bear grease

I'm surrounded by river shoreline on three sides and don't have bear grease. If guns are going to be stored for more than a couple of weeks, Ive resorted to removing, coating and packing barrels with axle grease, then sealing the muzzle and nipple with oil soaked, tightly wrapped, grease coated cloth plugs.

WD40 followed by plenty of gun oil will protect them for a few days.

 

[Doug Fay]

Naval jelly is pretty aggressive and likely not something you want to pour down your gun’s bore. It is basically phosphoric acid with a bit of sulfuric acid mixed in. The manufacturers do not claim the stuff to be a rust preventor. If left on steel for an extended period of time it will corrode the steel, taking a nuisance and creating a problem.

If one feels the need to chemically remove rust or corrosion from a gun’s bore, a product like EvapoRust works well, and homemade formulas that use things like molasses also work. Just remember that anything that chemically removes rust will also remove the bluing on any surface it is applied to.

Thanks! I wasn't aware of that. I take back that suggestion

 

[HighUintas]

Here's a video of my bore I just took. This is after multiple rounds of 3m pad and 0000 steel wool scrubbing, VERY tight on a jag. It is vastly improved compared to where it started a year ago. I unfortunately don't have any pictures from then.

I just did another round a couple days ago, being a little more aggressive. We'll see how it cleans up next time.

Yes.... I need to polish that breech face!


ML bore video