Hello all, first timer with a question. I recently purchased an lee Enfield in unissued condition. Brought it home and cleaned it with hoppes solvent and then wiped off and applied oil. I put it in the case a couple weeks ago and when I took it out to show my father I noticed it now had brown marks on the rear sight and on the serial number on the bolt was turning brown. Is this rust and I missed a spot? How do I remove it without ruining the perfect finish especially on the small numbers of the serial number.
Brown spots appearing after cleaning
- Thread starter unit5016
- Start date
Likely rust. What type of oil did you apply? Back in my teenage days I used mineral oil as gun oil. It turns out it migrates really quickly if you store a firearm in foam lined case, and is not a great preservative.
It should be fairly easy to remove as it sounds like you caught it early. Get some OOO steel wool, wipe the area dry with a cloth, and lightly scrub the rust off with steel wool. Keep wiping the area every so often until the cloth is no longer rust colored. Then reapply a good gun oil. Plain ole' CLP will work in a pinch.
Speaking of idiotic teenage days. Make sure you get your steel wool from the same section as sandpaper in the hardware store. DO NOT use course stainless steel wool that you scrub pans with. Don't ask me why I issue this warning that you probably don't need (but I did)
It should be fairly easy to remove as it sounds like you caught it early. Get some OOO steel wool, wipe the area dry with a cloth, and lightly scrub the rust off with steel wool. Keep wiping the area every so often until the cloth is no longer rust colored. Then reapply a good gun oil. Plain ole' CLP will work in a pinch.
Speaking of idiotic teenage days. Make sure you get your steel wool from the same section as sandpaper in the hardware store. DO NOT use course stainless steel wool that you scrub pans with. Don't ask me why I issue this warning that you probably don't need (but I did)
Midwayusa and others have brass or stainless steel pads that won't damage your bluing if used with oil. Finish up with a though wipe down with a rag saturated with a good gun oil, Weapon Shield is the best I've found and I live in a very humid area.
Store your guns where air can circulate around them, never in a foam case or anything that will hold moisture. Keep a silicon cloth handy to use if the weapon is handled, everyone is a potential "ruster"(their skin has high acid content).
Store your guns where air can circulate around them, never in a foam case or anything that will hold moisture. Keep a silicon cloth handy to use if the weapon is handled, everyone is a potential "ruster"(their skin has high acid content).
carguychris
New member
BE CAREFUL cleaning this gun with steel wool. The majority of Lee-Enfields were not blued; most were oil blackened, while WWII Lithgow rifles were parkerized, and later Ishapore rifles were painted along many FTR rifles. These finishes can be damaged by too-vigorous cleaning with abrasive media.
I would gently clean the serial number area with a bronze brush after thoroughly soaking in oil. If the rust is light enough, a toothpick may actually work.
I would gently clean the serial number area with a bronze brush after thoroughly soaking in oil. If the rust is light enough, a toothpick may actually work.