Oh dammit...

M

Mike Irwin

Staff
I got caught in the rain on Sunday while shooting.

Rust on several of my Smith & Wessons. My Browning Buckmark and my 1911 are a mess, though...

Sigh.
 
Rainwater = rust? :(

Glad I live in the hight deserts of the Rockies. That kind of occurance doesn't happen up here with out improper storage and extreme lack of rust preventative (oil) of some kind to keep moisture on the weapon's surface...
 
Rust? The ever present threat around here. I spray with Sheath or CLP after scrubbing and a hosedown with spray cleaner.

The weather here is about like what you find in D.C. Actually, a couple of hundred years ago the British declared D.C. to be a sub-tropical assignment because it was so miserable. A long time ago the best part of D.C. was a malarial swamp. Ever wonder why the State Dept., Georgetown, George Washington Univ, etc. are in an area called Foggy Bottom? There's even a Foggy Bottom Metro stop.

We don't even need rain in Richmond to get rusty guns - it's 8:15 in the morning, 76 degrees, 74% humidity and headed into the mid-90s again.

I wish it would rain and cool things off.

John
 
Cleaning Wet Guns

Condolences on your damaged family members. Whilst this is a bit late, may I suggest a method to head of the rust next time you get rained on?

I use a cleaning solution based on General Hatcher's Frankfurt Arsenal formula from the 1920s. It is cheap to make, cleans better than any commercial formula I have tried and is the answer for water. A chemist updated Hatcher's formula (which is in "Hatcher's Notebook") is easy.

For day to day cleaning mix in a metal can (it will eat many plastics):

1 Qt. Kerosene (deodorized is best)
1 Qt. Mineral Spirits or Terpentine
1 Qt. Acetone
1 Qt Automatic Transmission fluid type II or III

I use a paint can that I bought at a paint store for about a buck to mix/store the stuff. Keep the lid on ... the acetone will evaporate (I add a little acetone from time to time to keep the mix working like new.)

To use, I have a heavy oil resistant plastic pan that is designed for use in changing oil in cars. I also have a wire collander I use for cleaning small parts... simply put the parts in the basket to easily soak the parts. You simply remove the grips, field strip the gun and lower the gun and parts into the solution and let them soak for about 15 min or so, while brushing the barrel and using a toothbrush on carbon deposits. The solution will displace water rapidly and protect internals as well.

Remove the gun and wipe it down with a paper towel etc. and set the gun on newpaper and let the solution drain for a half hour or so. After it has drained, I wipe it again and then wipe down with Hoppes .... which smells a LOT better.

You are then good to go... your will be as clean as it has ever been and no rust.

Another use for this is long term storage, for a year or so of safe storage, use the above mix, with a pound of melted anhydrous lanolin mixed in... it will nicely coat the weapon.

Don't forget to remove the grips.

FWIW

Chuck
 
Guys, thanks for the condolences, and Chuck thanks for the suggestions.

Yeah, rainwated equals rust, unfortunatly.

My friend and I were shooting, and it was a hot & humid day, but what I think REALLY killed us was the fact that the foam liner in the SKB case got wet. I tried to dry it out with a towel as best I could, but I obviously didnt' get it all, and the guns had to go back into the case for the better part of 24 hours.

I tried to buy some time by wrapping the guns in plastic bags, but it obviously wasn't enough. I should have oiled them then and there, but thought I could get by.

The only saving grace?

My new Model 24 wasn't affected.
 
TIPS FROM MOISTUREBOY

Even I do something to my rained-on guns.

I saturate them with Pro-Lix (Lux?). Or BreakFree CLP (because I can spell that easier).
Later on (days?) I wipe them some.

I had my 1911 (Caspian, of course) NP3'd because it would rust if I got teary-eyed.
Now, NO RUST.

My stainless guns rust; my hardchromed gun rusts. My blue guns have a faint reddish hue...............

I keep my ammoshop subtropical, because primers will explode (no static in MY shop).
 
I have always said that the only place for WD-40 around guns is sprayed into the foam of the case...

hose the insides of the case occasionally... prevents water and rust...
 
I kinda thought a bit of rust gives mine character.... never seemed to affect the way they shot....

of course I never clean them either so that could be a reason I don't get excited about a bit of rust or dirt...

Pretty and shiny isn't as important as how that group of holes or downed steel looks downrange....

It's a running joke amongs the group I shoot with.... everyone knows my lack of cleaning the guns but can't believe how they shoot.... just can't figure it out....
 
Mike Irwin... the WD-40 hasn't desolved the foam in my cheap "woodsman" and Doskocil cases yet... but maybe remoce the foam, and try it in a small corner on the backside first...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top