rusty remington 597 need advice

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billythekid7.62

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left my remington 597 .22 in my dads gun safe for a few years, despite being oiled when it was put away it developed a large spattering of rust over half the barrel. front site post and the pin in the rear site post have rust but i can see it barely starting on the screws holding the rifle in the stock. the inside of the barrel looks clear and shiny except at the lip of the barrel where i can see rust extending in a few centimeters.
Im wondering the best route to remove the rust I have read to soak a few hours using a rust remover and then scrub lightly with bronze wool. however electrolytic derusting seems the overall best way and i do have a battery charger but i am not sure what i should use as a electrode for a gun barrel. Any advice on either methods or others would help I have been looking for a good tutorial but have not found one yet
 

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It's probably not as bad as it looks. There are many threads on here already addressing your problem. I'd search Rust and Rust removal and read the suggestions. Then you need better lubricant. WD40 and other light oils evaporate after a period. You need a quality gun oil that protects your firearm and check it every few weeks. Good luck.
 
Slow and easy wins the race !!

May sound a bit strange but that rust still looks a bit green. On my first pass, I'd go with oil and 0000 steel wool. Regarless, some of your blueing will be removed. At this point, you will get a better idea of how deep it has gone and perhaps, not taken root. Do not soak it in rust remover as you will probably remove more than you really want. I'd live with the results and reblueing is always an option. ... :)

Be Safe !!
 
I had the exact same thing happen to my 597. I removed the bluing from the barrel and sanded the rust pits out with sand paper, final sanded it and re-blued it with Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue. Can't tell it was ever rusted, but the bluing on the barrel is considerably nicer looking that the "painted" receiver.
 
thank you all for the quick responses im sorely tempted to just use steel wool rather than do whats right simply because this is a $150 dollar gun. I am really hoping to hear from someone who has tried the electrolytic method, as im unsure of a few things. one there are probably a few different types of metal or plastic components on the gun and im not sure if i have to completely disassemble everything and go a few pieces at a time or just put the whole receiver and barrel in the solution.
My browning sa-22 has much worse rust so I believe either way im going to have to try this method eventually
 
I would not recommend the electrolytic rust removal. It will remove some iron (etch the surface) as well as removing the rust and all the bluing. Notice how gray the plane in the tutorial looks? That iron that's been left with an activated dull matte surface. You'd have not only to get the water displaced and oil on it fast, before it rusts some more, but the surface will now be a different texture than previously.

A better approach, if you have a container large enough, is to put some low ion (soft or distilled) water in and bring it to a boil, then set the rusty part of the gun in for about 15 minutes. If the rust is fresh and light enough, this will convert it to black magnetite. This is the basic principle behind how rust bluing is done, though that process has a more controlled light rusty surface. Once converted, the black oxide is mostly looser, as well, and you and wipe it down with very fine steel wool or even with rough brown paper towel. Also, when you remove steel from boiling water the heat not only dries it fast, it causes a thin blue oxide layer to form that helps protect the metal long enough to oil it or get another finish on it.

If that boiling doesn't convert the rust (if it's too deep or has oil in it), another product I really like Gunzilla. It's a gun cleaner, but it very slowly does a top job of loosening rust. Just leave it on for a week and rub most of the rust off and repeat. It's slow going, but probably the most gentle approach. It won't remove the blue at all.

If you don't have time for that, PB Blaster or Kroil or other penetrating oil left overnight will loosen it and two or three treatments like that will probably get most of it. Not quite as gentle as the Gunzilla (which is also safer on your skin, being a biodegradable vegetable oil product), but won't hurt the bluing any, either.

Only at that point that the rust is largely gone and you can see how the metal looks underneath are you going to be able to assess the damage well enough to determine how much refinishing and what kind is really needed.
 
well uncle nick after a week of research....... well lazy research. You have given me two options that i like much better than anything I have found the gunzilla sounds good and I do have a couple bottles of pb blaster lying around I think it will work for my browning break down 22 it has rust near some of the designs on the side where I dont want to sand it but its pretty deep so i might have to. and after doing a once over with atf on the 597 the rust as said above doesnt look like its really eating in to the barrel to much so the boiling deionized water might be perfect.
 
I advise against the electrolysis on the Remington. And by all means please don't electrocute an innocent Browning 22 ! :eek:
 
yeah as to the electrocution, disinformation abounds after unclenicks post I hit google with a vengeance and yes electrolysis will remove and begin to further erode the metal it is perfect for most situations just not with performance finished pieces like a rifle bore but for a planer or truck frame its magic not to mention it will strip off all bluing.
 
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