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Water Removal Black Powder Revolvers
- Thread starter Gator Weiss
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
New member
I could also write a "how to clean your firearm" article.
I WOULD recommend using WD 40. I would also recommend using very hot water. I would also disagree that WD 40 is not a lubricant.
Using compressed air MIGHT get the water out of inaccessible places-and it might not. Soap and water will remove oil from where it touches. A good flush with WD 40 will get oil back in those inaccessible areas.
I WOULD recommend using WD 40. I would also recommend using very hot water. I would also disagree that WD 40 is not a lubricant.
Using compressed air MIGHT get the water out of inaccessible places-and it might not. Soap and water will remove oil from where it touches. A good flush with WD 40 will get oil back in those inaccessible areas.
rodwhaincamo
New member
I’ve asked on another forum (where I read of the horrors of WD-40) for their experiences. Much like here there are some who swear by it claiming to have been using it for years and some who say they’ve spent a lot of time and made money cleaning the gummed up parts from its long term use. So this brings about the question of why. Why does it seem to work excellently for some and create havoc in others? Weather? Other chemicals? Too much?
Why does it seem to work excellently for some and create havoc in others? Weather? Other chemicals? Too much?
WD-40 is all my dad used for the last 20 or so years of his life and I don't think he fired a shot that entire time. Every so often he'd drench the crap out of them with WD-40 inside and out. I got them when he died and they were very dry but there was no gummy residue, there was no varnish buildup like I've seen claimed elsewhere. There was no rust either.
maillemaker
New member
I could also write a "how to clean your firearm" article.
Then you should.
I WOULD recommend using WD 40. I would also recommend using very hot water. I would also disagree that WD 40 is not a lubricant.
Using compressed air MIGHT get the water out of inaccessible places-and it might not. Soap and water will remove oil from where it touches. A good flush with WD 40 will get oil back in those inaccessible areas.
The point of my article is, it doesn't really matter. Plain old soapy water will do the trick, doesn't have to be hot, and heat while drying promotes oxidation. And pretty much any oil will do.
I once put a shirt of maille in the oven to dry it off. It came out bright orange with rust. Heat is not a good idea when drying iron objects. I used leaf blowers after that.
Steve
Heat is not a good idea when drying iron objects.
Funny that you would say that. We had huge ovens that we used to dry electrical equipment. There was lots of iron and steel in that equipment. We didn't have a problem with rust at all.
maillemaker
New member
Funny that you would say that. We had huge ovens that we used to dry electrical equipment. There was lots of iron and steel in that equipment. We didn't have a problem with rust at all.
Not enough detail on your scenario for me to comment. If the equipment itself was made of iron and steel, and designed to operate in a wet environment, then my guess is the metal was plated or otherwise coated to prevent oxidation. Or some kind of stainless steel may have been used.
I just know from personal experience with my attempt to dry wet maille in the oven, as well as from watching hot, wet gunbarrels develop flash rust while drying, that heat, as usual, accelerates most chemical reactions, including the oxidation of metal.
https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=485
4) Hot iron rusts faster than cold iron -- typically heat speeds up chemical reactions. This is one reason why mufflers and exhaust manifolds in cars get rusty very quickly (unless they are coated or made out of non-rusting materials).
Steve
A bit off topic, but here goes.
Electrical equipment has some paper insulation, steel frames, steel cores, and copper/aluminum of course as the conductors. Some have cast iron in them as well. The oven is used to bring the temperatures to approximately 180 deg F and is held at that level for up to 20 days and possibly longer if needed, depending how wet the paper insulation is.
The process is very effective in driving out moisture, with no rust involved.
I do not dry black powder arms in an oven. I simply have them up to temp with the hot water, which aids drying, and then give them a good treatment with WD-40. I will see if I can get a picture of a 50 year old pistol bore and post, as that is how it and all my BP arms get cleaned.
Even if a metal gets flash rust, it can even be wiped off with a finger if accessible. In a bore, an oiled patch will easily remove it.
Electrical equipment has some paper insulation, steel frames, steel cores, and copper/aluminum of course as the conductors. Some have cast iron in them as well. The oven is used to bring the temperatures to approximately 180 deg F and is held at that level for up to 20 days and possibly longer if needed, depending how wet the paper insulation is.
The process is very effective in driving out moisture, with no rust involved.
I do not dry black powder arms in an oven. I simply have them up to temp with the hot water, which aids drying, and then give them a good treatment with WD-40. I will see if I can get a picture of a 50 year old pistol bore and post, as that is how it and all my BP arms get cleaned.
Even if a metal gets flash rust, it can even be wiped off with a finger if accessible. In a bore, an oiled patch will easily remove it.
maillemaker
New member
Electrical equipment has some paper insulation, steel frames, steel cores, and copper/aluminum of course as the conductors. Some have cast iron in them as well. The oven is used to bring the temperatures to approximately 180 deg F and is held at that level for up to 20 days and possibly longer if needed, depending how wet the paper insulation is.
I'd guess either it's not much moisture or the metal has some kind of protective coating.
Even if a metal gets flash rust, it can even be wiped off with a finger if accessible. In a bore, an oiled patch will easily remove it.
Yup. I've done that. Oxidation is slowed at lower temps though.
Steve
The metal has no protective coating and you are correct in that the moisture levels are low,
Sometimes there is water settled at the bottom that migrates upward, and sometime it is enough to cause catastrophic failure. It doesn't take much at those voltage levels.
Just as in the flash rusting on a BP firearm, it doesn't take much moisture to create it.
Sometimes there is water settled at the bottom that migrates upward, and sometime it is enough to cause catastrophic failure. It doesn't take much at those voltage levels.
Just as in the flash rusting on a BP firearm, it doesn't take much moisture to create it.
Bill DeShivs
New member
With WD 40, there is no need to use heat at all. Just flush the gun out and wipe it off.
If heat is used, it should be very hot-to reduce the time that moisture is in contact with the metal.
There is nor reason to NOT use WD 40 for this. It displaces the water, adds rust protection, lubrication, and is inexpensive.
If heat is used, it should be very hot-to reduce the time that moisture is in contact with the metal.
There is nor reason to NOT use WD 40 for this. It displaces the water, adds rust protection, lubrication, and is inexpensive.
J.G. Terry
New member
Water Displacement
My Experience: I have been shooting BP for many years. This includes C&B, Flint and cartridge single shots. There has never been any rust problem related to WD40 displacing water. A 1861 Colt replica was cleaned with water then WD40 this Sunday. This works great. Same with my custom Hawken style 50 caliber. Incidentally, Ballistol is used here 50/50 with water for patch lube. I like to use Bore Butter for perserver plus Ballistol. Keep it simple.
On the downside I have seen rare events where modern smokeless firearms have been gummed up from WD40 use. There was no clue what caused this problem.
My Experience: I have been shooting BP for many years. This includes C&B, Flint and cartridge single shots. There has never been any rust problem related to WD40 displacing water. A 1861 Colt replica was cleaned with water then WD40 this Sunday. This works great. Same with my custom Hawken style 50 caliber. Incidentally, Ballistol is used here 50/50 with water for patch lube. I like to use Bore Butter for perserver plus Ballistol. Keep it simple.
On the downside I have seen rare events where modern smokeless firearms have been gummed up from WD40 use. There was no clue what caused this problem.
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