Help with major rust problem on my MK12.

[Mauser KAR98K]

I opened my Pelican case to a very rusted MK12 Mod 0 tonight while getting something off of it. The barrel, which has a rustolum coating on top of the Douglas black coat had rust on it that I can clearly see through the holes of the PRI handguard. The chamber has rust in it, and the inside of the barrel was coated. In my hast to get the uppper stripped to start treating the rust, I have two allen screws that cannot unscrew. i did not locktight these either. They consist of the one allen on the added straight top forearm rail, and the allen screw that holds the Ops Inc suppressor collar in place.

I'm not worried so much on getting these last two screws off as this will be going to the smith tomorrow afternoon to handle (home built). I am very frustrated and curious as to how I got so much rust on this weapon in the three weeks since I cased it after a quick barrel swab and some CLP put on it.

My last outing with it was with my neighbor shooting at some pest deer destroying a friend's garden here in TN. We did this shortly after a rain soaking but the rifle was not uncased prior to that.

I have everything I thought has been right: keep it cased in a quality case, keep it lubed, and generally cleaned. I am mad beyond reason right now. What did I do wrong? Can my barrel be saved?

[Iraqgunz]

The foam in Pelican cases draws moisture out of the air. If you live in a high heat/humidity location the chances are it will rust.

CLP is not very good rust prevention IME. I find it interesting your chamber is rusted.

[Mauser KAR98K]

The foam in Pelican cases draws moisture out of the air. If you live in a high heat/humidity location the chances are it will rust.

CLP is not very good rust prevention IME. I find it interesting your chamber is rusted.

Well ain't that grand. We haven't have high heat, but we have had a lot of humidity.

Iraqgunz: Can my barrel be saved? It is a SS chrome lined.

[Wake27]

I've read that thing with pelican cases on a few different sites. Most advocate throwing some desiccant in before closing the lid for just that reason. IME I've just coated whatever was rusty with the lube I use (Militec), let it sit, scrub, and repeat. I'm sure there are better ways but its worked for me so far. Granted this was with pretty minor rust.

I've also found CLP to be less than ideal for both protecting and removing rust. During my weeklong FTX at AIT, I was assigned a SAW. It'd seen enough usage that much of the parkerizing had worn off the receiver. There was so much humidity at night that by day 3, at least half of the receiver was rusting. I performed the same process as above, but made almost no progress removing it. Got my ass chewed when I showed it to my DS because the pin for the pistol grip and FCG had been lost a week before and our ghetto rig wasn't working (I had just ND'd because whatever solution the other DS had previously come up with had failed and the whole FCG and pistol grip slipped off the receiver. I think about 3 rounds went off before I slammed it back in place - luckily they were blanks). He didn't say shit about the fact that the FCG was being held in place by a twig and 550 cord, just that I needed to clean the rust off as soon as possible. :rolleyes:

ETA: Sorry for the rant and your rifle man, that's rough.

[RyanB]

Parkerizing, not anodizing on a SAW receiver.

[Mauser KAR98K]

I've read that thing with pelican cases on a few different sites. Most advocate throwing some desiccant in before closing the lid for just that reason. IME I've just coated whatever was rusty with the lube I use (Militec), let it sit, scrub, and repeat. I'm sure there are better ways but its worked for me so far. Granted this was with pretty minor rust.

I've also found CLP to be less than ideal for both protecting and removing rust. During my weeklong FTX at AIT, I was assigned a SAW. It'd seen enough usage that much of the anodizing had worn off the receiver. There was so much humidity at night that by day 3, at least half of the receiver was rusting. I performed the same process as above, but made almost no progress removing it. Got my ass chewed when I showed it to my DS because the pin for the pistol grip and FCG had been lost a week before and our ghetto rig wasn't working (I had just ND'd because whatever solution the other DS had previously come up with had failed and the whole FCG and pistol grip slipped off the receiver. I think about 3 rounds went off before I slammed it back in place - luckily they were blanks). He didn't say shit about the fact that the FCG was being held in place by a twig and 550 cord, just that I needed to clean the rust off as soon as possible. :rolleyes:

ETA: Sorry for the rant and your rifle man, that's rough.

You know, i got the pelican cause I knew I was going to travel with it to do hunting, primarily yotes. I think once I get this fixed (God I hope my barrel is saveable), I am going to throw it on EE at 1/2 price and pick up a soft-shell case instead. I do like the idea of the desiccant, but I'm just going to sack the case. If not, i will just store it and have it available if I need to transport a rifle via train or air.

Sucks to hear about the SAW. I got to go to my College's ROTC FTX and the let me run a belt through the SAW. Loved it. Watching them clean it, though, was head shaking. The unit we got them from did not clean the weapons that "they were suppose" to as carbon had built up on the gas piston and other places. Thick enough that they were scrapping layers of old brass off, and then finding more corbon to clean.

Course, I am not a big advocate of the Army's 2 hour rifle cleaning regiment as, to me, it is over cleaning and taking a lot of the lube of the rifle and putting enough in. Saw this at said FTX I went to. Just a spray of CLP on the bolt and in the chamber and it was lubed. I told a few of my classmates that, "if I drop my weapon in puddle and it doesn't look like the Exxon Valdez at Prince Williams Sound, it is not lubed enough."

[ace4059]

Pelican cases have open celled foam inside. Open foam is terrible for storing guns in because is soaks in moisture and as you found out, creates terrible rust problems. A Pelican is designed for protection during transport, not really for long term storage. If you want to store your gun inside then replace all of the foam with closed cell which will cost you $40-$50 for the large cases.

[Iraqgunz]

I am sure that it can be saved. I would try some Froglube. I have seen it do some really good stuff to some nasty guns. Mostly recently an old Enfield .303. It's now a shooter.

After you let the Froglube sit, use a copper brush and scrub it gently.


Well ain't that grand. We haven't have high heat, but we have had a lot of humidity.

Iraqgunz: Can my barrel be saved? It is a SS chrome lined.

[mark5pt56]

Hose it with and let it soak with Kroil. The exterior can be cleaned with oil and some light steel wool. The interior maybe with some JB's(lightly) or Iosso paste. Like some old military surplus, it may some pitting in the bore but still shoot fine. Keep it from the case and only use the case for transport. An idea to help is a soft case inside of the hard case without foam. Always make sure the rifle and case are dry. For what it's worth and take it however--clean the dang thing before putting it up-properly and I don't buy into the clean whenever and just dump more oil on it tuff guy approach. This is the sort of thing that happens.

[WS6]

I'd clean the bore and then shoot it. That will take care of the rust, there. Everyone and their brother has a magicmethod for the external.

Never use foam case like that. Bad. I learned hard too.

[40Arpent]

The foam in Pelican cases draws moisture out of the air. If you live in a high heat/humidity location the chances are it will rust.


No argument here, but even living in the deep south, I have never had an issue with long'ish storage of weapons in foam lined cases. What is most critical is storing in a cool/dry place....and letting a hot weapon cool before casing, a most-often skipped step. I've walked into my home with warm weapons (warmed by the sun), and immediately had a thin film of condensation build up on them.

[FireandFlames]

I've also found CLP to be less than ideal for both protecting and removing rust. During my weeklong FTX at AIT, I was assigned a SAW. It'd seen enough usage that much of the anodizing had worn off the receiver. There was so much humidity at night that by day 3, at least half of the receiver was rusting. I performed the same process as above, but made almost no progress removing it. Got my ass chewed when I showed it to my DS because the pin for the pistol grip and FCG had been lost a week before and our ghetto rig wasn't working (I had just ND'd because whatever solution the other DS had previously come up with had failed and the whole FCG and pistol grip slipped off the receiver. I think about 3 rounds went off before I slammed it back in place - luckily they were blanks). He didn't say shit about the fact that the FCG was being held in place by a twig and 550 cord, just that I needed to clean the rust off as soon as possible. :rolleyes:


Are you me? Our SAW's were orange by the end of our FTX, spent the first 4 days of recovery cleaning bravos and 249's 24 hours a day. CLP works fine you just need a bunch of scared and tired privates doing the work. :D

[davidjinks]

I'll second the froglube and/or kroil.

You may also want to try G96. So far (For me) it has worked excellent all around.

If you have a spare bottle, send it to me and I'll fill it for you for free. I've got a gallon of the stuff.

[MarkG]

There is more to this story...

The rust rate of 416 stainless is about 2 mils per year. The only way to rapidly increase the rate is to compromise the passive layer on the surface with blood, sweat, salt water or halogens (chemicals that end in 'ine'). Just about every "gun scrubber" on the market has something in it that is bad for your weapon. Is there any chance that the OP might have used a cleaning agent that contained a chemical that exacerbated the rust?

What is Rustolum on top of Douglas Black Coat? If this barrel is rusting through the paint the OP likely has a problem that can't be fixed without refinishing the entire barrel.

Does this barrel really have a chrome lined bore? I wasn't aware that you could apply hard chrome to a stainless barrel.

[tog]

There is more to this story...

The rust rate of 416 stainless is about 2 mils per year. The only way to rapidly increase the rate is to compromise the passive layer on the surface with blood, sweat, salt water or halogens (chemicals that end in 'ine'). Just about every "gun scrubber" on the market has something in it that is bad for your weapon. Is there any chance that the OP might have used a cleaning agent that contained a chemical that exacerbated the rust?

What is Rustolum on top of Douglas Black Coat? If this barrel is rusting through the paint the OP likely has a problem that can't be fixed without refinishing the entire barrel.

Does this barrel really have a chrome lined bore? I wasn't aware that you could apply hard chrome to a stainless barrel.

I agree there has to be more to the story. Chrome lining should stand up more than this. The halogen family is group 17 on the periodic table.

[Stickman]

Does this barrel really have a chrome lined bore? I wasn't aware that you could apply hard chrome to a stainless barrel.

I know that Noveske did some 4 or 5 years ago, but I'm not aware of anyone currently doing it. It isn't cheap by a long shot, so I'm very interested in knowing who else is doing it, and why (aside from just being different).

[TBomb]

As has already been mentioned, you don't need to ditch the Pelican case, just get some closed cell foam for it and maybe some desiccant too just to be safe. Or, you know, sell it to me for half price :D

[Ridgerunner665]

You folks have probably never heard if this stuff...

BUT IT WORKS....it is lanolin based, safe for wood, plastic, rubber, paint, any metal....anything. Excellent lubrication and protection...not so much for cleaning though.

It doesn't dry out either...I've even used for fifth wheel lube on a tractor trailer...it lasts longer than grease.

It's called "Fluid Film".... Google it or look it up on YouTube...I've used it on my guns for 2 years now, nothing else compares.

http://www.fluid-film.com/

Can be found at most any Case or New Holland construction or agriculture equipment dealer.

Caterpillar, Case, New Holland, John Deere, etc....they all spray equipment that gets shipped overseas with this stuff...even when shipped top deck and uncovered....they arrive rust free after weeks at sea.

Some say it will begin to get gummy.....at about -10 F...I have not seen this though, I also use it on ratchet binders and it appeared to work just fine at -43 in North Dakota last winter...I haven't had my guns out in weather that cold, I prefer to not get myself out in it either...but sometimes I have to.

My guns are always stored ready for long term...after deer season, I leave home sometime in the first week of January and most likely won't be back until the middle of May.

[BIGUGLY]

I had to store my long range rifle in a pelican case for quite an extended time due to a move, If you keep some desiccants in the case along with the gun it can make a world of difference.

If you get the desiccants in the little altoid shaped containers they can be recharged and you can place a few of them in the case. It made all the difference in the world when I had to store mine.

[RyanB]

I bought my Pelican without foam and just put my padded soft case into it.

[jpgm]

I continue to use Gunzilla (BC-10) with great success. Even though it a CLP type product, it will do a real good job of loosening rust.

jpgm

[Kokopelli]

Tennessee weather can be hard on firearms. Not the worst by any means, but certainly not the best. I have a friend that stores his rifles in soft cases (for years) and he recently discovered a fine rust on most of his rifles. It never happened before, but it has now. I don't trust any case for storage; a safe with heaters inside your living space is the only way to go here.

I can't add anything to the advice already given regarding rust removal.. Ron

[Blankwaffe]

Tennessee weather can be hard on firearms. Not the worst by any means, but certainly not the best. I have a friend that stores his rifles in soft cases (for years) and he recently discovered a fine rust on most of his rifles. It never happened before, but it has now. I don't trust any case for storage; a safe with heaters inside your living space is the only way to go here.

I can't add anything to the advice already given regarding rust removal.. Ron

Yeap,the weather this year has been funky wet to.Ive had mold and mildew issues for the first time in the house this year.Causing me to buy a electric dehumidifier and Eva-Dry mini dehumidifiers for the lockers etc., as the AC apparently isn't keeping the RH acceptable in my 150 year old house.

That being said,I recently had a similar issue as the OP.

Had two AR's that developed some dark brownish green funk in the bores.Put dark green almost brown on a patch.Nothing on any of the other parts inside or out.Both chrome lined barrels.Bores were cleaned and lubed with CLP before being placed in the lockers.

Now Ive noted in the past that CLP tends to turn green after being exposed for a few weeks/months,but this was dark and thick enough to make me suspect corrosion.Couple dry and clean patches and the bores are nice,bright and clean.

Strange thing is the guns were in the same locker as some ole shooter grade RC Mauser K98K's and their bores were clean and bright.

So maybe its just a damp year but Ive never had these issues and Ive been in this house since 1989.Never had anything turn in a chrome lined bore either,so I guess its a first all around.

[Ridgerunner665]

I'm in Tennessee too...well, home is in Tennessee anyway...try Fluid Film.

Worst case...if you don't like it....its the best thing going for breaking loose rusty bolts, makes WD40 look like pee in a spray can...also works great sprayed on mower decks to keep the grass from sticking.

It will not be wasted money...the stuff is about $10 per can, but when your guns are mostly north of $1K as mine are...thats a small price to pay for peace of mind during long term storage.

[Blankwaffe]

Hey Ridge,

Ive got some Fluid Film in the shop and never thought of trying it on the guns,might give it a go.

Im pretty sure the issue I had was clearly a humidity issue which Im working to resolve for obvious reasons.I draw the line when I see mildew and mold on my stuff in the house.

It was strange to only see it in two chrome lined AR barrels out of a somewhat large assortment of current and surplus weapons.
To top that it was only in the bore and nowhere else on the AR's.

Those two rifles were the only one's that Ive cleaned with CLP in sometime.Was finishing off a bottle I had on the shelf and it was a couple years old.So the oil may have degraded overtime,don't know.
The majority of my weapons are lubed with Weapon Shield oil and grease, and they all looked like a new quarter.

So that tells me to stay with Weapon Shield,and I need to get my relative humidity under control.

[Mauser KAR98K]

Quick update.

Got it back from the smitty and $30 later. Had to split and knock the Ops Inc collar off as the allen screw was rusted in. Once that was done, we disassembled the rifle and cleaned it. There are still rust points on the exterior of the barrel but nothing bad. There are a few spots in the barrel where we can see rust spots, but nothing severe. Saturday I will go out and fire it for zero and see where and how it prints.

Two culprits. The pelcan case and cleaning the weapon and casing in high humidity. Wrong cleaning agent, which has been switched yet again. Another possible culprit was possibly when i had it painted during the winter, there was a lot of moisture in the air.

Right now there is less paint, but also much less rust. Oh, and now no Ops Inc collar. (Oh well).

Thanks everyone. I am going to look for different foam and all the other suggestions and go from there. Funny, I have been more concerned about my AK74 and Mosic when shooting corrisve ammo, and the weapon I expected less to rust does. Murphy can go to hell.

[Blankwaffe]

Funny, I have been more concerned about my AK74 and Mosic when shooting corrisve ammo, and the weapon I expected less to rust does. Murphy can go to hell.


Yeap,my thoughts exactly...
Good luck,hope all is good from here on out for you.

[onado2000]

I use lithium grease from a spray (rattle) can. I tried it for a couple years on a WASR 74, and had good luck. The white lithium grease oxidized to a tan color but the metal under it was rust free stored in foam case. Just remember to clean chamber before going to range. For me,'this worked well.

[MarkG]

I think the lesson learned here is don't spray crazy shit all over your firearms. They're almost always unnecessary and often create problems. Desiccant is your best option. You can buy it in bulk from McMaster (http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-desiccants/=nzlqcm) and with a little ingenuity make your own moisture traps. The packets and canisters are also available on Amazon. The great thing about desiccant is that it can be reactivated by warming it in your oven. It should just about last forever.

[Scoby]

I never store my guns in a case.
Only case them for travel. Even then you need to be careful.

I learned that the hard way.

Headed to TN one hot September to shoot doves with a buddy that lives there.
Took my shotgun from the closet, (cool air conditioned storage), and stuck it in a case and put behind the seat of the truck (hot). I didn't take it out until the next day before the shoot. When I did there was rust everywhere on the gun.

Extreme temperature changes will cause metal to condensate and if moisture gets trapped in a case for any length of time most metals will rust or discolor.

I still have the gun and kick myself every time I see the scars.

[Averageman]

Just curious if anyone has used closed cell foam like a sleeping matt?

[eternal24k]

You folks have probably never heard if this stuff...

BUT IT WORKS....it is lanolin based, safe for wood, plastic, rubber, paint, any metal....anything. Excellent lubrication and protection...not so much for cleaning though.

It doesn't dry out either...I've even used for fifth wheel lube on a tractor trailer...it lasts longer than grease.

It's called "Fluid Film".... Google it or look it up on YouTube...I've used it on my guns for 2 years now, nothing else compares.

http://www.fluid-film.com/

Can be found at most any Case or New Holland construction or agriculture equipment dealer.

Caterpillar, Case, New Holland, John Deere, etc....they all spray equipment that gets shipped overseas with this stuff...even when shipped top deck and uncovered....they arrive rust free after weeks at sea.

Some say it will begin to get gummy.....at about -10 F...I have not seen this though, I also use it on ratchet binders and it appeared to work just fine at -43 in North Dakota last winter...I haven't had my guns out in weather that cold, I prefer to not get myself out in it either...but sometimes I have to.

My guns are always stored ready for long term...after deer season, I leave home sometime in the first week of January and most likely won't be back until the middle of May.
i undercoat my truck with this stuff every fall, i have often thought of using it on my pistols for lube, it has a nice consistency.


As for rust, i have yet to see a better preservative than eezox.

Also interested in who chrome lined this ss barrel

[Mauser KAR98K]

I am probably wrong that it is not chrome lined, but it s a SS barrel. I ordered it from Fulton last year, and the total specs escape me at this point. From what I remember:

Douglas barrel, DMR Navy overrun, 18.5" 1/8 twist.

[Trajan]

I am probably wrong that it is not chrome lined, but it s a SS barrel. I ordered it from Fulton last year, and the total specs escape me at this point. From what I remember:

Douglas barrel, DMR Navy overrun, 18.5" 1/8 twist.

Chrome lining wouldn't make much sense on an SS barrel.

I wish you the best of luck. Expensive lesson right there if you can't fix it.

[mastiffhound]

Maybe more upkeep is in order. I've been called anal retentive and OCD by many friends and family. Every single Sunday I get every firearm I own out to inspect and re-oil if they need it or not. Pistols, shotguns, and rifles, everything. My home is climate controlled so it's probably not needed. That doesn't stop me though. Dad is the same way, so was Grandpa.

It's not hard to do, I usually do it front of the TV. I also don't keep firearms in cases unless I'm taking them somewhere. I usually oil them before I go target shooting, so my case foam has lube all through it, water would have a hard time finding a place to condense. They get their own room(safe) with silica absorbent. I know I'm on the very extreme end of upkeep (I'm sure their are others that may be more extreme) but I've never found a spot of rust or a wood stock that has warped (knocking on said stock material). I live in a humid climate so doing this gives me piece of mind.

Good luck, I hope you don't need to pay too much to get it fixed. You may want to start an upkeep schedule that is more often than 3 weeks though. Sorry to hear about your misfortune.:(

[Doug in Alaska]

Pelican cases have open celled foam inside. Open foam is terrible for storing guns in because is soaks in moisture and as you found out, creates terrible rust problems. A Pelican is designed for protection during transport, not really for long term storage. If you want to store your gun inside then replace all of the foam with closed cell which will cost you $40-$50 for the large cases.

I agree, these cases are designed for transport only. Sorry to hear about your problem, this sucks!

[Blankwaffe]

As a FYI for those that are interested.

Took one of the affected AR's I mentioned previously to the most respected gunsmiths in my area and had him look at the bore and the fouled greenish/brown patches I pulled thru the bore.First off, he said the bore looked fine but wasn't broken in yet.Said the bore surface would lap in thru use and become more polished.

He said that it was most likely chromium oxide that naturally forms on chrome surfaces from exposure to oxygen.Visually I would not see it on the surface beyond maybe a dull finish but will put dark gray/green on a patch if polished.

The chrome oxide is unaffected by most environmental conditions and chemicals and once formed on hard chrome acts as a nearly impenetrable barrier for the surface.This is why chrome is used in so many applications as a tough barrier coating.Stainless steel behaves in the same way due to chromium content.

He stated that all chrome surfaces form this chromium oxide as soon as air hits it,and there is no way around it other than frequent use,clean and polished.Further added that chrome is highly reactive to oxygen and this oxide forms in a flash but will completely cover the surface if allowed to sit.
CLP on a tight fitting patch is likely just removing some of the oxide layer through a polishing action.

Further added thats why even a spotlessly cleaned and oiled hard chrome bore will put color on a patch(some assume its simply copper/lead/carbon gas fouling) after a short time of sitting.

Now Im not a a metallurgist or chemist so I can't confirm any of it,but it was interesting.

[Mauser KAR98K]

As a FYI for those that are interested.

Took one of the affected AR's I mentioned previously to the most respected gunsmiths in my area and had him look at the bore and the fouled greenish/brown patches I pulled thru the bore.First off, he said the bore looked fine but wasn't broken in yet.Said the bore surface would lap in thru use and become more polished.

He said that it was most likely chromium oxide that naturally forms on chrome surfaces from exposure to oxygen.Visually I would not see it on the surface beyond maybe a dull finish but will put dark gray/green on a patch if polished.

The chrome oxide is unaffected by most environmental conditions and chemicals and once formed on hard chrome acts as a nearly impenetrable barrier for the surface.This is why chrome is used in so many applications as a tough barrier coating.Stainless steel behaves in the same way due to chromium content.

He stated that all chrome surfaces form this chromium oxide as soon as air hits it,and there is no way around it other than frequent use,clean and polished.Further added that chrome is highly reactive to oxygen and this oxide forms in a flash but will completely cover the surface if allowed to sit.
CLP on a tight fitting patch is likely just removing some of the oxide layer through a polishing action.

Further added thats why even a spotlessly cleaned and oiled hard chrome bore will put color on a patch(some assume its simply copper/lead/carbon gas fouling) after a short time of sitting.

Now Im not a a metallurgist or chemist so I can't confirm any of it,but it was interesting.

Okay, so I have a SS barrel, which, going by this, should not have rusted. But it did. So, what caused it to rust aside from moisture and improper storage?

[Blankwaffe]

Okay, so I have a SS barrel, which, going by this, should not have rusted. But it did. So, what caused it to rust aside from moisture and improper storage?

Don't know the answer to that.
Only mention of stainless was what I stated.Reading online the chromium content is what makes the steel stainless,and its tyically only around 18% in gun parts due to the needed robustness of the part,again from what I read briefly.....so stainless steel is not corrosion proof.So I'd say the percentage of chromium content in the steel will be what dictates just how stainless the steel is....my uneducated guess is hard chrome is a completely different animal as its applied in pure state over the steel as a coating,not a small part of the chemical makeup of the steel.

That said Ive got some Kimbers that the stainless barrels rust freckle like crazy but none of the other parts do.I have some high end stainless steel butcher knives that are the same way,but man they take a razor edge and hold it,so I bet the carbon content is high with only enough chromium content to prevent actual staining of the surfaces.So,I guess its a safe bet to say stainless steel used in some gun parts is what should be considered corrosion resistant.

There are also plenty of examples online of pitted and damaged hard chrome plated bores too...so I would say there isn't anything out there thats completely fool proof.

Like Mastifhound stated above,more frequent PM is the only correct answer.I had moved to a 30-90 day routine due to the size of my collection and time constraints,and wasn't having any issues until recently.This is the first time Ive ever had any issues in my 47 years,so Im putting my collection back into the weekly rotation schedule I used previously.The guns that don't see alot of use will be coated with RIG Rag/grease as I did in the past as well. Im also getting my lockers 2' off the floor on stands to eliminate any condensation issues coming up from the floor.
That all combined with my improved dehumidified environment I should not see any further issues...I hope.

[MarkG]

Okay, so I have a SS barrel, which, going by this, should not have rusted. But it did. So, what caused it to rust aside from moisture and improper storage?

Three days and thirty-eight posts over two pages and you have to ask this question?

You sprayed stupid shit on it and compromised the passive layer on the steel...


Quick update.

Two culprits. The pelcan case and cleaning the weapon and casing in high humidity. Wrong cleaning agent, which has been switched yet again. Another possible culprit was possibly when i had it painted during the winter, there was a lot of moisture in the air.

[Mauser KAR98K]

Don't know the answer to that.
Only mention of stainless was what I stated.Reading online the chromium content is what makes the steel stainless,and its tyically only around 18% in gun parts due to the needed robustness of the part,again from what I read briefly.....so stainless steel is not corrosion proof.So I'd say the percentage of chromium content in the steel will be what dictates just how stainless the steel is....my uneducated guess is hard chrome is a completely different animal as its applied in pure state over the steel as a coating,not a small part of the chemical makeup of the steel.

That said Ive got some Kimbers that the stainless barrels rust freckle like crazy but none of the other parts do.I have some high end stainless steel butcher knives that are the same way,but man they take a razor edge and hold it,so I bet the carbon content is high with only enough chromium content to prevent actual staining of the surfaces.So,I guess its a safe bet to say stainless steel used in some gun parts is what should be considered corrosion resistant.

There are also plenty of examples online of pitted and damaged hard chrome plated bores too...so I would say there isn't anything out there thats completely fool proof.

Like Mastifhound stated above,more frequent PM is the only correct answer.I had moved to a 30-90 day routine due to the size of my collection and time constraints,and wasn't having any issues until recently.This is the first time Ive ever had any issues in my 47 years,so Im putting my collection back into the weekly rotation schedule I used previously.The guns that don't see alot of use will be coated with RIG Rag/grease as I did in the past as well. Im also getting my lockers 2' off the floor on stands to eliminate any condensation issues coming up from the floor.
That all combined with my improved dehumidified environment I should not see any further issues...I hope.

Thanks. We have been getting a lot of moisture this year, and I have been out with this rifle between the winter and about 3 weeks ago. I have had it in the snow, rain and other bad weather, but I never had an issue until now. I will point out that I did not store the rifle in the case all the time, but it has spent a lot of time in the case.

I fired some 60 rounds through it today (will post pics) and did another cleaning with exxoc as a coating (last can from my LGS). Barrel looked great, and no sign of rust or pitting that I could see. Accuracy was about the same I was seeing before this crap, but have noticed the groupings have opened up a little more on a warm barrel. I'm going to do some loads running Vargent next (ones today were what was left of CFE223 loaded close to max, running Hrndy V-Max 55gr, and some 75gr HPBT) Coming back from checking targets and loading the mag, I was able to hit the black paster I was shooting dead center once zero was redone, but follow-up shots would appear low or high about a half inch at times from the initial hits. This was shooting off a bag, prone, with a bean bag supporting the stock and hand. Again, I will post pics tomorrow.

Thanks for the input from everyone. Things, thankfully, turned out good. I am happy was built this rifle from the ground up as I was able to somewhat tear it down, clean it and rebuild. I did take it to the smith to have the OPS Inc collar taken off as it had rusted to the barrel (no paint was applied under it except for the factory coat from Douglas...odd). So my rifle is a little lighter. I will get another collar, but that will be when I go for broke and get the correct suppressor for it. Until now, no collar. But it shoots and I didn't have to sweat cash for a new barrel.

As of now, I have made room in the safe and it is sitting there as I type. Starting mid-week I will be doing weekly inspections and better upkeep on weapons. Guess I fell in the trap of peace of mind of having a safe or a good weapons case to store and protect my weapons.


Three days and thirty-eight posts over two pages and you have to ask this question?

You sprayed stupid shit on it and compromised the passive layer on the steel...

Dude, what is your problem? Like I have enough grief on my own.

For starters, this is my first Stainless Steel barrel and I didn't really go deep enough in proper maintenance. Furthermore, I have been bombarded with information and do's-and-don'ts of cleaning barrels to maintain accuracy, such as just using a boresnake, to running a rod through it carefully. My next purchase is going to be a carbon fiber cleaning rod that I will probably have to order out considering where I live, and what local LGS'es sell.

This rifle isn't just a show piece to rattle the local fudds at the range, it is a hunting rifle and precision rifle. It is also my main varmint rifle. The paint is their for a reason...concealment. Also to note, the barrel was already painted black from the factory. And rust was on the factory painted portions, not just what was rattle canned.

Rust was also inside the barrel. That is what I am really curious about as I don't shoot corrosive ammo through it (unless I just found out CFE223 attracts a lot of moisture, but I have need read anything about this).

A lot of people rattle can their rifles, mostly with Krylon. I used Rustolum as it was on sale for a case of cammo paint. My neighbor talked me into it, and for four or more months, I had no problems with the paint or rust except walking past my rifle twice looking for it.

My problem looks to have steamed from, as you boldly pointed out, wrong cleaning and protective agents, and storing in a case that retains moisture very well and does so keeping it out, too. Go figure. The paint was also a contributing factor on the outside of the barrel. I'm still wanting to know what made rust appear on the inside. It looks to have been surface rust, but still, who cares once it is on a $400 barrel? You just want it out and pray it doesn't screw it up. This lesson only coast me $30. I am very happy about that at this moment.

And again, this is my first stainless steel barrel. I just realized in three days how much new territory for me this has become.