Strategy for dealing with rust in weapons

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

This could apply to any weapon especially weapon with stamped internals rivets etc. sometimes when I look inside my AK-47s and other stamped receiver weapons I can see a little bit of brown Rust weeping out of the internals. Does anyone have a strategy or recommended routine? I’m specifically talking about Rust that might be in between two pieces of metal riveted in together or in some deep crevice. Not hardcore rust.. In the old days on something like an AK-47 I’ll just said who gives a crap but these days with the value of these things shooting up I feel like I might want to do something to preserve them. Should I just blast WD-40 or something like that into the crevices? I know this is general discussion but this is not specifically a rifle question or a pistol question.

[Averageman]

I think this is specific to stamped weapons only?
I've covered my AK's with a thick layer of grease.
Lithium white grease, coat everything real good and then function the rifle several times.
There you go...

[czgunner]

I would use ballistol or an aerosol oil or CLP. WD-40 has no place in a firearm IMO.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[Coal Dragger]

This could apply to any weapon especially weapon with stamped internals rivets etc. sometimes when I look inside my AK-47s and other stamped receiver weapons I can see a little bit of brown Rust weeping out of the internals. Does anyone have a strategy or recommended routine? I’m specifically talking about Rust that might be in between two pieces of metal riveted in together or in some deep crevice. Not hardcore rust.. In the old days on something like an AK-47 I’ll just said who gives a crap but these days with the value of these things shooting up I feel like I might want to do something to preserve them. Should I just blast WD-40 or something like that into the crevices? I know this is general discussion but this is not specifically a rifle question or a pistol question.

Tough problem if you have active rust in between two pieces of riveted metal, that’s a failure on your part to perform appropriate preventative maintenance and lubrication. I know not cleaning or maintaining guns is the “cool guy” option these days, but it has consequences if your guns are made out of carbon steel.

Unless you can get the pieces apart and boil out the steel parts to covert the rust over to black oxide and card it off with steel wool (after soaking in acetone to remove oil), or a carding wheel to stop the rust you’re kind of screwed.

Check out Anvil Gunsmithing on YouTube for some tutorials on how to conserve and refurbish milsurps. He does a lot of rust removal (the right way) and rust bluing (the right way) than an average guy can achieve with realistic tools and skills.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Tough problem if you have active rust in between two pieces of riveted metal, that’s a failure on your part to perform appropriate preventative maintenance and lubrication. I know not cleaning or maintaining guns is the “cool guy” option these days, but it has consequences if your guns are made out of carbon steel.

Thanks dad

[Coal Dragger]

If it makes you feel any better I’ve personally seen captured AK’s we dug up out of the ground run just fine covered in rust and gack.

Sorry if I came off like a dick.

[Artos]

Greg, There is a product called Black Star ($100/gal) that stops the chemical / transformation of rust...I've never tried in on firearms but have used it on deer blinds & metal building construction with good success. If I were in your shoes & wanted to preserve a cherished weapon then it may be worth a shot.

In my experience once pitting starts on a gun you gotta maintain it like madman...if you were way closer I'd give you some to try.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I would use ballistol or an aerosol oil or CLP. WD-40 has no place in a firearm

Maybe just blast it in between the parts? I was watching an interesting video and he recommended something called “sea foam.” But I’m not sure if it is safe for normal finishes

[Straight Shooter]

Ballistol is your ticket.

[tehpwnag3]

I've used WD-40 to displace water (rinse it) out of hard to get to areas followed by some real lube. Otherwise, I fully agree with you.


I would use ballistol or an aerosol oil or CLP. WD-40 has no place in a firearm IMO.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[czgunner]

I would spray the area and let it wick in. Seafoam is used to soften carbon in engines or as a fuel treatment. I don't think it would do anything for your rust, but may very well destroy the finish.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

If it makes you feel any better I’ve personally seen captured AK’s we dug up out of the ground run just fine covered in rust and gack.

Sorry if I came off like a dick.

LOL. I was just having fun. I have always noticed this in the receivers of AKs. Sometimes it may actually be grease and gunk, but often it seems like rust (although I can't recall ever seeing pitting). It is also typically difficult to spot in artificial light. It is something easier to notice if full daylight. I also think this is the kind of thing that forms inside guns when cold guns are brought into warm buildings and condensation forms, often undetected.Just the random things that worry me.

[SteyrAUG]

Maybe just blast it in between the parts? I was watching an interesting video and he recommended something called “sea foam.” But I’m not sure if it is safe for normal finishes

Pop the top cover and bolt and spray the areas you can't directly access with Break Free (CLP), within 12 hours wipe off any run off on the outside of the receiver. Anything I know I'm not gonna be shooting in the next 6 months, I put them away a little bit wet. They don't need to be dripping but shiny layer of CLP is just fine.

You don't need expensive whiz bang products and grease won't penetrate into tight areas like you describe. If you also need to do corrective maintenance, I'd pop the top cover and bolt and let them sit on a bench with a thin pool of break free on the most problem areas over night.

[Coal Dragger]

LOL. I was just having fun. I have always noticed this in the receivers of AKs. Sometimes it may actually be grease and gunk, but often it seems like rust (although I can't recall ever seeing pitting). It is also typically difficult to spot in artificial light. It is something easier to notice if full daylight. I also think this is the kind of thing that forms inside guns when cold guns are brought into warm buildings and condensation forms, often undetected.Just the random things that worry me.

If it might be grease and gunk boiling the parts might just lift it off.

[Black_Sheep]

I’ve been using a product called Krown KL73 rust inhibitor, it’s a commercial grade penetrating lubricant. Spray it on and let it sit for awhile before wiping off the excess, because it’s solvent free it doesn’t dry out like WD40. I use it on a bare steel workbench in my garage a couple times a year, it remains rust free despite our super humid weather.

[T2C]

It might be rust and it might not be. Sometimes storage grease will seep out from between two parts and have the appearance of rust. Gun bluing is a rusting process and sometimes you will see a little rust seep out from between two blued pieces.

Wipe down the area and apply the oil of your choice. Tilt the weapon so that the oil will seep in between parts that you cannot separate for cleaning. After 20 minutes or so, wipe off the excess oil that did not work it's way between the two pieces of metal.

If you use a lot of oil to lubricate a weapon with a wood stock, gravity is your friend. Store the weapon so that oil gravitates away from the wood.

[GH41]

Spray with liberally Brake-free CLP. Use compressed air to force it between the affected surfaces. Rinse and repeat a couple of times.

[jsbhike]

I would spray the area and let it wick in. Seafoam is used to soften carbon in engines or as a fuel treatment. I don't think it would do anything for your rust, but may very well destroy the finish.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

I wondered about that too, but they make stuff other than the fuel additive.

https://seafoamworks.com/product/deep-creep-penetrating-oil/

[SeriousStudent]

I would say just keep doing what you are doing - sell them to me.

But if you insist on retaining possession, I would try Ballistol as others recommend.

[T2C]

I've been using Ballistol on black powder firearms for quite a while. It is a good metal and leather cleaner and protectant if you clean and apply it frequently. For long term storage Ballistol is not my first pick. Any time I have applied Ballistol and left a muzzle loader untouched for a few months, I wound up with rust in the bore.

Any time I want oil to go into a hard to reach place, I have found that gravity is my friend. Any time a hard to reach place is crusted with dirt, a good penetrating oil, such as Kroil, would work it's way into areas I could not reach.