View Full Version : wet gun
what is the best way to draw moisture out of an AR if it gets completely submerged?
just field strip and wipe dry.. oil generously
i live in the pacific northwest... my guns get soaked often. it's not a big deal
rrpederson
08-21-10, 21:56
im no expert, but im thinkin u would be a good idea to begin removing the water before it gets a chance to dry or do any damage like rust. i would take it completely apart, like down to the springs and detents, and use some compressed air to spray all the water out. from every crack and crevice. i hope that works for u.
richie
your probably right. it had no problems firing once I pulled the bolt to the rear and allowed the water to drain from barrel and mag. theres gotta be an easier way to do it though. I wish I knew how all the individuals who serve in maritime capacities maintained their weapons. especially after being exposed to salt water etc.
Buy a s#!t load of beef jerky. Save all the little white packs that come in the bag. You know,the ones they have to mark "Do Not Eat" Or you'll eat it. Put all of those in a foot locker with your gun for 6 Months and, presto! Dry gun.:lol:
your absolutly right. then I could take the empty bags and tape them over my optics to prevent them from getting destroyed as well. when I go back to branson i'll test that theroy in table rock.:haha:
Use plenty of 100mph. tape.:D
Eurodriver
08-21-10, 22:27
Depending how anal you are,
Lube a rag and go over it, go through the bore, get in the lower.
put them in an airtight case i.e. pelican with dessicant.
put the lower and upper in the oven sans optic and pistol grip and call it a day.
we'll see what happens. Im not to concerned with it but it is a direct impingement gun.
Frankly, the beef jerky idea isn't way off the mark. Some foods and other products like shoes, not beef jerky, come with silica gel packets, which is a great gun safe desiccant. The beef jerky packet contains iron filings so that the iron oxidizes instead of the food. I know that some people do in fact collect silica gel packets for their safe, even though you can buy it in bulk at the hardware store. It will absorb a lot of ambient moisture, but from time to time it has to be purged of water in the oven at 300 degrees. Obviously, you wouldn't depend on desiccant alone to dry a soaking wet gun, but it's about the only way to ensure your safe stays free of moisture.
I get my guns soaking wet pretty often (also from the PNW) but it usually isn't an issue because they are so hot when they go in the trunk, that they are almost dry by the time I get home, and they further air dry during the process of stripping them down for cleaning. Whatever you miss is probably displaced by CLP, which I use liberally. Now this is with AKs, mind you, but I imagine its about the same with ARs.
If I had a cold wet gun that I was going to clean, I might just leave the parts under a warm lamp with good airflow for a while. But honestly I've never felt the need to do that, and I've never had an issue with rust after shooting in the rain.
100% isopropyl alcohol will mix with the water & accelerate evaporation. I use it at work to dry water from places I cannot have water contamination- and I do mean dry. It'll remove the lubricants too
Grips are always a problem. When my guns get wet, pistols or rifles, I always remove the grips and oil under there.
Myself, when they get soaked, I use WD40 then clean and oil as normal.
Generously spray with WD-40. The "WD" stands for water displacing. It is also a penetrating oil/lubricant, it won't hurt anything.
i did not think about either of those. I appreciate it nexus7 and mistwolf. i'm defenatly gonna try the alcohol. does it half to be 100% isopropyl?
ive already wiped it down and hosed it with gun scrubber but it still seams like water is "sweating" for lack of a better term through the pours of the metal.
.
When I was a kid, an Uncle in Pa. used to take me shooting original Civil War and earlier black powder guns. To clean them, he'd start a pot of water boiling for each gun when we started. We'd flush them countless times with soap and water from the water hose, rinse with the water hose, and then slowly do a rinse with the boiling water. Then we'd shake them dry, wipe them real quick, let the heat evaporate the water, and then oil and wipe them down. Talk about handling a hot potato!
Never saw a speck of rust on his old guns.
If you're talking about fresh water, I don't know where you're located but here in south Louisiana right now, I'd leave my gun barrel up in the car for an afternoon. Then, I'd break it down and clean it thoroughly. If it is cloudy outside, you could warm the rifle up with a blow dryer. This will dry it out.
If it was salt water, I'd clean it like the muzzleloaders I was describing above. I hunted in a salt water marsh growing up and I cleaned my A-5 that way many times.
I would put a little extra oil around the barrel nut area, FSB, Receiver Extension and the FCG to let it creep in the crevices. I remember oiling those hot muzzleloaders and seeing the oil get so thin you could see it flowing into all the crevices and joints.
Then, I'd shoot it.
But that's just me...
.
i did not think about either of those. I appreciate it nexus7 and mistwolf. i'm defenatly gonna try the alcohol. does it half to be 100% isopropyl?
I don't know that it has to be, but that's what I use and it works. You can get isopropyl alcohol at a store like Home Depot. Wear protective gloves. Alcohol will dry out your skin.
Don't get denatured alcohol. I think it's cut with water and that would defeat the purpose
Alcohol will not displace water. Alcohol will not prevent corrosion. Water, can in fact absorb some alcohol. You need to remove/displace the water. An oil based product that will prevent corrosion and oil and water cannot occupy the same space as alcohol and water (at least partially) can.
When I was in the USCG and our weapons were exposed to salt water this is what was done.
Freshwater wash to get the corrosive salts off the weapon.
We then dried the weapons as best we could with rags. A light coat of lubricant was applied to the areas of concern and then we stowed them.
your probably right. it had no problems firing once I pulled the bolt to the rear and allowed the water to drain from barrel and mag. theres gotta be an easier way to do it though. I wish I knew how all the individuals who serve in maritime capacities maintained their weapons. especially after being exposed to salt water etc.
i did not think about either of those. I appreciate it nexus7 and mistwolf. i'm defenatly gonna try the alcohol. does it half to be 100% isopropyl?
I use alcohol all the time for degreasing. I poke a 1/16" hole in the seal on top of the bottle and use it as a squeeze bottle. I get 91% isopropyl from Wal-Mart or Walgreens. Alcohol mixes, (is soluable) with water and oils. It is a pretty good degreaser, does not prevent rust BUT mixing with water, it does help the water evaporate faster.
I've used it many times to rinse water out of gas tanks for outboard motors or lawnmowers. Empty the tank, add half a bottle of alcohol, slosh it around, empty it, add the other half, slosh it around, empty it, fill it with gas and then start right up.
ive already wiped it down and hosed it with gun scrubber but it still seams like water is "sweating" for lack of a better term through the pours of the metal.
The metal is not "sweating". Gun Scrubber is a "light" chemical that evaporates so fast that it actually gets the metal cold enough for condensation to form, especially when spraying. Nothing you can do about condensation if you're spraying degreasers on the gun outside in the humidity. It will be a little less condensation if you spray in an air conditioned space ... but good luck with the fumes and your bride.
Gun Scrubber is not an aide for drying something out but alcohol is. Both will probably cause condensation to form but condensation is "distilled" and won't leave any residue when it dries. You need to oil the gun after using alcohol (or Gun Scrubber). I have dried the condensation with a blow dryer many times to speed up the drying.
.
Alcohol will not displace water. Alcohol will not prevent corrosion. Water, can in fact absorb some alcohol. You need to remove/displace the water. An oil based product that will prevent corrosion and oil and water cannot occupy the same space as alcohol and water (at least partially) can.
It's true that alcohol does not prevent corrosion and does not displace water. You don't want it to.
Because-
...Alcohol mixes, (is soluable) with water and oils. It is a pretty good degreaser, does not prevent rust BUT mixing with water, it does help the water evaporate faster...
...I've used it many times to rinse water out of gas tanks for outboard motors or lawnmowers. Empty the tank, add half a bottle of alcohol, slosh it around, empty it, add the other half, slosh it around, empty it, fill it with gas and then start right up...
Water has surface tension that let's it cling to parts even after you've done everything you can to dry them. Surface tension creates a protective barrier to the air that hampers evaporation.
Alcohol breaks down the surface tension of water so it will evaporate quicker and thoroughly, When water gets down in corners, details and nooks & crannies, water displacing oils can't always get down to the surface of the part. Even if it does, the water will remain because the surface tension is too great to allow thorough evaporation. Alcohol will mix with water even in the tightest places and break the surface tension. Add a blow dryer and it's like magic.
Once the parts are dried with alcohol, you can apply water displacing formulas & lubricants to your heart's desire. As long as you realize WDs make poor lubricants and turn gummy
I agree with the WD 40, this is the one time to use it on your AR. Specifically designed to displace water, hose it down with it, wipe it off, Re-lube with CLP.
If you truly want a WD, use ACF50. It will actually get into the pores of the metal and lift the water out, especially if the metal has corrosion. One Director of Maintenance I worked for saw ACF50 demonstrated. They sprayed it on the dry surface of a piece of corroded aluminum. By the end of the demonstration, the ACF50 had worked it's way into the pores and lifted out the water trapped in the corroded area.
We sprayed the internal structure of a twin Otter with ACF50 before sending it out on a lease in the Caribbean. We had almost no corrosion on that aircraft when we got it back a year or two later. Works a thousand times better than WD-40
I dropped mine in a river two weeks ago. Wrapped it in towels for the 2 hour drive. Stripped it down as far as I was comfortable doing. WD-40, wipe, dry, repeat. Then gave it a normal cleaning before longterm storage and off I went. Gave it a test yesterday, no issues.
The T-1 and mount didn't suffer a bit. My 0.02
break cleaner. its the same thing as the "gun scrubber" areosol spray.
Just use short "bursts". I use it to do quick cleans between my tear down and "real cleaning" on my AR's and handguns.
Actually got the tip from a top USPSA shooter who runs only Glocks in every division except obviously Revolver.
break cleaner. its the same thing as the "gun scrubber" areosol spray.
Just use short "bursts". I use it to do quick cleans between my tear down and "real cleaning" on my AR's and handguns.
Actually got the tip from a top USPSA shooter who runs only Glocks in every division except obviously Revolver.
=====================================
I use Brake Cleaner as a final rinse when I want to really degrease something, like before I Loc-Tite, getting someone's gummed WD-40 off, etc. but it is a lot more volatile than Gun Scrubber. I have a can of Wal-Marts cheap BC on my bench now but you have to be careful with it. Both Gun Scrubber and BC attack plastics but BC is way more aggressive.
I always spray some on a Q-Tip and see how it affects finishes, plastic, etc. like inside a magazine well, or inside the slide. I know a guy that sprayed his guns off and white-outlining in his sight vanished. A lot of guns (inexpensive Rem & Savages-possibly?), aren't blued or parkerized, they have some kind of coating (epoxy, paint, ??) I've seen them with chips missing. I'd worry about being careless with BC and strip or at least effect the texture on some these "new" finishes.
Brake Cleaner is good but be careful.
.
arizonaranchman
08-24-10, 07:17
Salt water I'd be far more concerned about, but rain or fresh water not a big deal. Strip it down as normal, remove the handguards, clean it as you would, hit it with some compressed air to blow out what you can from the lower reciever and let it sit overnite while broken down.
Hit it with a generous amount of WD-40 the next day, put it back together and you'll be fine. I wouldn't do a complete tear-down, just a good thorough cleaning. It's not made of sugar, if it was that sensitive to water it would never have survived as a military rifle.
=====================================
I use Brake Cleaner as a final rinse when I want to really degrease something, like before I Loc-Tite, getting someone's gummed WD-40 off, etc. but it is a lot more volatile than Gun Scrubber. I have a can of Wal-Marts cheap BC on my bench now but you have to be careful with it. Both Gun Scrubber and BC attack plastics but BC is way more aggressive.
I always spray some on a Q-Tip and see how it affects finishes, plastic, etc. like inside a magazine well, or inside the slide. I know a guy that sprayed his guns off and white-outlining in his sight vanished. A lot of guns (inexpensive Rem & Savages-possibly?), aren't blued or parkerized, they have some kind of coating (epoxy, paint, ??) I've seen them with chips missing. I'd worry about being careless with BC and strip or at least effect the texture on some these "new" finishes.
Brake Cleaner is good but be careful.
.
I agree. That why I use the break cleaner ONLY in the action, chamber, inside the barrel and the gas tube. For the Gas tube its really nice, just stick the plastic straw that comes with the BC in the gas tube and spray the hell out of it. it all runs down into the barrel. Then I use 5-6 2 second bursts down the barrel before running a patch and swab down it to clean the rifling and the shit that comes out. It works really good in the chamber too, quick bursts and you can see all the carbon and grit break up and spray free. Same with the BCG. It cleans everything real good without having to tear it apart.
If any gets on the outside of my weapon(AR's mainly) I just whipe it off with a dry cloth, then spray a light coating of WD40 on a paper shop rag and wipe it down again.
We do that at work with all the metal casings we use, as in the Wire Die Industry, the lube that is used on he Wire as it passes thru the Die is highly corrosive. WD40 STOPS any and all corrosion, and when we get the dies back to recut to new spec the guide lube wipes right off with just a rag.
Thats why I just do the BC/WD40 clean for a quick clean between my regular 500rd Count Clean. (Every 500rds I tear completely apart).
When I was in the USCG and our weapons were exposed to salt water this is what was done.
Freshwater wash to get the corrosive salts off the weapon.
We then dried the weapons as best we could with rags. A light coat of lubricant was applied to the areas of concern and then we stowed them.
That's just way too non-technical, non-anal, inexpensive, and lacking in difficulty. /sarcasm :D
eternal24k
08-24-10, 08:20
Air hose, then CLP, then safe with desiccant and golden rod in place.
Break it down and place in oven at setting around 150F. Have done this with pistols anytime they get really wet. Today's plastics can easily tolerate this level of heat. Provides uniform heating which doesn't allow water to hide anywhere. I accidentally left my HK USP Tac .45, broken down, in the oven for six hours. No probs. in a TS class I took the next week. Lube generously after drying and give good coat of oil where needed. I've begun washing guns in the sink with soap and water and then drying this way. Saves time and can get really clean. Any issues I'm unaware of, Gunz?
That's just way too non-technical, non-anal, inexpensive, and lacking in difficulty. /sarcasm :D
Hear, hear. Some of you guys sound like you take your cues from this guy:
http://www.reelmovienews.com/quotes/i-live-in-the-american-gardens-building-on-w-81st-street-on-the/
They're guns, not Faberge eggs. Guns get wet. Rinse, dry, lube as usual.
I'd make a mint if I could write a book that successfully explains the American mania for frowning at molehills and musing, "I just know I can make a mountain out of this...but how..? *gasp* EUREKA!!"
Failure2Stop
08-24-10, 13:55
There aren't a whole lot of occupations that expose their weapons to a salt water/spray and extended periods of vertical water resupply than mine, and the advice I would give would be:
Freshwater wash to get the corrosive salts off the weapon.
We then dried the weapons as best we could with rags. A light coat of lubricant was applied to the areas of concern and then we stowed them.
It's easy, simple, and works.
If you happen to accidentally purchase an AR made from paper mâché you might want to get more in-depth, but with one made from aluminium and steel, there is no need to go any further than WD-40, and only if you are really anal.
A high powered heat gun works great.
This is what happens to a 13,800.00 dollar Mk 19 MOD 3 GMG when you do not remove the salt water and do correct PMCS. This was a new weapon when the unit(s) received them. I know because I unpacked and installed them and made the various checks.
And then there is this gem of a Colt M4 that was neglected.
The salt water has actually eaten away at the metal and destroyed the finish. The only way to "fix" it would be to clean it, remove the rust with fine sand paper and then coat it with Solid Film Lubricant.
5916
5917
There are lots of good suggestions here.
I'll just add that if you don't have access to an air hose, you can use one of those compressed air cans that people use to blow dust out of their computer keyboards.
Joe Mamma
parkerized steel is steel that's been simmered in phosphoric acid, etching the surface of the steel and making it porous, then submerged in a penetrating oil bath, allowing the microscopically sponge-like surface to absorb the oil. this gives the steel an oil/phosphate coating that's very corrosion resistant, but not permanent. the oil in the steel burns off, evaporates, leaches out into surface grime, washes out, etc.
simply knowing this has helped me in understanding the best way to maintain. keeping the steel clean helps keep the oil from leaching out, and allows it to soak back in during subsequent re-applications.
so just keep your guns clean and oiled, and all will be well.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.