Removing Lite Rust

[rd97]

I just bought an S&W 908 blued version. This gun has some lite rust in a couple of areas. I want to remove the rust but not the finish if that is possible. I plan on just giving it a good cleaning with oil and elbo grease. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

[tn hp]

I am sure that others will chime in but, I read, several years ago that if you flattened out a .22 or 9mm case you could scrape off lite rust with out removing or damaging the bluing. The article recommended soaking the rust with oil prior to using the flattened brass cases.

I was skeptical but, it worked for me. However, I tried in on a magazine for an M1 Carbine that had some rust on it first. The WWII Carbine magazines have excellent bluing and when it worked very well on that, I felt confident enough to try it on the slide of a handgun. I was not disappointed.

[Guest Astra900]

A clean, but rough texture shop rag and some Rem-oil. Get to rubbin like man on a mission.

[xd shooter]

I have not tried it but here is another try.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/NewsletterArchive.aspx?x=v&p=0&t=1&i=901

[Guest Astra900]

Yep, that too. There are all kinds of products and procedures, all depending on the severity of the rust. If it's very light and has not started pitting yet, it should be easy to remove. Just be wary of anything like steel wool or a scotch brite, even done lightly, it could fade the finish, if not strip it.

I had a Marlin .22 that had a little rust on the barrel, I rubbed it just 2 or 3 times with 0000 steel wool, now the rust is gone and a nice faded patch remains:rant: Glad I wont do something stupid like that again.

[Guest gcrookston]

I use 0000 steel wool and motor oil, without any pressure. Also a heavy gun oil (I prefer BreakFree Collectors), and the stiffest terricloth towel you have with finger strength pressure. The risk is marring the finish around the rust.

Allowing the gun to soak in both the motor oil and the CLP will break up the rust. The Breakfree Collectors will stop the rust.

There is nothing you can do to restore it, but you can prevent it from spreading.

BTW, I'll take a rusty old gun over one that's been refinished any day. I've only restored one gun and that was a 1900 AE Luger (it was beyond butchered when I got it and what the heck? why not spend 2 grand to bring up a pile to 4 grand? original it would have been an 8 grand gun).

Edited January 1, 2009 by gcrookston

[Guest wheelgunner100]

0000 steel wool and WD-40 will remove light rust without harming the finish as long as the rust has not penetrated the bluing. If the rust has eaten thru the finish you can remove the rust but the finish will be gone too.

I've used the steel wool/WD-40 method many times without a problem.

Edited January 2, 2009 by wheelgunner100

[rd97]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I got the gun home today and used Bore Shine a rag and elbo grease. The rust came off and no damage was done to the bluing. This gun hadn't been cleaned in years so it was another job to get it cleaned up. It is clean and rust free.

[Guest shortfri]

On a side note if getting the rust off does lighten the blueing in a small place. You can touch it up with either a casey birch touch up pen or some cold blue. most of the time it works put well.