Barrell rust.

[K191145]

Last night I decided it was time to run an oiled patch through some of my rifle barrels since they sit for long times, I have neglected to do that in a while(months). I got to my old Mosin 91/30, the last time I shot it 6 months ago with that dirty ammo I always clean and scrub the barrel and chamber with Hopps solvent, rinse that out with spray Rem oil I use as a light cleaner and not a lube, then after running dry patches I run an oiled patch of Hopps gun oil to store it. When I take them out to shoot I always run dry patches to wipe oil out of the barrel and chamber before shooting. Well I ran a dry patch through my Mosin and it doesn't bother me to see a little black residue but it does bother me to see brown.

Anyway, I promise I scrub the barrel, take the Rem oil tube and blast down the barrel till it's dripping, run a wet patch, spray again, run dry patches and they remain white, then run an oiled patch to store. Did I wait to long to re-oil? None of my other rifles had rust residue on the patch, just the Mosin. What and how often should I re-patch/oil my barrels, and what's the best product?

 

Thank You:

Jon.

[Caster]

Shouldn't have to repeat at all if the humidity is low and any corrosive salts are neutralized.

If you're shooting any mil surp ammo, use soap and hot water. Solvents and ammonia aren't gonna do,what good ole hot water will.

You might've missed some in your last cleaning. It happens and rust spreads like cancer. Glad you caught it before it got bad.

[Hozzie]

I use RIG on any gun that is going to sit for a while.  I actually use on on any gun I touch.  Keep a RIG rag handy and when putting your guns away, just wipe them down.  It takes very little, if it feels greasy, you have put too much.  Use a shaving brush to get in crevices and such (trigger guards, around sights, scopes, bases, bolts, etc and put a little on a patch and run it down the barrel after you clean it.  You will never have an issue with rust assuming your watching your humidity even the slightest.

[peejman]

Once the barrel starts to rust, it can be very difficult to make it completely stop.  Kinda like rust in a car, once it gets beyond a certain point you can't really stop it without just replacing the panel.  The only thing I'd suggest is to run several oily patches prior to storage. 

[K191145]

I do run and oil patch before I put them up, I guess if I did scrub it with soap and water I need to remove the stock, definatly needs to be dry. I've used a hair dryer on wet guns before, works well. I always use a .30 cal brass brush with solvent, i'll try it next time with soap. Only the Mosin after shooting salty primers though. Like I said, I have no issues with any others, even my MAK90 shooting all the Russian ammo but most of it is Wolf and I don't believe that's corrosive. I don't think the humidity is too much in my home but i'll check my guns more often, no rust on the outside of any. I'll look for that RIG protectant the next time I go to a gun store.

[Garufa]

Hoppe's is not adequate for cleaning after corrosive ammo...it was maybe 30 or 40 years ago but they changed the formula.

 

Use hot soapy water in the bore, no need to remove the stock as you're not giving the rifle a bath.  Run a few patches of that through then clean normally with Hoppe's or whatever.

[Clod Stomper]

Third for hot soapy water. It's the only way to get out the salt. Forget Windex or any other fancy solvent that claims to.

I stick the muzzle in a bucket (a smaller can will work), run a patch down from the breech out the muzzle. Draw it back and it will pull the water up with it. Swab the wet patch around the chamber a few times. Rinse with some clean, really hot, water. Let it dry. Shouldn't take long with really hot water. Finish with a good douse of WD-40. You'll be good until you pull it out next time.

My basement can get pretty damp. I've even gotten mildew on my stocks. But no rust on the metal.

[Smith]

Third for hot soapy water. It's the only way to get out the salt. Forget Windex or any other fancy solvent that claims to.

I stick the muzzle in a bucket (a smaller can will work), run a patch down from the breech out the muzzle. Draw it back and it will pull the water up with it. Swab the wet patch around the chamber a few times. Rinse with some clean, really hot, water. Let it dry. Shouldn't take long with really hot water. Finish with a good douse of WD-40. You'll be good until you pull it out next time.

My basement can get pretty damp. I've even gotten mildew on my stocks. But no rust on the metal.

Windex with ammonia is good at buying you more time, but you still have to wash with soapy water.. Edited December 23, 2014 by Smith

[jeff43]

I've always used Windex with ammonia , never had any rust problems.

[10-Ring]

Back when Mosins were cheap and disposable I once doused one in Windex after shooting and stuck it in the safe.  It sat there for a good 6 months with no rust before I took it out again and cleaned it properly.

[Smith]

Back when Mosins were cheap and disposable I once doused one in Windex after shooting and stuck it in the safe. It sat there for a good 6 months with no rust before I took it out again and cleaned it properly.

That's because ammonia will neutralize the salt, but it won't remove it unless you use enough to actually wash it out. That is why it's a good idea to wash out the salt with soapy water even after Windex. You may have not neutralized all the salt.
Btw - not all Windex has ammonia in it. ;-)