What do you guys do to keep your blued guns from rusting after being out in harsh environments?

[Zeebz]

So as some of you know I've greatly whittled down my collection. I don't have any of my stainless rifles left (although I still have some stainless pistol and revolvers). I'm big into hunting and have only taken a blued firearm out once. It was a Winchester Model 70 with a beautiful blued finish. It was snowing while I was sitting out there and I could literally watch the rust form on it. Perhaps it wasn't finished well enough or something with the rust forming that fast, but it has gotten me a bit nervous about hunting with my blued firearms. What's the best way to prevent the rust from quickly forming? Would a light layer of oil applied on the blued parts before I go out hunting help?

Obviously I know to clean them off after the hunt, but seeing rust form on one of my rifles just sitting out in the snowy weather has gotten me a bit unsure.

[10x25mm]

The best rust inhibitor for blued steel firearms surfaces is barium sulphonate in a wax film. Petroleum wax admixed with barium sulphonate is dissolved in xylene to form a liquid. The xylene evaporates after application, leaving a corrosion inhibiting wax film. Barium sulphonate inhibits both electrolysis and bacterial growth, the major causes of rust. GI specification is MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 2 Class 1.

These rust inhibitors provide two years or more of outdoor corrosion protection - in the rain and snow - and outlive you in their protection indoors. You remove them with xylene. Beneficial to most metals, woods, and leathers. Not suitable for use on metals which react with sulphur: nickel, copper, brass, bronze, silver, etc. Low toxicity and modest flammability in liquid form prior to application. Leaves a soft waxy film which conceals minor imperfections and allows some handling (self healing).

Most readily available MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 2 Class 1 inhibitor for civilians is LPS 3:

http://www.lpslabs.com/product-details/612

You can buy it at Grainger's or Bearing Service Downriver.

Expensive, but well worth the money. Many other manufacturers, but their minimum lot sizes are beyond the needs of a typical gun owner. Far superior to rust inhibiting oils which depend upon surface tension effects to exclude moisture. The surface tension effect behind rust inhibiting oils' action assures that the better such products evaporate quickly. Wax does not evaporate.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

Eezox the heck out of them

[DTruck]

Not sure if you've seen this, but I like to reference it as much as possible for the testing and results -
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

[cmr19xx]

I bird hunt with a nice SxS all fall. When the weather is bad I just hit the barrels with whatever spray "oil" I have handy (CLP, Remoil, etc.). I've hunted with this shotgun for about 10 years and there is no rust or pitting. Spray, hunt, wipe it off and clean the gun when I'm done. I'm sure there are a lot better methods, but it works for me.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

Not sure if you've seen this, but I like to reference it as much as possible for the testing and results -
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Al Gore invented the internet, for guys like that..... To do tests like that, for me.

[garbler]

The best rust inhibitor for blued steel firearms surfaces is barium sulphonate in a wax film. Petroleum wax admixed with barium sulphonate is dissolved in xylene to form a liquid. The xylene evaporates after application, leaving a corrosion inhibiting wax film. Barium sulphonate inhibits both electrolysis and bacterial growth, the major causes of rust. GI specification is MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 2 Class 1.

These rust inhibitors provide two years or more of outdoor corrosion protection - in the rain and snow - and outlive you in their protection indoors. You remove them with xylene. Beneficial to most metals, woods, and leathers. Not suitable for use on metals which react with sulphur: nickel, copper, brass, bronze, silver, etc. Low toxicity and modest flammability in liquid form prior to application. Leaves a soft waxy film which conceals minor imperfections and allows some handling (self healing).

Most readily available MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 2 Class 1 inhibitor for civilians is LPS 3:

http://www.lpslabs.com/product-details/612

You can buy it at Grainger's or Bearing Service Downriver.

Expensive, but well worth the money. Many other manufacturers, but their minimum lot sizes are beyond the needs of a typical gun owner. Far superior to rust inhibiting oils which depend upon surface tension effects to exclude moisture. The surface tension effect behind rust inhibiting oils' action assures that the better such products evaporate quickly. Wax does not evaporate.

Barium sulphonate inhibits both electrolysis and bacterial growth, the major causes of rust.

Electrolysis and bacterial growth are sources of surface corrosion of guns ??

I suggest a little more research on the claim of electrolysis and even bacterial corrosion of blued guns . Perhaps you can explain the presence of electrical current on a rifle in the field since as far as I know 'electrolysis is basically the decomposition of an electrolyte by electric current. It's quite a common problem with vessels and something I've dealt with for years. It Usually DC.

As for bacterial growth causing corrosion well I'm hard pressed to imagine this scenario with most of the shooting public guns. What type of bacterial growth would survive or perservere on a blued rifle subjected to gun cleaning solvents, oils and cold weather. It's true bacteria will react with sulphur and is problematic with most aluminum alloys especially aluminum fuel tanks holding diesel ( sulphur ) but again I'd really like more information on your claims.

Regards

[xtrema312]

Good coat of about any gun oil to store, after handling and after coming in from hunting out shooting. You should always have an absorbent cloth to remove water and an oil cloth to wipe down any gun anytime you've had it out in any kind of possibly damp weather. Snow or rain requires detail wipe down and oiling. Big temperature changes going from cold air to warm creates condensation. Never store gun in a case that can hold any moisture; this is the number one cause of heavily rusted classic hunting guns. I have guns I have hunted with for 40 years that have zero rust after a lot of rain, snow, sleet, and getting dunked in a pond and practically buried in the mud while waterfowl hunting. People have been doing it for a long time. I didn't get my first stainless gun until many years after I started hunting and I only have a couple stainless guns I use deer hunting some. The majority of them are blue and in very good condition after a lot of use. There might be other factors, but I would guess that any gun that you see rusting with some snowflakes falling I just want to spend clean with a solvent or something that's remove the oil and no oils been applied back to the finish.

[ChaneyD]

Never had a rusty gun.

[Alton]

Johnsons paste wax. I'm outside a lot in bad weather so my carry gun gets soaked with rain and snow.
I clean my pistol then put wax on everything inside & outside. Never any rust. I have shot my pistol with only wax to lubricate it with no problem.
Johnsons paste wax will last for years.