My half rusty 870

[PolarPanda]

Well, I have had this problem with my 870 for some time now. It sat in a safe for quite some time while I was off playing GI Joe. None of the other shotguns, rifles, or pistols in the safe showed even the smallest snippets of rust. My 870 on the other hand, has considerable surface rust on just the right hand side. It is like a magic line running down the center of the top of the action and the barrel and up the center ot the bottum of the barrel, tube, and action, but not the trigger. The barrel is not the original 28" barrel, but rather a 20" rifled, but still a Remington barrel. I have cleaned the rust off several times and oiled it extensively, but the rust keeps coming back, always on the right side. Aside from stripping it down and re-coating it, does anyone know a sure cure for this? Has anyone else had this happen? TIA

 

[The Deer Hunter]

that sounds awful but im curious for pics

 

[dfariswheel]

If this is an Express with the bead blasted flat blued finish, some people do have problems with rusting.

Here's what I'd do:
Strip the gun down and use lacquer thinner to thoroughly degrease and clean the metal.

DO THIS OUTSIDE, away from any possible sparks or pilot lights.
Use plenty of thinner and solvent proof toothbrushes to scrub it down, then flush with fresh thinner.

After the metal is TOTALLY dry, take it inside and warm it up with a hair dryer.
When the metal is warm apply a dripping wet coating of CLP Breakfree.
Allow to soak for about 30 minutes, then wipe off the excess and reassemble.

Whenever you handle or use the gun, reapply another thin coat with a patch or a toothbrush to refresh the coating.

Be sure to really shake the can or bottle of CLP thoroughly before using.
CLP Breakfree is one of the top rust preventing lubes and this will usually stop the rust.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Sounds almost like it was laid down in the dewy grass once upon a time.

Once oxidation starts, the surface is primed for more.

dfaris has good input.

 

[PolarPanda]

About the pics, I shoulda thought about that before I cleaned it up yesterday. I used Kroil to remove the rust. and then put a couple of light coats of oil on it. I just dont have time to thoroughly go through it right now. I am sure it will have its nice coat of one sided surface rust when I get back. As far as putting it down on dewey grass..... I can promise you, it never touched the ground once the 20" rifled barrel was put on. Logically, it would make sense to think that one side of it was exposed to a humid condition and the other side was not, but for the life of me, I cannot think of a time or circumstance where that would have happened. I put the barrel on, patterened/slugged it, cleaned it, put it in the safe, joined the army and finally got it back out 7 years later. Since then, I have had this recurring problem with it.

 

[USMC - Retired]

Problem is compounded by the fact that the process of "blueing" is simply a controlled rust. When you remove the unwanted extra rust you tend to remove blueing also which leaves you open to more rust. My recomendation would be to strip it down to the reciver and barrel and take them to a pro for either reblueing or parkerizing.

 

[PolarPanda]

Gunns- thats the general direction I was eventually going. I was just hoping that someway somewhere somehow, someone had come up with some wonder cure that I had not heard of yet. Too bad its gonna have to sit for a few more months until I get back and can take it in and get it done.

 

[The-Fly]

my 870 is a range and safe queen. I live in rather dry Colorado, and it still started getting a touch of rust on it. I've resorted to liberally coating it in CLP once a month. Seems to be keeping it rust free so far.

 

[USMC - Retired]

Polar,
My recommendation would be for Parkerizing when you get around to it. I have a 870 Wingmaster that I picked up for 25 bucks. It had a beat up wood stock and was almost bare metal completly from years of use and abuse. I striped it down to "parade rest" and parkerized the reciever and barrel myself with solution from Brownells. It really was fairly easy but you have to have access to a bead blasting chamber and a stainless steel pan that can hold the barrel and reciever completly submerged and at the same time be heated. Fortunately I had a buddy at an airframes shop that owed me a favor. The Parkerization worked like a charm and I have never had any problem with rust or wear of the finish. I mounted it all in a syntheic speed feed stock added a new aftermarket triger group, and mouted an Aimpoint sight on top and a sling swivel magazine cap and had built myself a sweet turkey killing machine faily cheaply. All my buddies can't believe it was a "home" job. Anyhow, now that I'm done braggin about my creation, my point is that in my opinion, Parkerizing is a more durable and forgiving surface treatment than blueing.

 

[PolarPanda]

Chesty- I got the synthetic stocks on already. It is pretty much a must being from Alaska. I grew up up there and was always friends with the state troopers. I personally saw one the the trooper 870s warp so much that you could not work the action. I bought the synthetics the same day I got the shotgun. I do have access to a bead blaster through some friends that are in the weapons section over at Pope AFB. I can come up with a pan that will hold everything, will have to see if it will fit in the kitchen oven. (the wife is in Iraq, she wont care). I don't want to spend alot of money on trigger group and such. I just want to get it weather worthy and probably give it to my father, as it is right handed, and I am left handed, and I heard that they have left handed 870s now. Unless I could find a way to swap the safety on the one I have. I changed the safety pin, but it is cut off center so it doesnt work reliably or correctly. Unfortunately I haven't had time to research and see if there is a conversion kit or anything along those lines. As far as sights go, the iron sights on the 20" barrel have always been dead on for me without any adjustment from the day I put it on. I have considered mounting my surefire on it, but with the 7 shot extension, the side saddle, and the sling that hold 8 rounds, it is pushing the limits of weight that I am comfortable with. For those that are wondering why so many rounds(21), that is a different matter that I won't get into here.