persistent rust in barrel after cleaning

[coondogger]

The use of extremely hot soapy water and best drying efforts notwithstanding, my Hawken rifle always has some rust in the barrel. Right after cleaning I run some clean patches down the barrel. Then I stand it upright in a warm, dry room. After a while, I run a patch with Bore Butter or T 1000 through it. Next morning, voila, a clean patch will reveal a small amount of fresh brown-red oxidation has appeared. Am I the only one with this problem?

 

[MEHavey]

Do not use any kind of "Bore Butter" compound to "season," or preserve, or protect a firearm.
(Do not....)

While still warm/dry from soap/water cleaning , run a patch or two of standard CLP, REM oil, BreakFree,
or best... Hornady 1-Shot Cleaner/Lube (Black can) down the bore (and everywhere else)
Walk away.....

Dry patch out next shooting session and press on....



* whatever that means

 

[Armored farmer]

Nope.
The old BP shooter's joke is to clean it once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year......etc.
Unless you shoot it again ...... then it all starts over.
Anyone who shoots BP regularly 'gets it'.....but it's not too far from the truth.

 

[MEHavey]

From long experience... standard Hornady 1-Shot will protect even BP firearms
Try it.
Then see if you have a brown dry patch the next day.

(But -- barring "Bore Butter" -- no matter what true CLP-product you use, use it on the bore while still warm)

 

[HKGuns]

I'd store it in a ZeRust bag which should prevent the rust from forming. I'd also toss a piece of ZeRust tube down its throat.

45 Cents a foot

$7.50 for a 50" bag

 

[entropy]

BreakFree CLP patch after running patches until the barrel is dry. Might have to try the Hornady black can.

 

[coondogger]

This got me thinking. If I'm going to depart from the natural lubes, and the problem is rusting, wouldn't it make the most sense to use WD-40. After all, removal of moisture is what WD-40 does.

 

[derek45]

BALLISTOL

mix it with water to clean, when the water evaporates, the oil is left behind.

 

[entropy]

This got me thinking. If I'm going to depart from the natural lubes, and the problem is rusting, wouldn't it make the most sense to use WD-40. After all, removal of moisture is what WD-40 does.

ONLY if you remove the WD-40 immediately afterwards. WD-40 is NOT a cleaner, lubricant, or preservative! WD-40 dries and combines with any dirt grime or rust to form a varnish that would not be good to have in a muzzleloader barrel.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

WD-40 dries and combines with any dirt grime or rust to form a varnish that would not be good to have in a muzzleloader barrel.

This is why WD-40 has been so vilified for use on firearms. Spraying WD-40, or any other product, on a gun and putting it back in the case is not cleaning.

 

[Armored farmer]

The use of extremely hot soapy water and best drying efforts notwithstanding, my Hawken rifle always has some rust in the barrel. Right after cleaning I run some clean patches down the barrel. Then I stand it upright in a warm, dry room. After a while, I run a patch with Bore Butter or T 1000 through it. Next morning, voila, a clean patch will reveal a small amount of fresh brown-red oxidation has appeared. Am I the only one with this problem?

I'm just curious if you are using a BP substitute like pyrodex?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I use Barricade in my B.P bores.

 

[hawg]

Bore Butter will leave behind a brown residue. It's not rust.

 

[gwpercle]

In all my years of Black Powder shooting ... cleaned bare steel , even after super squeaky cleaning ... will always begin to rust ( brown ) in short order .
I think there is something in the black powder chemicals that force their way into the steel pores ...
All I know is the steel must be protected with something like Barricade or Sheath or some rust preventative ...
at least here in humid Louisiana ... rust , heat and humidity are always a problem .
I have also discovered that spray on (or liquid ) Dry-Lubes will give a measure of rust protection ... put on a good coat and let it dry ...Liquid Wrench Dry Lube L512.
Gary

 

[Chief TC]

BALLISTOL

mix it with water to clean, when the water evaporates, the oil is left behind.

This!!!! I believe using soapy water is messy and inefficient compared to ballistol emulsion. I recommend everyone switch to this method. I mop and wipe with this mixture, then dry and then go over it with just regular ballistol. I have an old TD that is significantly pitted and I have no rust issues.

 

[Armored farmer]

This!!!! I believe using soapy water is messy and inefficient compared to ballistol emulsion. I recommend everyone switch to this method. I mop and wipe with this mixture, then dry and then go over it with just regular ballistol. I have an old TD that is significantly pitted and I have no rust issues.

Yes.
Detergent removes oil.....ballistol IS oil.
It's my go-to also
.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I use hot soapy water to clean, then a hair drier, then WD-40 to remove any remaining moisture, several dry patches to remove the WD 40 and finally several swabbings with Hornady's One Shot. I live in a dry climate but I have never had any rust in the 20 some years I have shot black powder.

 

[usaral63]

The ONLY issue I have ever had is from using TC's recommendation using BB...........screw them, far as I am concerned BB is a good patch lube and no more. I wound up having to lap a premium .54 bbl after trying their rec. and I immediately reverted to my hot soapy water, boiling followup and immediate spray down with WD40 followed by a good oil..............Since I began using either CLP or Ballistol (my favorite) I have never had another issue with rust.

Do as you will, but in my opinion the "seasoning" achieved in the days of cast iron is inapplicable to todays steels and to my mind the proof is in the pudding, at least in my case!


I'll ad that I live a very rust prone area, E/central Florida...........you want to experience rust come here...........if you don't like cleaning 'em then enjoy the low price you get when you trade 'em. All my BP guns get the treatment described, all the smokeless stuff is also on that Ballistol diet and cancer free!

 

[JohnKSa]

I tried the extremely hot soapy water method on a black powder firearm once and rust formed instantly--even though the hot water dried very quickly. The water disappeared almost immediately but the rust formed even faster. There were tiny rust spots anywhere the water had made contact, on the blued finish, inside the bore--everywhere. You could see the rust spots and feel them and they weren't the kind that brush off easily. It was a real mess. Maybe it works ok in dry environments--I don't really know. I know I won't use that method again.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I use hot water in a coffee can, barrel is removed from the stock and placed breech down in the hot water, a tight fitting patch is run all the way down then moved up and down the length of the barrel. When it's clean a dry patch is run through it followed by a patch of WD40. A final patch saturated with oil finishes things up. If conditions are right flash rusting can and does occur. I've had it happen once or twice. I live in a very dry area so it's rare for me.

 

[Jeff62]

I’ve been using mule snot for years. I shoot black and pyrodex with very little rust forming.

Equal parts Murphys oil soap, rubbing alcohol and peroxide. It’s excellent solvent. I think residue of the soap keeps the rust from taking over.

 

[Mizar]

Repeat after me: "In Ballistol we trust and Moose milk is His prophet!"...

 

[Eyrie G. Dogg]

Allahu Akbar! Praise and blessings be upon it. Ballistol & water is good stuff - but I use Hoppe’s No. 9 BP solvent first, then water. Dry and oil.

 

[kje54]

Bore Butter will leave behind a brown residue. It's not rust.

That was my understanding also.

 

[Pat Riot]

Equal parts Murphys oil soap, rubbing alcohol and peroxide. It’s excellent solvent. I think residue of the soap keeps the rust from taking over.

This is the solution a friend of mine told me about for cleaning my 1858 and 1861 revolvers. It worked great for the short time I had those revolvers.

This thread interests me as I am getting into BP percussion rifles.