Sweat and Rust

[themalicious0ne]

I would like to start by saying I am an extremely sweaty person. I know my first issue is, after I go shooting, I will store my handguns in a foam case. I know that this is terrible for the gun as the moisture from my hands is on the gun and soaks and seals in the foam lining.

I just pulled out my 1911 and after two weeks sitting in the case was quite rusty where I touched it. Now I know that this is completely my fault for leaving it in the case so long instead of just during the transport back from the range. There is however no long term damage, I think. I just absentmindedly did not take the time to care for my firearm.

My question is besides the simple fact of keeping my gun out of the foam case, how can I keep my gun from rusting especially if I am carrying my gun on me. I am fairly good about maintaining and cleaning my firearms. I dont see how if I carry IWB I could possibly prevent my firearm from moisture. Will simply airing my gun out and taking it out of the holster every day be enough? What if the gun is touching my skin at all? Should I clean it every week? I dont have any safe queens, but The gun I decided to CC is my Colt 1911 Wiley Clap Edition. While I know that it will get some wear, which I dont mind, I dont want it to be pleagued by rust. Please tell me about your experiences with CC and persperation.

 

[biohazard313]

i keep packets of silica gel in my cases. that helps quite a bit to pull any moisture out of there and trap in the gel. i also keep them in my safes.

 

[ranchito457]

I keep an old oil rag in a ziplock bag both in my safe at home and also in my range bag-every month or so I add more gun oil to my rags.Now after a day of shooting or now since I carry everyday before I put my them away for the evening I give them a quick wipe with the rag.
My carry gun gets a wipe down every night and the others just when they go in and out for the range.

 

[SaxonPig]

Stainless is your friend. I hate the look of stainless but recognize its practicality.

A couple of my "working guns." Both are PD trade ins. The 9 is from Atlanta and the 38 is from Corpus Christi. I think both are ugly. Perfect carry guns. I don't worry what happens to them. Purely tools.

 

[WESHOOT2]

truly finished, zero rust

I sent my rustbucket (an all-custom single-stack Caspian) to Robar for their proprietary NP3 finish.
That was around 1997.

The gun is cared for with neglect.
It doesn't rust.

 

[Colt46]

cerakote?

Supposed to be nearly indestructible and available in a gamut of colors.

 

[2123]

The only time I put a firearm back in a case, box, bag, or whatever........is after it's been cleaned and lubed.

As far as your EDP, just leave it laying out in the open (not cased) when not being carried. By saying "out in the open", I don't mean lying around where unauth. persons would / could have access to it.

As far as cleaning my EDP, I do it when it appears to need it. It's SS so I don't worry all that much about it.

 

[AK103K]

I carry IWB, sweat heavily, and work outdoors, and always had an issue with rusting guns, until I found gun finishes like hard chrome or Tennifer, and kydex holsters, which help a lot to alleviate the problem.

The problem with leather holsters is, they get wet, and dont dry out overnight, and are constanly wet, just aggravating the problem.

Kydex is impervious to moisture, and is a lot more user (and gun) friendly when it ends up against your bare skin.

 

[Wyosmith]

Try some of this.
http://corrosionx.com/corrosionx-for-guns.html

 

[44 AMP]

I just pulled out my 1911 and after two weeks sitting in the case was quite rusty where I touched it........ I am fairly good about maintaining and cleaning my firearms.

I'd say, no, you aren't..."fairly good.." If you were, you wouldn't have rust issues.

Under the right conditions, rust can start overnight. (black powder, moist area, etc.) But from sweat/ or handling? generally takes more than a bit longer.

An oily rag, or a silicone cloth, and 2-3 SECONDS of your time wiping the handgun down before casing it will save you a LOT of grief down the road.

with modern ammo, its usually not am issue if you don't clean the inside of your pistol right away. And I can see where things might conspire to even keep you from it for a couple of weeks (I don't agree, but I can understand).

But there is NO real excuse for not wiping down the outside, especially if you are going to have to wait before a full cleaning.

Living in a humid area only aggravates the situation.

 

[Jim243]

a silicone cloth, and 2-3 SECONDS of your time wiping the handgun down before casing it will save you a LOT of grief down the road.

This, I do it every time I take one out even just to look at it.

Jim

 

[jason_iowa]

It depends more on your body chemistry than the amount that you sweat. I only carry stainless I spent a lot a lot of time in the water in the navy so it was important to have stainless or nickle plated.

 

[colbad]

First off, you probably don't want to hear this, but you should wipe it off with a oil or silicon rag EVERY time you take it off for the day. As someone who carries a gun for a living (concealed) in AZ, sweat is a way of life. My agency does not issue SS so you need to learn how to take care of blue in a harsh environment. Having something in SS or with more plastic, like a Glock also helps if that is an option for you.

For my work Sig I would disassemble it, heated it and coated every part with Frog Lube. Once it drys I wipe it all off like car wax to a sealed coating. I have NEVER had a speck of rust on the gun in 25 years of daily use except for the grip screws. For some reason those screws were a problem for rust. I replaced them with SS hex screws. Even though it was coated, I still wiped it down at least every night if not more. NEVER left a range with ANY gun that did not get a wipe with an oil rag.

Thats is how you avoid rust. Laziness is not an option for maintenance in harsh environments. Admittedly, I was probably a little more concerned with my maintenance due to my life depending on this tool. I too use other than leather holsters when I can because they clean easy and do not hold moisture. If using a leather, you need to take it out every night to air out and dry.

 

[Sgt127]

I am a "free sweater". Gallons, I swear. At the end of the day, my guns are drenched. And, I have nuclear fallout quality sweat. My stainless revolvers, that I carry IWB, have rust under the grips in a couple days. I've tried everything, From corrosion x to Boeshield. My P239 (stainless and alloy) I had all the controls hard chromed. I then found rust IN the barrel. I ordered a Barsto stainless barrel and its doing well.

It is what it is, but, if I had waited two weeks. The gun would have looked like it was in Katrina.

 

[Mike Irwin]

I sweat concentrated sulfuric acid.

The best thing I've ever found to help prevent contact rust on my guns is to give them a good waxing with Johnson's Paste Wax, or any other wax that contains a high concentration of carnuba.

Then, after shooting, I take a rag that I've dampened with water (not wet), and wipe down anywhere I have touched. This removes salts and skin acids for those of us whose sweat tends toward acidic (not everyone's is).

 

[themalicious0ne]

Thanks guys.

I admit, I did neglect my gun for a couple weeks. I was kicking myself something fierce for that one. I will have to try out your tips. I often wipe down my guns with an oil rag, however, It is not something I realized was neccessary that often. So I thank you for straightening me out. I dont CC yet and this was one of my major concerns. When I worked armed, I would wipe my gun over from time to time, especially if it rained. I am sad to discover I am severely neglecting my girls. At least there is no permanent damage to my firearms and I will be more vigilant in the future.

 

[Spats McGee]

I live in Arkansas. That thing people call "a dry heat?" We don't have it. It's hot, currently running mid-80s to low-90s, and it'll be in triple digits before August is over with. Sweat doesn't evaporate with high humidity, which I'm sure you all know. In the winter, I'm a duck hunter. All of that together means thaat my CC guns get sweat in the winter, and my shotguns get water and mud in the winter. That said, I don't have anything fancy like Cerakote or Robar. Just about all of my guns are just plain ol' parkerized. I wipe 'em down, with whatever I have handy, whenever they get wet, however it happens, and that has kept the rust away for me.

 

[sm]

Born and raised in the south.
Including doing my serious work in the south.

Spats McGee,
I know all too well abut AR.

I laugh when folks up here in the North, complain about humidity.
Let me share about TX, being 115 degrees, and the humidity being 99% and the heat index being 125 degrees, (in the shade) during a skeet competition sometime...

If I did not do/have RIG Grease, I used Johnson's Paste wax.

Being older, we did not have the "gun socks" with impregnated silicon we have today.
Anything stored was wiped down, checked on often.

Fishing also has problems with PH, so one is wise to think, investigate, verify what works for them.

Spats-
I go back to when Hillary worked for Rose Law, and Bill drove his own Mustang.
I gotta snicker, knowing I had a cocked and locked 1911 concealed, ( perhaps something else or three) back in the day, when I would run into one or both of these folks.

themalicious0ne,

Mentors and Elders shared: take care of tools and they will take care of you.

 

[ROCK6]

My wife and I just finished up a section of the AT (southern NC). I switched my Glock 23 to a much lighter, smaller Kahr CM9; stainless and polymer. I carry in a chest pouch (Hill People Gear Kit Bag) and if you're hiking in 80-90 degree weather with 70-80% humidity, you are wet all day. My Kit Bag and clothes remained soaked in sweat or rain from thunder showers for a solid seven days. I really didn't do anything but wipe down the CM9 nightly (I plan add a silicone rag to my packing list) but I have small tarnished area on the front of the frame (came off with a light buff).

Slide tarnish is less of a concern cosmetically but you biggest concern should be the internals. Those smaller springs are more susceptible due to surface area and I would really ensure you give the internals a good blast of dry lube.

My carbon steel Mora blade suffered the worst, but even that was a very mild patina and won't affect anything but looks. It doesn't hurt to take five minutes of an inspection and wipe down...that will go a long way to help long-term protection.

ROCK6

 

[Bezoar]

thats why a toothbrush soaked in realy good solvent run through the nooks and crannies is a mans best friend. thats were the worst things will accumulate and an oily rag wont get at them. at all. period.


i may investigate the wax but just how well does that add up to with use on a revolver?