Preventing rust.

[WCJ]

Hello all, does anyone have a favorite rust preventive after cleaning a gun? Especially after using a hot water flush. I have used various solutions over the years, natural lubes, one that season the bore like a skillet, nope, ballostal, nope, regular gun oil, nope, drying with alcohol before lubing with these, nope. Everytime after cleaning with these a couple of days afterward I run a patch, always they show rust.
The only thing that has ever worked was WD-40 yet it seems the stuff is a no no with the gun community.
Any other ideas? Thanks, Walter.

[Steve Weems]

break free CLP has worked for me?

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello, WCJ:

If you are using traditional black powder, there are many helpful Threads/Posts on our Forum that you can search.

Short answer:
Hot water is not necessary. The hotter the water, the faster the chemical reaction, and light rust can quickly form.
My chemical engineer friends use room temperature water, which dissolves the corrosive salts just as well, if not better than hot water.

Beyond flushing/patching with room temp water with a drop of liquid detergent to act as a wetting agent, try KROIL immediately after dry patching as a moisture remover. Then CLP should be ok, but check every day for a week to learn what lasts.

For me, non-spray LPS-1 is better than WD-40, and non-spray LPS-3 is an excellent longer term preservative, providing the bore is truly clean. Spray cleaners can introduce moisture. Smiles.
Kevin Tinny

[clowdis]

I have used WD40 for years without any issues. I think the gun community got turned off to WD40 when they tried to use it as a lube. It isn't a lube it's a water displacement solution.

[John Bly]

CLP works for me. I don't get after rust. I never totally trust it so I always check several days after using it..

[RaiderANV]

Ballistol works on everything from the metal to the wood. Awesome stuff

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

As Kevin has pointed out, hot water is not essential for cleaning black powder residue. However, I've been using hot water for 50+ years in my firearms with a small amount of a mixture of Lestoil and ammonia. I tend to believe the hot water helps open the pores of the metal and dissolves the fouling faster. The heat imparted to the metal also helps to dry it faster. Immediately after using a wet patch on a jag to scrub the bore (pumping with the breech in a bucket), I use 2-3 dry patches (all come out clean and can be recycled). Then I spray the bore with WD-40 and run a WD-40 soaked patch down the bore on a jag to mitigate any residual moisture. When reassembling the firearm, I wipe all metal surfaces with RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease) and run a gun oil-soaked patch down the bore to finish the job. Firearm goes back into a soft case and doesn't come out until the next skirmish. Have never had a problem with rust. I must run a clean, dry patch down bore prior to shooting to remove the oil left in the bore.

It should be noted that once rust and pitting are allowed to start, it becomes much harder to get rid of it.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[WCJ]

Ballistol works on everything from the metal to the wood. Awesome stuff

After using it I still get rust in the bore.

[Hambone]

I tried it on my 2 band 1855 Springfield that is unblued. I could wipe it down with ballistol go out and shoot one relay in the rain at the Nationals and everywhere a drop of water hit there was rust forming at the end of the relay.

[TCLewis]

Hi,

I have used Ballistol for the last 6 years and love it. I have talked to other skirmishers that prefer CLP, WD-40, or other modern lubes. I use Ballistol straight without diluting. The back of Ballistol can will tell you ratios to mix iwth water to make "moose milk". I use it without water to wipe down every inch of my guns after a skirmish and I spray some down the bore, brush it, and run a soaked patch down the bore. It stops any discoloring on bright guns and also acts as a pre soak before cleaning. To clean I use warm soapy water and not hot. I find that hot soapy water can cause some discoloring spots just like if I don't wipe the exterior of the metal with straight Ballistol. After cleaning my guns I wipe down the metal, wood stock, and a soaked patch down the bore. Before shooting I run a dry patch down the bore to get any excess Ballistol out of the barrel and breech to make sure it goes boom! My dry patches come out clean! My brother and teammates can attest to how clean my guns are and I have never had a fouled gun during my years as a N-SSA member. I use one or two of my muskets for living history and reenacting so they get a lot of time in the sun with sweaty clothes and hands touching them all day. The heavy outside coat of Ballistol usually keeps any surface rust from forming or to a very little that comes right off. I have been at skirmishes in the rain and reenacting events in the rain and again the Ballistol prevents any issues. I have known reenactors and skirmishers that apply a clear coat of some sort, metal polish, or Flitz as a barrier but it usually fails. The main reason I love Ballistol is that it mixes with water and does not displace or repel water. By using straight Ballistol any water works with it. If water gets into the lock or metal components the Ballistol works with it and does not cause rust or corrosion as it would if it was a petroleum based lube. Petroleum based lubes repel water and the water has no place to go except to sit in places that are not covered in lube hence rust spots or corrosion in hard to reach areas. So hit it all with the Ballistol!

I will be posting videos to our unit Youtube channel in the near future on some tips and tricks that I've learned with black powder arms over the years as a skirmisher, reenactor, and a gunsmith.