Rust or Crud?

[65swede]

I was hunting the wilds of Mesa AZ for a donor action for a Savage project. I came across a nice varmint rifle, after a little negotiation I took it home. So far I've wiped it down four times with ballistol and this rust like stain keeps coming off the metal. I can say with a high degree of certainty that is is not leaching off the stock in anyway. I tried the same ballistol on three other rifles and none of the 'stain' showed up on the paper towel afterward, including another R700 with glossy blue finish. I switched to Lucas CLP just to see what happened and just a little of the rust transferred to the paper towel. Tried the Ballistol again and more rust. Can there be this much old oil and crud on a pawnshop rifle? I certainly don's see any rust.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

G96 residue?? Look and see if the trigger is gummy. Never liked G96.

 

[tommeboy]

Bluing is rust

 

[65swede]

G96 residue?? Look and see if the trigger is gummy. Never liked G96.

Trigger seemed normal to me. I took it apart, cleaned and adjusted it. Didn't notice anything other than typical dirt. I'm not familiar with G96.

 

[okie]

rig?

 

[bobinpa]

You are removing your blueing. Blueing is rust, the rust color on the towel is blueing...

 

[65swede]

You are removing your blueing. Blueing is rust, the rust color on the towel is blueing...

If that's the case, I'll stop using ballistol.

 

[bobinpa]

If that's the case, I'll stop using ballistol.

Stop using anything that fights rust, especially stuff like WD-40.

 

[65swede]

Stop using anything that fights rust, especially stuff like WD-40.

Yeah, I didn't realize Ballistol could remove a rust blue finish, I've been using if for years without incident before this. I gave up WD40 a long time ago. What do you recommend?

 

[DGP4]

Good old mineral spirits will clean anything without damaging metal or wood finishes.

 

[Just Say Moe]

I use aerosol Rem oil. I haven't had any issues with it.

 

[DirtySteve]

WD40 Specialist...

 

[65swede]

Mistake made. Wisdom earned.

 

[TaperPin]

I think what you were taking off is old dried oil. Wd40 is mostly kerosene - if using it to clean rifles would damage the bluing my rifles would be bare steel by now. Not the best lubricant, but I buy it by the gallon.

 

[DiffEQ]

I have lots of old rifles, the oldest being a 1921 Model 8. I use Ballistol on all of them and I have zero effect on my bluing or even the ones with the brown patina.
Straight kerosene, on the other hand, has removed bluing from a CZ pistol of mine.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Yeah, I didn't realize Ballistol could remove a rust blue finish, I've been using if for years without incident before this. I gave up WD40 a long time ago. What do you recommend?

https://clenzoil.com/collections/field-range-solution/products/field-range-solution
I like this. You can put it on wood also.

 

[Rsadams]

https://clenzoil.com/collections/field-range-solution/products/field-range-solution
I like this. You can put it on wood also.

I went to clenzoil about 6 months ago and love it... Stopped using slip 2000... Bought some little needle oilers from Amazon to put it in , way easier to use with a lot less waste of over spray...