How To Remove Rust From a Gun?

Article Write: | Latest Update On: January 25, 2022

It doesn’t matter where you place your gun. It may be behind the car seat, at the back of your wardrobe, in a gun safe, lockbox, or whatever. Rust is inevitable for guns as they are made of metal. Even the best quality arms can fade and scratch over time. In this article, we will tell you about how to remove rust from a gun?

Small guns that we carry with ourselves are affected by rust the most because of their being closer to the human body. The human body is a very sensitive reagent for guns as they release sweat. Guns are actually ruined by sweat. If you live in an area where the humidity scale is large, there are high chances of your guns to get rust rapidly.

Can Rust Be Removed From Guns?

Rust is an oxidation form of iron oxide. It forms on the metal surface when iron reacts with oxygen in the proximity of water or the air moisture. Each material that has partly or whole iron in it is at risk of rust, so is your firearm.

How-to-Remove-Rust-from-a-Gun

There are many ways to slow down or, in some cases, almost completely prevent the rust. Coating the gun with paint or oil is one of the best and most common ways to guard against rust. At any battlefield of civil war, the guns are seen so fully coated with paint that the manufacturer’s mark is not even seen. Coating the gun with oil before storing it, or ensuring less moisture in the containing space are also ways of preventing rust.

But what if the gun still catches rust. Nothing to worry; rust can be almost completely removed if your gun still gets rust. Prevention will make cleaning easier. Or else, too much rust can eat up your gun surface.

Which Items Necessary to Clean a Gun?

Your gun is made of metal that contains iron. You can neither completely help your gun be not exposed to air nor completely eliminate moisture from the air. So, it is inevitable that your gun will get rust, be it to the minimum amount. So, along with taking the required preventive measures, it is necessary to know how to remove rust from a gun?

Which Items Necessary to Clean a Gun

There are lots of ways to remove rust from your gun. Today, we will guide you to one of the fastest and easiest ways to do it. This is going to be primarily dealing with surface rust and just a little bit deeper. We are not going to do the full restoration today.

So, to start with, we are going to need four items:

  • The first is some CLP or Cleaner Lubricant Preservatives.
  • Next, we need some steel wool.
  • A solid AP (all purposes) brush, but not a toothbrush.
  • A lot of napkins or a good rug.
  • And a surface that you don’t mind to be messy.

How to Remove Rust from a Gun? (Step by step guide)

Once you have all that you need for cleaning rust; we can start with the procedure:

How to Remove Rust from a Gun? (Step by step guide)

  • If you are dealing with a shotgun or rifle, the first thing you need to do is dissembling all of its parts. But if yours is a handgun, it is ok not to take the parts apart if the rust is not too much. Go ahead! And rip it apart.
  • After you are done with dissembling your gun, apply a very healthy coat of Cleaner Lubricant Preservatives over the surfaces of each part. And let it sit for a few minutes, depending on how bad the rust is.
  • After some time has passed, use your all-purpose brush and get to scrubbing. For how long you will need to scrub it will also depend on how deep the rust is. Occasionally, you can use the rug to clean so that you have a better view of what you are working on.
  • Now, put your brush down and look for any area that the rust has penetrated. Use some more CLP in that area and use your steel wool. Do not use the brush anymore, as too much scrubbing may cause scratches on your gun surface.
  • Steel wool is a very important part here. Because if any rust is left on the surface, new rust will easily start forming here. Thus, to ensure a surface free of rust, use steel wool.
  • Now that we have all the parts cleaned up and then reassemble the gun and see what it looks like.

And there you go, except a few scratches, you have almost a brand-new gun.

Which Things to Avoid When Removing Rust From a Gun?

While cleaning rust from your gun, you must avoid using a steel brush. It may be tempting and can rip off rust very easily out of a gun, but unfortunately, it will take off your finish as well. Instead, use soft steel wool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to clean a gun if you don’t shoot it?

Yes, you need to clean your gun at least twice a year, even if you don’t use it. Because a foul can cause rust and erosion damage.

Can you use vinegar to clean a gun?

Yes, it’s also good to use vinegar to clean your guns. It even cleans deep rust with a little patience. 

Can you clean a gun with soap and water?

Yes, soap and water can be used to clean a gun. It removes carbon as well as powder fouling well but is not so effective on copper and lead. 

Final Thought

The solution to how to remove rust from a gun is neither too complicated nor too time-consuming. You can even simplify the process if you store your gun properly, as less rust will be caught in proper storage. Manufacturers now anodize most of the modern guns with a coat that prevents rusting. But even the blued surface and anodized gun cannot stop the rust forever. 

Hi, I am Jhon Adam, I am an ex-military and now I run a business where I sell security tools, arm protection gadgets, gun vaults, scopes for the rifles, and other related accessories. Because of this business, I have to deal with so many clients who felt insecure about their security tools. Like it is quite risky and dangerous to let the personal protective gun in an insecure way. Because they don’t have gun safe vaults. Some people facing difficulties with their hunting rifles scope or etc. Every day they come to my shop they come with a new problem.

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