Getting rust off a blued gun

[Doug.38PR]

I have a real nic Remington 870 Police Magnum. I just took it out of the gun bag I carry it around in and almost overnight it had some rust embedded into it just above the trigger area on the side of the frame. about ten little spots sprinkled into one place and even a little surface rust here and there around it. I took some cleaning solution oil and a paper towel to the surface rust, it came off no problem leaving area sparkling blue. The sprinkled embedded spot wouldn't quite come off. Brown kept coming off on the towel to no end as a scrubbed the spots to death. I was wondering, will steel wool get them off without wearing off blue? The blue under those spots is no doubt gone, but if I could smooth those spots out cold blue could be dabbed on to them with no problem right?

Any thoughts, suggestions. This is a really nice gun and it was just a hit to the gut to take it out of my car today and see those spots in the shining sunlight

[Mike1951]

I use the Blue Armadillo gun cleaner (in the tube) on 0000 steel wool.

Works very well, but still be light handed.

[Skiprr]

You might try letting some Kroil soak into it for an hour or so, and then try just the paper towel again. If the rust has a good hold, then try Mike's Blue Armadillo solution. I hate rust...

[Chemist45]

Light oil (3 in 1, WD-40) and 000 steel wool will take off the rust and not harm the blue.

Once all the rust is removed, apply a thin layer of grease (I like RIG for this) or one of the spray on heavy oils.
PRP (Pachmayer Rust Preventive) is a good choice.

Consider a different gun bag.

[KD5NRH]

Well, you're half way to rust bluing the spot, so you could try boiling it for 5 minutes then using the steel wool.

I've never tried it as a fix for existing rust, so it might actually work, though the color is highly unlikely to be a perfect match. Using BWC Plum Brown to establish light rust, then boiling and scrubbing to get rust blue made a great finish on a couple of my hand-forged knives, though.

My usual preference is the Blue Wonder cleaner, letting it soak in, then the finest steel wool I have around.

[SC1903A3]

Here is an old trick I learned years ago. Get a "REAL" copper penny, pre 1965 and use it to card off any heavy lacing. Then follow up with Flitz.The copper penny is softer that the blued steel. I keep several of the old penny's around just in case.

[T3hK1w1]

I've been living down here near Falfurrias since september, and I've found that all of my guns have to be wiped down with RemOil after every time I handle them, otherwise they start to rust after about 24 hours. It's just something about the climate down here, I guess.

[numist]

Here is an old trick I learned years ago. Get a "REAL" copper penny, pre 1965 and use it to card off any heavy lacing. Then follow up with Flitz.The copper penny is softer that the blued steel. I keep several of the old penny's around just in case.

Just a little correction: pre-1982 cents are still nearly full copper (95% copper, 5% zinc). Composition changed in 1982 to 97.5% zinc with only a thin copper plating. The pre-1965 changes were to switch dimes, quarters and half dollars from silver to copper/nickel clad.
So any cent dated 1981 and before can be used for this nifty trick.

[mbw]

Do not use steel wool! The particles that flake off the wool can and will cause more rust.

Use an old BRASS bore brush and any oil as a lub. The rust will come right off with no damage to the finish.

[Skiprr]

Just a little correction: pre-1982 cents are still nearly full copper (95% copper, 5% zinc)...

Just a pause to appreciate the broad and eclectic base of knowledge we have on this Forum.

I am impressed.

[Doug.38PR]

Well, I got the rust off with steel wool, right down to the metal. I then took super blue and rubbed it around in the area where the rustless metal spots are.....the metal spots are now brown instead of white....and there is a slight football shaped area around the metal spots where I rubbed super blue....sigh.....well, at least it doesn't look horrible...but it doesn't look like new either.