Handgun Care

General Firearms Handguns - Semi Auto
1

I’m going to start out by saying, I sweat because I live in the South, it’s Hot and Humid, if you spend time out doors, sweating is part of life.

That being said, I carry a Dan Wesson CBOB 1911, it’s Stainless Steel, I break it down and clean it after every range usage.

But, I seem to have a consistent issue, that is light surface rust. In the checkering, under the slide stop, behind the thumb safety, near the trigger guard, the dust cover, etc.

I detail stripped and cleaned this gun… a little over a month ago.

I realize I need to completely break it down and clean it ASAP, that being said, I cleaned off all of the rust on the gun maybe a month and a half ago, here we are again.

But I can tell you after carrying it and walking out doors, I unholster it at home and there’s sweat beaded on the gun sometimes, I of course wipe it off with a clothe, but I still manage to get rust.

Does anyone have any recommendations of something I can clean the surface of the gun with to protect it?

I use Hoppes #9 Gun Oil to lubricate it, and Hoppes #9 Solvent, and frankly I’ve been happy with their performance.

I’m hesitant to use CLP, as I’ve heard it’s a jack of all trades and master of none, is there some surface protectant that I could use?

Also, any suggestions on cleaning out the checkering very thoroughly?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

I’m kicking around the idea of getting some kind of bake on finish from either Ed Brown, Night Hawk, Wilson, or someone to protect it.

But I’m a college student, and I just (literally about 3 hours ago) ordered my BCM Mid-Length Upper Receiver, and I hope that Chicom piece of crap gets here soon. :smiley: (Kidding)

So I can’t exactly afford to do that right now, but, I’m looking for a solution, and I’m gauging is that my only alternative?

I specifically bought a Stainless Steel Handgun because I knew I’d be carrying it, and I knew it’d be in contact consistently with sweat and body oil, but it seems that that isn’t working as well as I thought it would.

I figured I’d ask.

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

2

Use a heavier oil than Hoppes; I liked SLIP2000 but have switched to Mobile 1 5w30 synthetic due to cost/value.

Have you thought about a kydex holster or something that would not allow sweat to seep through like leather/nylon does? Or maybe a holster with a sweat guard.

3

It’s a Comptac Spartan that I use, it usually seeps in the areas not covered by the holster…

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=102

The back part is leather and the front is kydex… I think I might try some Slip 2000, I plan on picking some up for the above said AR-15 anyway.

ETA: Fixed URL

4

There’s just no getting away from it if you’re in the hot weather. A polymer pistol is the way to go. I got over the romance of the 1911 long ago. A lighter polymer pistol (M&P/Glock) will make your life much better all around.:wink:

5

Steel isn’t bad when you keep it in a duty holster away from your sweat. I used a Sig P226 carbon slide for years on marine patrol and I didn’t have too much trouble keeping the rust off. I think the key here is to get a holster setup that keeps the pistol more protected. Kydex is one of the few materials that will not allow moisture to get to the pistol.

6

Alright, I’ll try a new holster, before a new gun.

I really like the gun, I’ve been very pleased with it, 100% reliable, accurate, I’m a happy camper to be completely honest, except for this rust thing.

Alright, What holsters do you guys recommend?

ETA: I handled an M&P today, actually a few models, they’re nice, jury is still out for me.

7

This…

8

I keep my TLE II in the safe and take it out and fondle it a little, then put on the Glock and start my day.

9

Anyone who’s been in a class with me knows that I sweat like an iceberg in the Kalahari…

Glock’s tennifer finish is about as rust proof as I’ve seen.

I’m currently carrying a Wilson Combat CQB and the Armor Tuff finish is holding up really well.

The stainless steel used in firearms has a higher carbon content than a lot of different grades of stainless and it will still rust, just not as easily.

Getting your pistol finished in something like Gunkote or one of the other bake on finishes will help a lot and shouldn’t be too expensive.

10

I’m running a Milt Sparks Summer Special II that I picked up from Brownells. It’s working out well.

As far as rust preventative oils…CLP is ok, so’s Ballistol, Weapon Shield is probably one of the best.

11

On days that I sweat like a pig (no cop jokes) and/or I’m out in the rain or high humidity, I make an effort to wipe down the exterior with a silicone rag and if that doesn’t make me happy, I run a patch containing CLP over the weapon and then wipe off with said silicone rag. I carry a polymer pistol, BTW.

12

Thanks for the input, I had a feeling that’s the route I’d inevitably have to go.

I’ll get some Weapon Shield and start looking for quotes on an after market finish. (I don’t have access to the stuff to apply it myself, so… Plus if somebody else screws it up, they’ll have to make it right. Some stuff you can do yourself, other stuff, it’s best not to.)

Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it.

ETA: The other thing to consider, is even though with polymer framed pistols, the polymer is impervious to rust, if the slides were left without a bake-on finish, you’d have the same exact issue.

Hard Chroming Plating is an option, but for those of us who can’t stand the appearance of it, I’ll just look for another type of finish.

Thank you, I figure I’ll get the slide and frame finished, the polished portions don’t have this issue also, only the bead blasted areas of the pistol.

Also, any suggestions on cleaning out the checkering?

Thanks again.

As a side note, to the Polymer framed pistols advocates, I’m looking at down the road getting a M&P, I’ve fired Glocks, probably over a thousand rounds through my Dad’s G21, and I have nicknamed them “Blocks” (I’m so clever right? I had to say it.) but honestly the ergonomics just aren’t there for me with them I can shoot them well, but I have to consciously adjust how I aim, it’s not as natural, despite their drop out of a plane, bury in mud reliability, fire 33rd magazines underwater capabilities (In Gen 3’s anyway), they’ll never be exposed to that in my usage.

Also I like an external safety of some kind.

As for XD’s though I’ve been satisified with the experiences I’ve had with SA XD’s, for a relatively inexpensive designated car gun, spare parts availability is an deal breaker for me, I need recoil springs I can order, I’m too lazy and I see it as unneccessary to have to mail the gun back to the manufacturer to replace components. (By the way, you can order Recoil Springs from Brownells…)

I’d rather just order parts and install it myself, save myself the shipping and hassle, complications removing the extractor aside (They can be removed, despite interweb myths, That’s two myths that are really prevalent).

H&K’s are nice, I’ve handled a few, never fired one, but, I’m just not attracted to them for some reason, and it also is too expensive for a gun I’d leave in the car. (Criteria being something I’d be okay stolen in a smash and grab.)

So that leaves M&P’s, not perfect, but I feel adequate for what I need.

Thanks again for all of the input.

13

waxing it can help with birchwood casey’s gunstock wax or auto wax .

14

I figured I was just going to post an update.

I found a pretty harshly bristled tooth brush takes care of the checkering, I used Hoppes Solvent, was it ideal? Probably not.

Did it take the rust off without any hang ups? Yes.

But, I figured it was the best idea to try, I wouldn’t even dream of approaching it with a copper brush.

I also saw a touch of rust behind the thumb safety, I field stripped it, saw some in the plunger tube, took out that, it was rusty.

Cut some thin strips of an old shirt (I cut cleaning patches out of these) and ran it down the tube and cleaned it up.

15

Actually a copper brush and Hoppes would be just fine.

16

On (ETA: Sorry it’s late) bead blasted steel?

:smiley:

17

Yep. Copper is far, far, far softer than steel. If some of it scratched off onto the stainless, the Hoppes will take care of it.

Actually 0000 steel wool is what you usually use, wet with solvent or CLP.

18

I wasn’t worried about the material eroding, just scratching it up.

She has enough handling marks… I’ve only been carrying/using this pistol for about a year now.

Functionally works great though.

I’ve been very happy with the experience I’ve had with hoppes as a side note.

ETA: Thanks for the input.

19

I too live in a hot and humid climate. I use Eezox on all the metal surfaces of my firearms as it has shown to resist rusting. I have a stinless XD slide on it’s way back to Springfield because the slide had rust all over it. That one had only been fired once (50 rounds), not cleaned and put back in the box. When it gets back, it will get the Eezox treatment for sure. Good luck.

O

20

There are several threads where guys did “rust protection” tests using the most popular oils. I’ve seen 3 of these tests and in everyone one of them BF CLP either wins the test or is in the top 2 for rust protection. These test don’t indicate which are good lubes or cleaners but just a crude rust protection test.

Like it or not, CLP seems to have the “P” part down pretty good.

At Cabelas, they wipe their guns down with Clenzoil. I’ve seen “bubba’s” put down a bag of potato chips to pick up a gun off the rack and I’ve never seen a rusty gun in Cabelas.

??