Best way to care for blue finish on older revolvers

[Yourloyalapostle]

I have a few older revolvers that are in phenomenal shape. I don’t shoot them too often but they are like mirrors. What’s the best / safest thing to rub them down with after use? I just see conflicting info about rust and things like renaissance wax. Is waxing it necessary? Will something like CLP hurt or dull the blueing over time?

 

[Rpg]

A rag with a small number drops of any light machine oil will do.

If you want to go to the max, Renaissance Wax properly applied is the ultmate save packing the gun in cosmoliine.

 

[robertrwalsh]

What RPG said.

 

[TheTinMan]

And store them somewhere dry

 

[diyj98]

No wax isn't necessary, but it looks nice and does help protect the gun. Gun oil will work fine, but I prefer RIG grease for anything in longer term storage.

 

[stansdds]

Yes, keep them dry and either lightly oiled or preserved with Renaissance Wax.

 

[Truckman]

I'll second the motions on RenWax...All 120 of my Smiths are properly dressed in it......Ben

 

[Old cop]

Our blued service revolvers were open carried in all kinds of weather. We used liquid car wax to keep the finish rust free. I also wiped my gun down w/a silicone cloth at the end of my week long shift.

 

[double-dipper]

"Will something like CLP hurt or dull the blueing over time?
Answer. no

light gun oil, some folks use synthetic motor oil (not used but new) I don't.

50-100 years ago, long before gun safes and dehumidifiers a lot of the old timers would wrap them up in an oily rag or sock for long term storage. Grandpa did!

 

[tajada]

Pretty simple. Keep it away from moisture, and keep it clean and well-oiled. But if you're planning to carry it, be forewarned that ANY holster you use will wear off some of the bluing.

 

[Yourloyalapostle]

I'll second the motions on RenWax...All 120 of my Smiths are properly dressed in it......Ben

So what you just use something like a CLP on the bore / scrub the parts you usually need to scrub, then just hit the outside with the wax?
Then after you shoot again what, you just kind of scrub internals again and just re apply more-ish wax to the outside? Or make sure there is still a layer? Or do you clean the wax off and put new wax on?

 

[NY-1]

A coat of Ballistol or other CLP once in awhile, and storage in a cabinet/safe with a dehumidifier seems to have worked well for me.

 

[Truckman]

So what you just use something like a CLP on the bore / scrub the parts you usually need to scrub, then just hit the outside with the wax?
Then after you shoot again what, you just kind of scrub internals again and just re apply more-ish wax to the outside? Or make sure there is still a layer? Or do you clean the wax off and put new wax on?

I get asked this so often by those who see my guns that I wrote an article about it...I once got admonished by posting the link here, but it's available by PM...Thanks......Ben

 

[bmcgilvray]

Shoot, rinse in Hoppe's No. 9, wipe with RIG, and repeat.

 

[Hair Trigger]

So what you just use something like a CLP on the bore / scrub the parts you usually need to scrub, then just hit the outside with the wax?
Then after you shoot again what, you just kind of scrub internals again and just re apply more-ish wax to the outside? Or make sure there is still a layer? Or do you clean the wax off and put new wax on?

Renaissance Wax is a specially formulated carnauba-based product, and is used by many museums to preserve metalworks like swords, armor and firearms. Of course use will make re-waxing necessary, just like waxing a car and driving it does. The reapplication of wax will dissolve the old coat, and products like gun cleaning solvents will also dissolve the wax. There isn't much use in waxing a gun that gets used frequently, but hopefully those guns get cleaned and oiled after use. For guns that get little or no use, a wax barrier is a great way to preserve the finish, and Ren Wax prevents fingerprints from casual handling. I don't have nearly as many guns total as Truckman has S&W revolvers, but I wax them all after a good cleaning. The internals of course are lightly oiled and they stay in a humidity controlled safe. Works on blued, nickel or stainless guns equally well and is cheap insurance.

 

[MajorD]

They are not that fragile or nearly as susceptible to rust as many think. My working blued guns rarely get wiped down with anything. Even when I lived in a humid environment and carried a blued 36 in an ankle holster regularly, it would go weeks without any attention, only getting removed from the holster and wiped down if I stepped in a puddle or deep snow.
Finish looked great as long as I had it.
Routing simple cleaning with whatever typical gun cleaning fluid you use is all you need.
What will wear a blue finish is repeatedly rubbing it down all the time.

 

[KalamazooKid]

Clean well, wipe off excess oils etc, and apply a very light coat of Renaissance Wax - both the wood stocks and all exposed metal. Take pics and post em here!

 

[jeffrefrig]

Maybe I missed it, but do they have desicant (SP) bags or something for whatever size storage unit/safe? I thought I've seen that somewhere in another post?
Wipe down oily rag. Balistol is good on wood or anything a gun is made with, and very low temperature; I think WD-40 gums up at low temp., but I haven't had the opportunity to experience the circumstances of that for quite some time.