Hazards of Concealed Carry in Hot, Humid Climate

[redlevel]

Specifically, Georgia, 90-100 miles South of Hotlanta.

I was outside a lot today, and it was very humid after an afternoon
rain shower. Moisture beads up like this when I am working inside
too. I know it will eventually take a toll on the finish, but I bought
the Ruger to carry, and I'm going to do it. I wipe it down several
times a day, and try to put a coat of lube on the outside two or three
times a week. I field strip the pistol every 7-8-10 days or so. The
holster is a Sparks Summer Special I glued an extra leather guard on.

 

[murphydog]

Do you think waxing the exterior would help?

 

[redlevel]

Do you think waxing the exterior would help?

Don't know. I might try it. Keeping it wiped down with
regular lubing seems to be working now, but I might try
wax. I believe the stainless slide and alloy frame are a lot
more impervious to the moisture than blue steel would be.

 

[rwsmith]

And as much as I hate to say this.....

Don't know. I might try it. Keeping it wiped down with
regular lubing seems to be working now, but I might try
wax. I believe the stainless slide and alloy frame are a lot
more impervious to the moisture than blue steel would be.

...hot, humid weather is a good application for plastic guns. I guess everything has its place.

Plastic and stainless steel would work, too.

Is the part that is pitted aluminum???

 

[F75gunslinger]

Looking at the inside of your holster, it looks as if you've sweated enough to soak through the holster ? If that's the case, you might try to find something in Kydex, as it would shield your gun from the moisture coming from your body a bit better. Either that or consider an OWB design to help with that.

Is the part that is pitted aluminum???

I don't see any pitting, just moisture beading up on the outside of the slide.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Even plastic guns are susceptible to moisture problems.

I learned the hard way.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concealed-carry-self-defense/383864-reminder-check-lube-your-edc.html

 

[Rick_A]

When my blued/parkerized 1911 is sweat on all day, it'll get some surface rust on the backstrap. It wipes right off. Not too big of a deal.

My j frames (one blued and one stainless) under the same conditions just get wiped down once a week.

 

[Jakpro]

Get a Marine Tuf Cloth and wipe down the metal parts. It works.

 

[Arik]

I can't speak for your specific set up but I have not had any rust problems with mine and I don't do anything special.

Here in Philadelphia it gets just as nasty. Today is humid and low 90s. Tomorrow is supposed to be heavy humidity and 97 degrees and staying like that all week. This is typical summer weather here.

Here's what I do. I'm probably the only guy that does this but this heat and humidity doesn't bother me too much. Anyway, first I always wear an undershirt. A tank top. Two reasons. 1st if I sweat it doesn't bleed through to my t-shirt. 2nd, I wear a IWB holsters and I don't like the leather rubbing on bare skin.
The holster I use us Galco King Tuck with 99% of the time a Glock 19. Occasionally a 3rd gen S&W 4566, Sig P220 or SA 1911.

But those are rare.
In any case, I don't do anything extra aside from cleaning them every so often. I don't oil them weekly or anything. In 5 years of daily carry like this I have yet to see a speck of rust anywhere and the Sig I have is the old W. German with almost no finish left and they were known to rust

 

[SMSgt]

I highly recommend a Froglube treatment. Yeah, it's on the pricy side but has excellent corrosion-resistance properties. Just make sure you wipe off all excess. More is not better with Froglube.

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

I feel your pain. That's why I've gone to all stainless and starting to think about OWB carry. I have a couple holsters I rotate through (so they can dry out.) and wipe down the gun every night and a good cleaning once or twice a month.

 

[ladder13]

I pocket carry exclusively during the warm humid summer months. Cargo shorts and a T, so far so good. Of course, it's not a full size 1911, only a J frame.

Nontheless, I still check for issues.

 

[mrrick]

Try this, XF-7

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/XF-7-Gun-Grease-Combo-Pack/dp/B00HDR46AI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437234872&sr=8-1&keywords=xf-7"]Amazon.com : XF-7 Gun Grease : Gun Lubrication : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/3186QKkx3GL.@@AMEPARAM@@3186QKkx3GL[/ame]

 

[BE Mike]

Ditch the leather holster. Leather retains moisture. I sweat a lot and carry a stainless/ plastic pistol in a nylon holster. No problems.

 

[gwpercle]

Try a wax. Birchwood Casey makes Barricade, I've found it to be the best. I've tried Johnsons Paste Wax, Mothers Gold Carnauba auto wax, Turtle Wax, paste and liquid...these all work pretty well but for ease of application the Barricade wins. The wax is clear , suspended in a solvent that evaporates leaving a thin film that protects the metal. Automotive waxes require the haze to be buffed off...so it looks good, but it does protect just like it protects a car.
I guess the Barricade is made specifically to protect a gun, so it's application is easier. Do try it.
Gary

 

[keith44spl]

I jest wipe mine down with RIG and roll on....


.

 

[Aticus]

I've been known to sweat in 75 degree weather. I've also used Birchwood Casey Sheath for years. My guns don't rust. Comes in a spray or liquid. (Last time I bought any. The stuff lasts forever.) I keep a soft cloth moist with it and wipe the guns down after cleaning or handling. It's not slick like oil and doesn't attract dirt and it's easy to apply.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Missouri humidity does the same thing. A wipe down of the exterior is all that I have ever needed.

Finn Aagaard, who died 15 years ago, wore his 1911 .45 (he had one of the smaller Colts, not a Commander, but either an Officer's ACP or a CCO, I cannot recall) every day in the searing heat of Llano County, Texas after he moved permanently to the US. Usually, he did not wear an undershirt or T-shirt. His 1911 was under his shirt, but next to bare skin, riding in the Summer Special. His 1911 was covered in beaded perspiration each day. He planned to have a better finish than the blue applied to the gun, but after months of putting it off, with only a daily wipe down of the exterior with an oily rag when he got home, there was still no rust or other damage to the finish, so he decided he did not need to do so.

There is a good lesson here. A simple wipe down with an oily rag will do fine.

He was always willing to learn something new, and although acquainted with Jeff Cooper, he did not quite trust Condition 1 carry at first, so he carried Condition 3, but with a cocked and locked hammer. After a couple of weeks of nothing happening (he never found the safety off or the hammer down, etc.), he decided Cooper was right, and he began carrying cocked and locked, and never he never looked back.

Any 1911 doubters in the crowd are invited to try the same test.

 

[pharmer]

I'm a couple hundred miles further south, same swamp. I been carrying this outfit for over 20 years. When the safety levers eat through, I replace it at the gunshow. I used to take the clip out and run it through the laundry but that strectches the clip so I leave it be. Leather doesn't do well for me especially next to skin. Joe

 

[Old cop]

I've pocket carried either a J frame or my M&P .380 for the past several years. It's plenty humid where I live so I regularly wipe down my carry piece w/a silicone cloth and so far no rust.