Stainless Steel resistance to rust

[pistolite]

Since the last election piqued my interest in self defense, I have been to this site daily and I never fail to learn something. This is a great site and I appreciate the civil tone of the conversations. I used to peruse the Colt forum also but it doesn't have nearly the participation that this one does.

A few days ago there was a thread where someone stated that stainless steel is just as vulnerable to rust as as a blued finish. I can't find the thread and I don't think that was the general topic, but as I recall no one challenged or commented on that statement. I have been going over that in my mind and I just had to bring it back up for discussion.

This is my personal experience: I bought a slightly used 66-1 2.5" back around 1980 for $150.00 with box and holster. I never had any use for the holster as I did not have a permit until 2009. Numbers on the frame are E3, 790xx. It was a LEO trade-in that I bought from a friend who briefly owned a sporting goods store. For almost thirty years this gun has been under the seats of various cars, carried in various tool boxes and handled quite a bit but I never got around to shooting it until this year. Since I never shot it and I always considered it to be impervious to rust, it has never seen a drop of oil (until now). It has been frequently handled with bare hands and not wiped down. I think that will cause rust on a blued gun as fast as anything. I'm sure it has been exposed to plenty of condensation due to extreme temperature changes in high humidity (17 years in Mississippi and 5 in Louisiana). I usually keep it in a Crown Royal bag and that is its only protection. The gun still looks perfect with not a hint or a trace of rust anywhere.

As I said, that statement drew no comments in spite of the amount of exposure it got here. I am very interested to hear some other opinions about this.

 

[Evil One]

Stainless steel is rust resistant, not rust proof.
With the right circumstances, temp, humidity, salt from sweat, etc... it CAN rust.
I have seen stainless guns with small specks of rust, and I have seen stainless guns many years old and carried daily that were fine.
One piece of advice... dont use steel wool on a stainless gun for cleaning, buffing, whatever.
The steel wool can transfer to the stainless, build up in the tiny divots and valleys in the finish...
And the steel wool can rust.


Jim

 

[sar4937]

Not every part in a stainless steel gun is stainless steel. I have bought a couple that were specked with rust under the grips. Ask a boater that keeps their boat in the water if stainless will rust. A little attention (and oil), goes a long way in keeping your gun in good shape. To me, if you miss some rust starting what do the cylinder and barrel look like. I assume you are inspecting and cleaning these. I run an oil soaked patch down my barrel regularly, followed by a clean dry one. I already have the oil out, so it is easy to wipe down the gun.

 

[m1gunner]

Stainless guns will rust. I had a Ruger stainless gun that got badly pitted from being stored in a felt lined box.

Also had a SS Colt revolver that had internal parts rust up and sieze the gun. The rusted parts were not stainless, but it still locked things up.

Stainless is definately more rust resistant than blued or nickled guns, but they still need some protection.

 

[H Richard]

Do yourself a favor and pull the grips off and check for rust under the grips on the frame. That's where it seems to start. While Stainless can rust, under normal circumstances it is really pretty resistant. I do recommend frequent cleaning and protection such as wipe down with oil, or in my estimation a better protection is a wax coat. I use Renaissance Wax, and it it really great. Water beads up on it, and it it safe t use on nearly anything. Wax the grip frame before reinstalling the grips.

 

[Joe in SC]

I cleaned up a 629 that had been left in a car trunk for several months along with a couple long guns. The long guns were a mess. The 629 had several spots of rust on the barrel and frame with a lot of rust under the wooden grip panels. The rust on the revolver was deep enough to cause pits in the metal.

 

[Rule3]

There are many grades of stainless steel. There needs to be a balancing act between resistance to corrosion and how easily the metal can be worked. The stainless on say my boat cleats are much more resistant to corrosion than that used in guns.

Just keep a light coat of wax, CLP or Eezox(the best) on it and no worries

SAE steel grades - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Airpark]

"I usually keep it in a Crown Royal bag and that is its only protection. The gun still looks perfect with not a hint or a trace of rust anywhere."

Not much else in needed. Crown Royal is GOOOOD for just about everything that ails you and your guns.

Good Luck,

 

[pistolite]

I appreciate all of your responses. I did remove the grips this morning and I did find some minor pitting and rust in that area. I cleaned it up with a rag and PB Blaster and wiped it down with Rem oil before reassembly. I recently fired about 100 rounds through it so it was cleaned then but it did not occur to me to remove the grips. I will stay on top of it from now on.

I love this site - lots of good advice and information coming from all over.

Joe

 

[460v LAC du FLAMBEAU]

I purchased a new S&W 460 & 500 in 2006 and have no rust issues at all. Kept indoors at all times. S&W uses the better stainless steel grades available...guess that's why they are pricey.

Welcome to the forum...we have great members!

 

[kennyb]

Do yourself a favor and pull the grips off and check for rust under the grips on the frame. That's where it seems to start. While Stainless can rust, under normal circumstances it is really pretty resistant. I do recommend frequent cleaning and protection such as wipe down with oil, or in my estimation a better protection is a wax coat. I use Renaissance Wax, and it it really great. Water beads up on it, and it it safe t use on nearly anything. Wax the grip frame before reinstalling the grips.

+1 on the renaissance wax..its used by the smithsonian,the big gun museums in gettsyburg,etc.great stuff and forms a rock hard barrier...really makes a blued gun shine to a wet look

 

[pred]

2 weeks middle of summer, IWB against skin and didnt look at it,
Hogue Bantam rubber grips on a S&W stainless steel 940.
oops

They can rust pretty swiftly in the wrong conditions.
I now carry a Model 37.
Peter

 

[JcMack]

In my experience. The higher the polish you put on your stainless gun the less likely it is to rust. The micro scratches on a matte gun will trap moisture. I've had many stainless guns. The only 2 that I really had rust issues with were 1911 Style Springfields. I bought a basic stainless Springer when they first came out. These guns had Brazil stamped in a prominant spot on the frame as I recall. It was never carried and it developed rust in any area that was bead blasted. Grip front strap, dust cover, etc.. I wound up trading it. 10 years later I gave it another shot and bought another new basic Springfield 1911, Marked Brazil under dust cover. Same deal, 6 mos. later rust in all the areas I had on first gun. I treat all my stuff the same and have never had rust on stainless Colts or Smiths. Only stainless I have left is a Ruger Security Six 2 3/4. It's going to the smith one of these days to buff it to bright stainless.

 

[jag312]

There is steel wool made from stainless steel. I have used it with no problems, and I think I got it from Brownells. A plumber used standard steel wool to polish the stainless steel trim around a sink at my work. Did that ever rust, and faster than anyone would imagine.

 

[conn ak]

I guess I'm lucky. I've had a Model 639 since 1990 or 1991 which I carried for years until I bought a used 40VE last year. I've had the original walnut grips off and once in a blue moon take it down for a thorough cleaning. Not a speck of oxidation anywhere.