The jury is out! NO RUST!

[cool breeze]

Here is a picture of the bore of the 36 I just bought. The rest of the gun is in great shape but with the bore like that should I take it back or not worry about it? Help!
Can anything be done? The lighting with the camera does make it look worse than with the naked eye.
The guy I bought it from is a great guy and said he would take it back if I wanted to return it.

 

[lagavulin62]

I wish somebody would answer as I'm pretty interested myself. that rust looks concerning. if it were not a s&w and only a makarov I'd say dunk the thing in kerosene solution mixture for a few days then scrub the inside like crazy. or even replace the barrel......yourself. but we got a much more delicate situation so lets hope the experts got an answer.

 

[4D5]

I'd start with Hoppies #9. You can't go wrong starting with stuff that's made for guns.

I'd use a mop and hoppies and give it a good swabbing and let it set for a while. Then run some hoppies soaked patches through it followed by dry patches and see what results you get. Depending on your results you may need to use a bronze brush as well.

In any event, using gun care products meant for guns you can't do any harm and you may very well find that that bore cleans up nicely.

From your picture it looks as if there's some rust on the front of the under lug as well.

 

[625smith]

Is it rust or is it copper fouling? I can't tell form the picture. Try some copper solvent.

 

[imashooter2]

What did you pay? Did you buy it for shooting?

If you got a good deal and you bought it for shooting, soak it in Ed's Red for a day, brush it out and go shooting. That's assuming there isn't worse rust down the pipe that we can't see in the picture.

My opinion, worth what you paid.

 

[cool breeze]

I actually bought it to hold on to it because the finish is pretty darn good. It came with the original box and paperwork. I paid $350 for it.

The flash from the camera does make it look a lot worse than it looks by just looking. The under lug does look bad in the picture but it's barely noticable.

 

[rpg0123]

That's pretty significant rusting. Hard to tell from the picture. It may have even pitted beyond the blue? For $350 I would probably take it back. You could spend an extra $100 or so and find one mint or near mint. Hoppes and some aggressive brushing are not a bad idea, but with that degree of rusting you may take some blue off to take the rust off. Then you wouldn't even have the option of taking it back. Try some mild cleaning, but if it's more rust than you can take off without affecting the blue, you might want to look for another gun. There are tons of model 36 snubs out there with good finishes, including quite a few at online sites.

 

[imashooter2]

Rust never dies. If you aren't going to be shooting it, take it back. It'll only degrade in your safe.

 

[cool breeze]

Yes I think I better give it back. Honsetly, this is the fourth 36 that I have tried to get. Every other deal fell thru for misc. reasons. Maybe I need to give up on the 36! But I really want one!

 

[cocojo]

I wouldn't take it back that's an easy clean. It's just a light surface coating. I use a very fine steel wool pad 000 and hoppes nine on it for the outside, and use your regular cleaning brushes for inside. Go very light with the wool pad or you can scratch the blueing. That slight rust wouldn't faze me in the least. Clean it up, then if you see the barrel is pitted, then you could return it. I think it's going to clean up great. Nice 36, it's a keeper. I have had worse guns than that which cleaned up great.

 

[flagman1776]

Will the seller reduce the price if you keep it?

I think I would keep it. I would do as posted above,
1) clean with hoppes & brass brush. If more is needed #2:
2) wind a tiny piece of super fine steel wool into a brass brush. Be careful of the blued surfaces.
3) follow with Break Free CLP or you choice of quality gun oil on a patch. Rub down that exterior spot with an oiled patch or maybe denim (ifnecessary). You can never reverse the damage but a pin prick will look much worse before cleaning it up,
You can wax the exterior or you can rub it down with a oiled patch inside & out. Again, I revert to my old ways & use Break Free. You want to leave a film every where except on the grips.
Russ

 

[lagavulin62]

I wouldn't give up on the 36 but maybe this one needs to be returned? if this guy is as understandable as you say, do nothing, get your money back and take a break from your gun search. I'm afraid if you try to fix it and are not successful then he may not be as willing to take it back. it sucks having to wait on a dream piece and we all have those experiences where a deal falls through at the last min but that doesn't feel as bad as knowing you got stuck with a dud and had to pay too much for it. paying too much for a nice piece is ok but not for one all rusted up. if you keep that gun you will still be looking for one better because you know that's not what you wanted. just my 2 cents.

 

[Milton]

Someone has already said it but that does not look like rust! It looks like copper fouling.Clean the bore with a good copper solvent before you give back an excellent revolver!

 

[clint_lnl]

could a gunsmith take it apart and clean it up and reblue it? maybe he will pay 1/2 the cost if it can be done.

 

[woad_yurt]

Try cleaning first and deciding second. At least that way you'll know what you're accepting or rejecting.

 

[lagavulin62]

Someone has already said it but that does not look like rust! It looks like copper fouling.Clean the bore with a good copper solvent before you give back an excellent revolver!

well sure, anyone can clean a gun and even if you have to take it back, he should at least thank you. I hope I have to eat my advice on this and that copper is what it is.

 

[cool breeze]

I appreciate all the input guys! Thanks.
The gun a real beauty this is a tough decision. I am a S&W rookie if you will, hearing all the different ways to "fix" this issue is a little overwhelming. All I have here at home is a basic Clean Bore gun cleaning kit. I will need to go out and buy these other items to use to try and take care of it.
I think I may see if the guy would knock the price down to $250or so and try to keep it. Then at least I would feel better about the purchase. Still

 

[cool breeze]

Here are the latest pics with the basic cleaning with my cleaning kit. It looks a little better I think. Although the lighting on this first picture isn't as good as the second picture.

 

[11e40]

looks like copper fouling to me. try cleaning with a good copper solvent, or don't worry if it is copper fouling.

 

[mb38]

...

looking better to me ,i would be keeping that fine little piece,looks like you have almost cleaned her up. good luck.

 

[pete950]

Keep it for that price. Thats copper fouling use shooter choice copper solvent. you won't be sorry nice gun.

 

[Lomax Anderson]

I would keep it and clean it...looks like copper to me..

 

[lagavulin62]

stop cleaning, take it back and show him the remaining "rust" that you are going to have to live with. 100 dollars reduction and the deal is still on. no reason a couple of nice guys can't close a deal! (no don't do that)

 

[borntoraisehogs]

Flitz that rust away .

 

[shermbob]

If you bought it shoot then clean it oil it shoot it and start over. The rust will stop once cleaned and oiled. If you bought it as a collector then take it back and forget it. Buy the way did you look in the barrel with a light before you bought it or after you got it home??
shermbob

 

[rpg0123]

Here are the latest pics with the basic cleaning with my cleaning kit. It looks a little better I think. Although the lighting on this first picture isn't as good as the second picture.

It's not looking nearly as bad as I thought at first. The second crop of pictures is looking much better to me. Looks like you're making some progress, and there doesn't appear to be any pitting. I wouldn't use any of the more aggressive suggestions at this point - nothing that would harm the bluing. I'd just keep it up with basic cleaning and oiling.

 

[cool breeze]

Well guys the input has been great! Thank you.

I meet with the guy and returned it to him and he said he would try a shot at removing the "fouling"(hopefully) himself. He said he would get back to me on how it turns out. I really lucked out to have made a deal with a guy with high intergrity and understanding. Sometimes these things can go south quickly.
As it turns out he did have a little sellers remorse as we all do when we sell a firearm. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

 

[bmcgilvray]

It doesn't appear as any rust I've ever seen in a bore. It looks just like common copper fouling. The cleaning diminished it. I'd just use some Sweet's 7.62 per the directions on the container on it and banish the copper fouling entirely.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Here is a picture of the inside of the barrel of the 36 I just bought. The rest of the gun is in great shape but with the barrel like that should I take it back or not worry about it? Help!
Can anything be done? The lighting with the camera does make it look worse than with the naked eye.
The guy I bought it from is a great guy and said he would take it back if I wanted to return it.

If you are absolutely sure it is not copper fouling rather than "rust" then I would see what S&W says. Pay no attention to the advice about changing the barrel yourself, unless you want to completely ruin the gun.

 

[Black Knight]

We use Sweet's 7.62 on our department issued Beretta 92FS's and have no problem with copper fouling. Give it a try, it costs only around $10 - $15. That does look more like copper fouling than rust. Also use a bronze or nylon bore brush one caliber larger than the gun. It puts slightly more pressure on the tips which can get into the grooves and clean them out. It does take a little more elbow greese at first but it usually works.