Best protection from rust?

[mtnmike]

Okay Gentlemen! After a week's work I finally got the browning off my barrel Now I need the consensus on keeping it armory bright. What say you? I need a way that works long term,because this gun is pinned,and I don't really like to remove them. So I call upon the knowledge of this board,to give gunsmith's experience for shiny,rust proof barrel.
                                                                                               Many Thanks,,Mike

[Papa]

Mike,
I don't particularly like bright barrels but if I had one to keep clean and bright I think I would clean it up good, wipe it down with rubbing alcohol to get the oils off and try using an automotive type clear paste wax. You could get it on the stock and hardware without any "ill" effect but would also protect those areas also.
Mark

[mtnmike]

Papa,,I do appreciate your thoughts

[punjab]

The best luck I have had keeping woodworking tool tables free of rust is to clean the metal WELL with acetone and an abrasive like emery cloth,dry it well with paper towels then rub talcum powder VIGOROUSLY into the metal. I repeat the talcum powder bit two or three times. On a gun barrel the wax is likely to work better,wax does tend to wear off since it is a surface treatment.On tool tables the talc fills the pores and stays there.I am no fan of bright gun barrels.

[Watauga]

I recall reading someplace the British used Chalk to help old Brown Bess stay nice and Shiny......

[William]

On metal I'm a big fan of Barricade or Amsoil MP spray.

[mtnmike]

Sir William,,I have Barricade on order,how often does one need to re-apply?

[William]

I would reapply any time you've been out hunting in wet conditions and to the bore after each cleaning.
On a newly browned barrel I would apply liberally in several sessions.

[pilgrim]

Okay Gentlemen! After a week's work I finally got the browning off my barrel Now I need the consensus on keeping it armory bright. What say you? I need a way that works long term,because this gun is pinned,and I don't really like to remove them. So I call upon the knowledge of this board,to give gunsmith's experience for shiny,rust proof barrel.
                                                                                               Many Thanks,,Mike

       have no idea why you want the barrel shiny,   but one sure fire way to guarantee a  shiny barrel is to take it to a plater and have the outside of the barrel CHROME PLATED or Anodized.    That will give the best and easiest way  for upkeep.  Would need to remove pins to completely protect barrel with oil preservative,  and to much oil will destroy the stock, eventually.     I think it would look Fugly,  but.............

          http://www.zycon.com/Products/US-NC-North-Carolina/Plating.html

         

[Blackfeet]

When we duck hunted out on the ocean we used plain old vasilene when in use and wiped it down when in storage.

[hotfxr]

From what I have read and been told by those who know more than me (most everyone it seems) historically not many if anyone had bright barrels. Plain metal barrels would gradually attain a grayish patina and rust was kept at bay with daily applications of some type of oil. But I have been wrong before, so it is said. As for chroming, well let's just say that one of the guys that helps me take senior citizens out pheasant hunting twice a month had both his (and I don't want to hear any guff about mentioning the following modern firearms, it goes with the story) Browning A5 and his Browning Citori along with a Ruger Super Redhawk chromed. Not nickel plated, chromed. It wound up causing a lot of fitting problems plus now he stays way back of us 'cause he hates hearing the continuous laughter and questions relating to his manhood, not to mention we told him that the mirror shiny firearms transformed him from hunter to easy target.

However, if this is what you truly want, more power to you. I would suggest a good polishing down to purple compound, a bit of Brasso followed by a dry buff, then a real good quality auto wax then regular coats of Vaseline. For low maintenance instead of wax you could try a clear enamel, and for really low maintenance, if you have access (and I have done this, just not on a firearm) a clear powder coating will last darn near forever, plus it's super resistant to scratches. Even with enamel or powder coating, regular applications of that high quality auto wax will keep it bright & shiny for a long time. Now that my interest is piqued, make sure you share some pictures of the finished product. We are a voyeuristic bunch you know.
Come to think of it, I wonder if a bit of clear powder coat around the drum area would cut down on rust and corrosion that I cannot seem to stop. Hmmm, now you got me thinking, and that is not always a good thing.

[hotfxr]

Hey mtnmike, You're not pulling our leg or anything are you? April fools day is still a week away man.

[mtnmike]

Hotfxr,, no sir this is a real deal,, I do not like the idea of  deliberately causing a barrel to form rust(browning) it just don't compute in my lil brain

[Dogshirt]

Hotfxr,, no sir this is a real deal,, I do not like the idea of  deliberately causing a barrel to form rust(browning) it just don't compute in my lil brain

Your gun, your choice. But I would NEVER go out hunting with anything bright or shiny. Out here in the West your lucky to get within 150 yds and with bright or shiny you may never even see a deer.

[pilgrim]

    on the 58 rifle that Mike Lange redid,  he did it in an antique brown and it is really sharp, looks like the rifle was made in the 1700's, and the CVA with two barrel's,  one in .50 and the other in .54,  those barrels are a beautiful Plum Brown.  Amazingly beautiful and no maintenance what so ever other than wiping after hunting and handling.    What I am concerned about is this:  you dont want to have to remove the pins to remove the barrel from the stock,  Now when you treat the barrel with  Barricade, it is almost the same as spraying on WD40 and then wiping off excess.  But when you go out hunting and get into drizzle,  high humidity or rain or dew,  you will need to pull the pins to retreat the barrel.    ??     Please Sir,  keep us informed as to how this works for you.  I am very interested in the results. Thank you.