Arrrgh . . .rust. Please help a newbie

[danno123]

Well, I finally shot my new (to me) Hawken. Afterwards, I cleaned the heck out of it. I eventually did the warm soapy water in a bucket thing and afterwards I ran many dry patches through the bore and cleaned the drum with a pipecleaner. I then finished up by running a patch sopped with Bore Butter to prevent rust. Tonight (24 hours after cleaning) I looked down the bore and there was spot rust all over the place. I thought to myself - "self, screw this 'no petroleum' stuff," and slathered the bore with patches coated with CLP. I know this is abhorrent to traditionalists but it appeared to remove the spot rust and, hopefully, will prevent rust from reappearing until I can get some advice from you guys.

My question is this - how do you guys keep spot rust from occuring in the bore? Am I missing something simple? I've never had this occur with any of my other rifles but I've always used CLP or Rem Oil in my other rifles. BTW, if it's relevant, the rifle is a Traditions Hawken with a Spanish barrel.

 

[jtmattison]

I protect all of my muzzleloaders with Rem-Oil.

I just make sure to clean the oil from the bore before shooting.

I'd never trust Bore Butter to protect my muzzleloaders.

HD

 

[jtmattison]

You might find this old topic interesting.

Lube Wars

HD

 

[bwhoffman]

after cleaning, I wipe with alcohol on a patch, usually twice. I folow this up with a squir of wd-40down the bore and a patch soaked with same up and down several times. since changing to this method about 16 months ago, after doing the bore butter thing with the same results as you got, I have been happy.
I will add that I like to run a patch up and down weekly, but thats just me. prior to shooting, I run an alcy patch and and a lubed shooting patch prior to firing of the first shot of the day, which by the way, is always a fouler.
Brett

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I run an alcohol patch down the barrel, then a patch soaked in Ballistol. Haven't seen any rust in any of our muzzleloaders...
Scott

 

[danno123]

After doing some research using Google, it looks like Ballistol, Eez-Ox, or Lehigh Valley lube are the best products for the job. Here's a link to a test done on various rust-preventing products: RUST TESTING
I'm going to have to pick up one of these.

 

[Rebel]

I been cleaning with water then spraying WD-40 down the bore followed by a patch soaked with it for nearly 30 years and no rust.

 

[gmww]

I used WD40 and have had great protection. Here is a test by Brownells.

Rust Prevention comparison.

 

[jerem0621]

I made the switch from bore butter to rem oil a few weeks ago. (I was a ball of nerves since it has always been bore butter for me) But when I cleaned my rifle before my last shooting session the only thing on the patch was rem oil residu. There was 100% NO rust. So my vote now is for the oil based stuff like wd-40 or rem oil etc. Bore butter worked for me but I really caked that stuff on in my barrel and I checked my barrel, cleaned out the old bore butter and replaced with new every other week. Thank God for the switch, now just a thin layer of rem oil and my barrel is more than safe from rust.

Jerem0621

 

[bpbrs]

Well, I then finished up by running a patch sopped with Bore Butter to prevent rust.

:rotf:

Best gun myth ever written... Bore Butter to prevent rust

 

[ian45662]

I used to have a little bit of rust every time then someone on here told me to try cold water and since then I have never seen rust

 

[walruskid1]

after cleaning i use a patch soaked with a product called clenzoil. probably close in nature to ballistol. i tried bore butter ONCE. i'm not trying to reignite any old flame wars. just my opinion with my results. :surrender:

 

[Birddog6]

I am speculating, cause I was not there. But I will say using the warm water & when ya dried it, the barrel flash rusted. Definate factor to deal with when water dries from heated metals.

1: I never use warm or hot water. I use cold water in the bores of my ML's and have for over 30 years & have had no rust problems.
2: I Always use double patches when drying the barrel to insure it got ALL the moisture out.
3: You couldn't pay me enough to trust Bore Butter for anything. Some like it, I don't.
4: I lube with non-aerosol Ballistol after I dry my bores. Before using Ballistol I used CLP but I like the Ballistol better. And now & then I hear "Oh Ballistol is just ? this or that" I don't care what is in it, it works.

5: Get ya some ScotchBrite & a 1 size under caliber jag & clean up the bore & most likely it will be OK since ya caught it early. And reswab it on the 2nd & 3rd days after cleaning the rifle.

:thumbsup:

 

[Swampthang]

I've always used hot soapy water, NO.13 and Bore Butter after i was sure everything was dry. Never had a problem with rust in the bore. Maybe I just get lucky.

 

[bwhoffman]

I been cleaning with water then spraying WD-40 down the bore followed by a patch soaked with it for nearly 30 years and no rust.

Rod, you know the closer one gets to portland, the longer it takes to pick up on the really good and proven concepts :v
have a good xmas!

 

[bwhoffman]

.....and always store your smokepole with the muzzle down. she'll go bang pretty much every time!

 

[cptleo1]

I live a block from the ocean and rust is always an issue.

Over the years two things have worked.

External = Hoppes #9 (the regular stuff , not the BP.) is hard to beat ,it is a solvent so it lifts water and fingerprints and such off the metal. Just put a generous coat on and let it be.

Internal & External = Ballistrol, The stuff is just bullet proof. Get your guns clean,(I am in the cold water camp)and DRY then coat with Ballistrol and you are done.

One thing I have found out is don't keep your rifles in a case. I have always had problems where the case rubs on the gun. The one possible exception might the Rem Sock, I haven't had any rust issues with these, but, I still try not to leave them in there very long.

 

[E Poffinbarger]

Danno:

I know I've written and said this about a million times and guess what it's still true.

Regardless of the most correct cleaning process which has been and will always be an endless debate, to prevent rust do this:

After thorough cleaning run an oily patch down the bore each day for a week, then each week for a month and each month until you use it again.

Osage

 

[flashpanner]

I also keep small packets fo silica gel in my gun box. It is available in the craft sections of many stores like Hobby Lobby, ChinaMart (WalMart),etc. I have used this stuff and keep it in my machinst tool box. It has kept my micrometers, gage blocks, etc. free from the iron oxide cancer.

 

[roundball]

It's interesting to see all the different comments about bore butter...Natural Lube 1000 is what I've used since about 1990, and I keep all my MLs in cases...maybe different parts of the country and weather conditions enter into it...can't believe I've simply been lucky all these years.

I totally agree NL1000 is definitely not a water displacing agent such as WD40 and is not a forgiving lube...does not migrate around like a liquid does, it lubes where it's put and that's it. And it's an absolute that every hint of moisture has to be out of the bore before plastering BB in there, otherwise the moisture can start rust forming underneath the bore butter. A wet WD40 patch when it's thought the bore is 100% dry probably helps, then I dry patch that out and heavily plaster every square inch of the bore walls with NL1000 to insulate them from the air. Make my own NL1000 "cleaning & seasoning" patches as the commercial ones are not only expensive but have no where near enbough lube in them.

The main reason I like it as a lube is for the benefits it provides minimizing fouling when I'm range shooting, as well as not harming powder when out hunting...other lubes obviously also work...so far so good for me with NL1000. Stopped by a Walmart store a couple days ago to see what ML stuff they might have on year end closeout and picked up a few more tubes of NL1000 at half price.