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Posted By: Virginian Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 12:02 PM
Why are Browning guns much more subject to rust than anything else? I just moved into a new house and basement is a bit damp and the dehumidifier died. Took out all my guns to oil and wipe them down. The BSS has several patches of surface rust showing. I know it was oiled just right and handled carefully because it has done this before. So have all the other Brownings I used to own, albeit the last of them went 15 years ago now. Nothing else had a hint of rust anywhere. Is it the type of bluing? I know that anytime I can take a clean gun bore patch, put a drop of oil on it, and if I rub hard on the BSS the patch will turn brown. The gun looks fine, mirror slick dark blue barrels and action, but it just bugs me that they do this. Any ideas?
Posted By: Cody Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 12:29 PM
Maybe they're just trying to live up to their name .

Cody
Posted By: Chuck H Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 01:13 PM
My theory is that it's the steel. My BSS would get light rust in the bores very easily. Possibly the steel was either an alloy that was more sesceptable to rust than most of the 41xx steels that many American guns are made from, or possibly recycled steels and realloyed to 41xx spec but with some impurities not found in first run steels.
Posted By: Jim Legg Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 02:33 PM
My experience with Brownings are with Superposeds, Citoris and BSS's. All were very susceptible to light rust in the chambers. Never had any particular problems with the outside or the bores. I've always believed it was because of the alloy of steel Browning specified plus the watery acid produced when firing plastic shells. I don't believe it was a problem before plastic shells came along. The cure I used was to shorten a Tico Tool into a chamber wiper(they're not much good for anything else). Using this after a day of shooting would prevent rusting 100%. Viginian's statement makes me think he has/had them in zipper cases. If so, this is a major mistake. Airproof cases can get hot then cold inside, producing moisture inside. JL
Posted By: Jeff Mull Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 02:56 PM
Regarding rust my 6 Brownings are no different than my other guns. And, 5 of the 6 have been worn well enough to have a lot of silver showint through the blue.

Regarding chamber rust, it's mostly from the salt and acid that transfers from your hands to the shell casings. Guys who reload and shoot in the heat of summer see a lot more of this.

Chrome lined chambers help with this.

Jeff
Posted By: bill schodlatz Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 03:19 PM
From my Midas 28 to my 3.5 Citori Brownings rust very easy. I use WD 40 on them asap after shooting and have no trouble. WD 40 will eventually build a yellow coating that is rust proof. This is one of the reasons it is great for rust and bad for a lube on the inside of your action.
bill
Posted By: Mike Poore Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 03:37 PM
Many of us use G-96 gun treatment and swear by the stuff. Spray it on your cloth and rub it on. It's a great rust preventative and lubricant. Of course, you're using PW grease on the parts that rub, right?

FWIW I've been told that WD-40 is nothing more than perfumed Kerosene.

http://www.g96.com/
Posted By: Ken Hurst Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 04:11 PM
Have you ever thought about the fact that rust doesn't rust ? When I had my engraving co. , we would go thru approx. 2000 guns a year for engraving & bluing. (40 engravers on board) Bluing is simply a form of ferric oxide (rust) applied to bbl. We found and Duelite backed us up on the theory that parts need to stay in bluing tanks for 30 min. and then boiled for another 30 min, (boiling causes rust to set up harder)By appling this process , we found that the color and durability lasted far longer than the usual bluing procedures. While at Colt & Winchester, I found that they only blued a piece long enough (approx. 12 min. to get a blue finish. While this will somewhat suffice, the surface isn't totally encrusted with particles of rust which resist further rusting. It is my belief that the Brownings aren't blued long enough and boiled afterwards. These steps I have outlined would approx. double the cost of appling the finish which is why they probably aren't done this way. Well, that's only one mans opinion but it worked well for us. FWIW, Ken
Posted By: Jim Legg Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 04:31 PM
I don't believe the chamber rust has anything to do with sweat or salt from my hands. I don't stand around holding the shells in a sweaty palm. I have removed AA cases from the chamber immediately after firing and found them to be dripping wet. I believe a watery acid is formed from the heat and pressure of firing the plastic(probably poly-vinyl-chloride) shells. Paper shells, IME, do not do this. Most other guns, Remington for one, are much slower to rust in the chamber while firing the same shells. That's why the alloy steel is suspect. Browning finally chromes their chambers, I understand. JL
Posted By: Virginian Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 05:58 PM
Let me clarify a little. I do not get any rust in the chambers OR barrel interiors. Or under the forend. Just on the outside on areas that have a beautiful, slick, dark blue. And, it only happens on Brownings in my experience. All I have left now is a BSS, and in the safe with two Marlins, a Winchester 23, a Rossi dbl bbl 12 ga, a Stoeger dbl bbl 20 ga, three Remington 1100s, three Rugers, a High Standard, two Colts, and two Cimarrons, only the BSS had any rust visible at all. And, it had three really scary orangy looking rust spots on the barrels, but fortunately it wiped off with no visible ill after effects. It was not where the barrels were touching the safe rest either. Over the years I have tried Browning gun oil, WD-40, Rem Oil, Break Free, 3 in 1 Oil, that fancy English gun oil that Cape Outfitters or Dunns used to sell, G-66, Ballistol, and several other snake oils. They all worked, BUT not always on the Brownings. And in spite of all the naysayers, strictly for corrosion protection, I would vote for WD-40 every time.
It makes me think Browning must have used a different bluing process, but i don't know. Years ago Browning was no help when I talked to them. Their bluing looks better than the competition in my opinion, but it rusts mighty darned easily. But, then again, one time I forgot any oil and the same BSS got covered with sweat and blood dove hunting and didn't rust a bit before I got home and cleaned it a full day later. I have had an 1100 lightweight get rusty in the same scenario.
Not earth shattering, just got me to wondering why... again.
Posted By: tanky Re: Browning rust ? - 10/02/06 10:31 PM
Here are my observations in 51 years on this earth. I've noticed when shooting a shotgun in humid weather that the chamber does get very moist. I've always warned my shooting partners when the conditions are right and that they had better not neglect their guns or chamber rust would result. I believe it is from the sudden release of the pressure like what occurs in a refrigeration system.
Some people seem to have more sweaty and acidic hands than others. A friend of mine's guns always seemed to rust on him. I don't have much of a problem with this.
We double gun fans have all seen those nice old doubles with no finnish and some of the nice Remington 1894's in the double gun journal. I have an 1894 trap gun. It seems that Remington used a type of steel that was more prone to rusting and pitting. Look at the bottoms of the frames on those nice 1894's where they were carried and you will see that real fine pitting eating through the pollish and case hardening. Mine has this also. Look at some of the old Parkers and Fox guns (and some others). The steel is white but there is no corrosion. I'm not saying that they won't rust but they seem to be more resistant to it. Some of these guns have seen alot of action on the marshes and the rusting is minamal. You know many didn't get tip top care either if any.
Some years ago in the 1990's Remington was sued in a class action lawsuite over the steel that they used in their 1100 barrels. Many of us with 1100's were party to this and recieved a settlement from them after they lost the case. The adds were run in the American Rifleman for those who owned these guns. Many of us sent that money back to the NRA to fight gun control. They were accused of using weak and /or cheap steel in the barrels. I'm satisfied with the steel that they used but after the case they did change the steel to a different grade. Steels that are made from scrap metal and have to have elements added to bring the steel up to the specified spec are called Modified. The tramp metals in the steel will cause the steel to corrode faster like the japanese car bodies do.
I like Cody's answer the best though.
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