[Double Tap]

I have a SA Champion that I'm shooting alot right now, and it is rusting on all the bead blasted surfaces.

If I shoot it, or just handle it and then don't immediately wipe it down with oil or a gun cloth, it will start to rust in hours. If I wipe it down and then let it set for a couple days, it will start to rust.

I shoot at ranges around Houston, TX. So I will sweat alot while I am shooting. I know this doesn't help matters much, but I'm not going to stop shooting just because it's hot.

What is stange about it is that it will only rust on the bead blasted surfaces. All the smooth surfaces are rust free all the time.

I've taken a scotch-brite pad to the inside of the trigger guard to remove rust and since then this surface has not rusted again.

This is not really a complaint, just a question to see if others have had this problem, and maybe what their cure was.

This is my second SA Champion, first one had a slide crack, and it has been a delight to shoot so far. 400+ rounds of hardball and hollowpoint mix, with only one FTF caused by a bad magazine (weak spring). I will post a range report when I reach 1000 rounds.

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Any day above ground is a good day!!!

 

[Cawdor]

I put Hogue grips on my stainless. When I removed the grips about a month ago, I noticed three small brown spots. I removed them with a Scotchbrite pad, as you did, and covered the area with BreakFree CLP. I haven't noticed rust on other surfaces.

 

[Shooter Ready?]

My best friend has a SS Trophy Match that keeps getting reddish brown marks between the serrations on the slide and on top of the slide. Same thing you are describing. Nothing on the polished surfaces only on the matte surfaces. Somebody posted the same problem a while back and according to him Springfield sent him a new pistol. My friend is going to send his pistol back as soon as our IDPA season is over.

Shooter Ready?

 

[Neil Casper]

I ordered a SA SS 1911 Loaded in 9mm last week. It came in Friday and the dealer called to tell me he was sending it back. It had rust on it. The dealer inquired of the distributor if they had anymore in 9mm. They did, but when they checked, they all had rust on them. Then my dealer found one in Montana. He asked them to check it and it had no rust on it, so I'll get that one Monday.
Not exactly confidence inspiring, but I'll give them a chance.

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Neil
"I AM my brothers keeper"

 

[bad4u]

My SA Champion is perfect, but both mags were rusty.

I ordered 4 more SA mags, all of which were rusty.

Funsctionally, the pistol and all mags function perfectly.

 

[boing]

My SS Commander rusted faintly in several matte finished areas after it sat neglected for a week following a range session. It scrubbed clean with a bronze brush without too much effort.

Refer to this post in the FAQ forum.

 

[Double Tap]

Originally posted by boing:
My SS Commander rusted faintly in several matte finished areas after it sat neglected for a week following a range session. It scrubbed clean with a bronze brush without too much effort.

Refer to this post in the FAQ forum.

Thanks for posting that FAQ, it was very helpful. I'm now wondering if SS can be refinished with a coating like teflon or hard-chrome?



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Any day above ground is a good day!!!

 

[Shooter Ready?]

Stainless steel can be hard chromed.

Shooter Ready?

 

[Sniper]

I had a small rust problem with my Kimber Super Match bead blasted stainless steel frame, after some exposure to light rain. The KimPro finish on the slide was not affected and remains in perfect condition. The rust wasn't hard to remove, just time consuming.
Inexpensive solution?: My gunsmith buddy suggested carrying a silicon cloth and some oil (anti-rust like Break Free or Outers, etc.) and wipe down the entire pistol before and after use. Use a few drops of the oil then rub it down with silicon cloth (wipe off any excess with a plain rag). Try not to leave stainless steel with fingerprints on it before putting it away. (basic chemistry here, sorry...) Anything with oxygen (like sweat - Sodium Chloride NaCl and water H2O) will bind to iron (Fe) found in almost all pistols and form FeO - ferrous oxide...RUST!!! eeek!

Hope some bit of this helps!

"I've got PMS and a .45...did you have something you wanted to say?"


[This message has been edited by Sniper (edited 08-27-2001).]

 

[Sniper]

ooops.

[This message has been edited by Sniper (edited 08-27-2001).]

 

[Sniper]

dangit!...sorry!

[This message has been edited by Sniper (edited 08-27-2001).]

 

[The Cleaner]

I think that SA should replace a rusting slide or frame since rusting is progressive and eventually will compromise the strength of the metal leading to a failure. If it were any other part of the gun I wouldn't care too much about it.

 

[Sniper]

Double Tap
Hello again! As I mentioned in my previous post, I have the same problem with my bead blasted stainless steel frame. Stainless (not) steel contains iron and WILL rust especially under the shooting conditions that you describe. I highly doubt SA will do anything to remedy this except apply a finish (if they offer one...I don't know). I mentioned the least expensive solution to your problem, which it sounds as though you are pretty much doing that. The problem with continually removing rust is 1)smoothing out the bead blasted surface, 2)an uneven surface and 3)increased pitting leading to further rust problems. The second least expensive solution is to purchase something like a Teflon/Moly (Molybdenum Disulfide) spray coat from Brownell's or Bear Coat, etc. from your local gun shop. Another solution is a phenolic resin coating applied by a company such as Wilson's Armor-Tuff (which will probably run you upwards of $200+). And if you REALLY want to protect your gun, there is a coating that NASA implements called Magnaplate (http://www.magnaplate.com/index.html) and I can only guess as to how expensive that is!!!

But hey, you could send your gun into space...RUST FREE!

Good luck and Great shootin!
"I still miss my ex...but my aim is getting better!"

 

[George Smith]

The Cleaner

no offence but I don't think there is a great danger of the gun rusting out and compromising the structure of the gun, there are some pretty rusty 85 year old 1911 that still go bang just fine

Sniper is right, SS used in guns is usually 416, machineable and magnetic, has fe in it.
and it is Just stainless.

(meaning it is not 300 series. but 300 series is not heat treatable so not a good choice for slides and barrels. 416 does have sulfer in it making it more easly machined. And not partucularly tough.

one thing to watch for, if you use break cleaner or gun scrubber it takes the oil out of the pores of the metal. You really want to get an oil coating back on before you finish cleaning it, or storing it. (happens on hard chrome sometimes too)
geo ><>

 

[PK]

Originally posted by The Cleaner:
I think that SA should replace a rusting slide or frame since rusting is progressive and eventually will compromise the strength of the metal leading to a failure. If it were any other part of the gun I wouldn't care too much about it.

Surface rust(i.e. the kind that rubs off with steel wool) is NOT cumalative. We're not talking corosion, just the light protective coating(remeber, bluing is a controled rust) that forms overnight. Remeber, the first form of firearms finish was browning, which was literally surface rusting. If that comprimises strenght than blued guns are inherently dangerous. As for stainless rusting, remeber, stainless=stains less. Due to the carbon in the steel to ease machining, most firearms grades of stainless will rust. They simply take longer to do so. If you want the ulitmate protection from rust, a polymer finish or hardchrome will provide all the protection you need for 8 hours of swimming in salt water. Otherwise, a silicone cloth on the stainless will suffice.

 

[The Cleaner]

How about using Tetra on the blasted surfaces? I noticed that it displaces water and adheres to metal better than Breakfree.

 

[Tim C]

Double Tap,

Funny you should mention this. A while ago I sent my stainless Champion back to SA for a problem, and I had replaced the original wood grips with Hogue grips. When I got the pistol back, same thing as Cawdor mentioned, rust under the grips. I now use a thin coat of grease on the frame before I put the grips back on.

[This message has been edited by Tim C (edited 08-28-2001).]

 

[Nathan]

You guys are serious? My SA had some rust. I thought I was seeing things. My hook(read my artificial hand doesn't rust. It is SS. Oops, I take that back. The SS that rides in my armpit is rusted all to hell. After about 6 years or so, it looks bad, but usually never fails.

Why doesn't my S&W M640 rust?

I guess I need the contact info for Black T again!

 

[Sniper]

Originally posted by PK:
Surface rust(i.e. the kind that rubs off with steel wool) is NOT cumalative.

Steel wool is ok for blued surfaces but should be avoided on stainless steel...particles left by the steel wool will only compound the rust problem as it also contains iron.

As for stainless rusting, remeber, stainless=stains less. Due to the carbon in the steel to ease machining, most firearms grades of stainless will rust.

Rust = iron and oxygen = Ferrous Oxide = FeO...no carbon involvement.

If you want the ulitmate protection from rust, a polymer finish or hardchrome will provide all the protection you need for 8 hours of swimming in salt water.

A phenolic resin coating (approx. 0.0003"-0.0009" thickness) when applied to bare common gun steel will pass test procedures for salt water spray at 1000 hours, salt water immersion at a minimum of 1000 hours, accelerated salt spray test equivalent to 30 years marine atmosphere exposure, and 60 days sea water immersion.

PK
Please don't perceive this as flaming you or a challenge. You posted some excellent things, I just wanted to add to them

"SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO ARM BEARS"

 

[Double Tap]

Originally posted by Sniper:
A phenolic resin coating (approx. 0.0003"-0.0009" thickness) when applied to bare common gun steel will pass test procedures for salt water spray at 1000 hours, salt water immersion at a minimum of 1000 hours, accelerated salt spray test equivalent to 30 years marine atmosphere exposure, and 60 days sea water immersion.

Thanks for all the help and advice. Can these spray on coatings from Brownells be use to the same effect as what you mentioned? And can they be used on stainless steel?



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Any day above ground is a good day!!!