How to Clean Rust Off of a Rifle

Learn how to clean surface rust off the barrel and receiver of your rifle.

If a gun becomes wet and you don't dry it off before storing it, or if you store a gun in a place where it is exposed to high humidity and moisture, you will likely find rust on the barrel and the receiver the next time you take it out to use it. The severity of the rust will determine the cleaning method you choose. For example, light surface rust requires a non-abrasive method, while deeper surface rust needs an application of abrasive materials to effectively remove it.

Things You'll Need

• Soft, clean cotton cloths
• Gun cleaner
• Gun oil
• Gun polish
• Very fine steel wool (#0000)

Instructions

1. Apply a small amount of gun cleaner to a clean, soft, cotton cloth and wipe the areas of the gun affected by rust. Hold an area of the cloth firmly over the open lid of the bottle and turn the bottle upward to distribute some cleaner onto the cloth. You only need enough on the cloth to dampen the surface of the rifle.

2. Wipe the barrel and receiver with the gun cleaner. If you still see surface rust, proceed to step 3. If not, apply a small amount gun oil to the gun with a clean cloth and store in a dry, cool area.

3. Place a small pea-sized amount of gun barrel polish on a clean, soft cotton cloth and gently wipe the rusty areas, taking care to wipe in the direction of the steel's grain or parallel to the bore. You may see some red on the cloth, which means that the polish is removing the rust. Switch to clean areas of the cloth once an area becomes soiled. Continue until you no longer notice any rust coming off onto the cloth.

4. Clean the barrel and receiver with gun cleaning solvent as in Steps 1 and 2, and inspect the areas to see if the rust has been completely removed. If it has not, proceed to Step 5 without completing the remainder of this step. If it has, apply a small amount of gun oil to the metal areas of the gun in the same manner you applied the gun cleaning solvent. The gun oil will help protect the steel parts of the gun from rust and corrosion.

5. Apply a small amount of gun cleaning solvent or gun oil to a piece of very fine (#0000) steel wool. Rub the affected areas of the gun with the dampened steel wool.

6. Wipe off the residue from the steel wool with a clean, soft cotton cloth and oil the areas with a clean cloth dampened with gun oil. Store in a cool, dry environment.

Tips & Warnings

• If you bring a cold gun into an environment that is warm and humid, moisture will develop on the surface and receiver of the gun. Wipe those areas down with a soft, clean cloth to remove all traces of moisture before you store it. There are many different manufacturers of gun cleaners. See the "Resources" section for information about some of the products that are available.

• For deeply pitted areas on your barrel or receiver, consult with a professional gunsmith who can mechanically remove the rust from the rifle and expose clean metal.

References

• Brownell's Guntech: How to Fix Light Rust on a Gun

Resources

• Midway USA: Rust Removers