My slide keeps rusting

[Dlister70]

I keep getting surface rust on my CZ CTS .40, and it's really becoming a problem.  I use this gun weekly, and I last shot it on Tuesday.  I took it out today on Friday and this is what it looked like:

http://imgur.com/a/HdYjI

http://imgur.com/a/teygP

I bought some Eezox because I read that it was good rust preventative.  It's in an aerosol can, and I've tried just spraying it directly on the firearm and also spraying it into a rag and wiping it on.  Either way, I still get the rust after a few days.  

Today I rubbed the rust off with a toothbrush and some Hoppes #9, and then I applied Hoppes #9 with a q-tip liberally over the area and just left the wet oil on there.  But that attracts all sorts of hair and dirt to the gun, so I would rather that isn't my best solution.

The gun is stored in this range bag between shooting sessions:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AB45EWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There is is a pocket in the main compartment that the gun sits in.  I know you aren't supposed to store them in those foam lined gun cases, so I figured this would be better for the gun as it's more open and there doesn't appear to be anything in there to trap moisture (but obviously it must not be breathing well if it's rusting like this).  Do I need to switch to a gun sock or something?

I'm looking for rust prevention advice.  Let's hear what you've got!

Edited November 4, 2016 by Dlister70
pictures

[ChuckS]

I wipe stuff down with CLP Break Free for storage. Also have a "Golden Rod" in the safe. I stand pistols in a rack and not any kind of rug or pocket. Door storage is done by hooks through the trigger guards. This has worked for 10 years. I am about a mile from the ocean and the safe is in the garage. Plenty humidity available most evenings. No problem

[GrumpyOne]

Try a silicone based spray. Rust (oxidation) is caused by the metal being exposed to air...many times when oil is put on a slick surface, like a finished gun, the oil will have a tendency to kind of flow back into itself...like putting a couple of drops of oil into a pail full of water...the silicone sprays have a different molecular structure and don't react the same way. I was having problems with my CZ mags rusting like that every week...switched from an oil based to silicone based spray, pretty much stopped it.

[Dlister70]

1 hour ago, GrumpyOne said:

Try a silicone based spray.

I was having problems with my CZ mags rusting like that every week...switched from an oil based to silicone based spray, pretty much stopped it.

Thanks for the information!  I'll give it a shot!

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80070-Silicone-Lubricant-Aerosol/dp/B000HBM5S2

Or is there a particular spray you would recommend?

[MemphisMechanic]

Wow. That's bad, as far as thin surface rust goes!

Something to consider: how acidic is your sweat? I have friends who are toxic to the bluing on a gun that most others can handle, and leave their oils on without issues.

Honestly I'd just strip that CZ down and cerakote the gun. I know not everyone has a blasting cabinet / airbrush to apply that kind of thing themselves, and I know there are harder options like DLC or Zion Bond.

But cerakote is damn tough and can be done at home.

Edited November 4, 2016 by MemphisMechanic

[Solvability]

Get the gun  Nitro-carburized - that works.

[GrumpyOne]

1 hour ago, Dlister70 said:

Thanks for the information!  I'll give it a shot!

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80070-Silicone-Lubricant-Aerosol/dp/B000HBM5S2

Or is there a particular spray you would recommend?

Sure. I usually just buy a can of similar stuff from Lowe's or Home Depot. I use Loctite brand.

[Bamboo]

The CRC silicone spray in the wallyworld auto department works well and is about 3 bucks for a can.  I also use the stuff for mags. 

For guns that are stored for long term I will use something like Rig universal grease or a lanolin based product like Fluid Film (very good at preventing rust).     

[M1A4ME]

Doesn't look like hand/finger print rust.

Looks like it's been stored in a damp back/pocket.  Look how uniform the runs is.  No heavy finger print type spots.

I've used 3n1 oil (now using Mobil 1, too) on a rag to wipe down my guns after handling (whether fired or not) and before putting them away for the night or for weeks or months (sometimes for years).  I've not had a rust issue, even when stored in zip up cases (the old hunting/shotgun/rifle style cases used everywhere) or when stored on a shelf in the safe or in the S&W wood boxes.  No rust.  Not on stored guns.

I sweat like a pig.  Here's a picture of my P07 at the end of the day (a hot/humid central VA day).  The moisture beaded up on the metal is sweat.  I just dry it off, wipe it down with my oily rag and let the holster dry out over night before doing it again the next day.

 

[dbagwell]

It appears to be a condensation issue to me.  Are you shooting in a cool/humid region, then putting your pistol in the bag and taking it into the house where is slowly warms up later?

As others have suggested, I would remove the gun after you get home and wipe it down with CLP or something similar.  My dad and I exclusively used WD-40 on our duck hunting guns...worked great.

[GrumpyOne]

I love people that spray WD-40 on the guts of their guns and let them sit...I've picked up few great deals cause the gun was locked up tighter than Dicks hat band from WD-40. WD-40 turns to a varnish like substance over time. I don't think I even own a can of WD-40 anymore...used to use it for cutting and drilling liquid, but actual cutting oil was cheaper and works better.

[Dlister70]

5 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

Wow. That's bad, as far as thin surface rust goes!

Something to consider: how acidic is your sweat? I have friends who are toxic to the bluing on a gun that most others can handle, and leave their oils on without issues.

Honestly I'd just strip that CZ down and cerakote the gun.

I'm assuming it has to do with my sweat, as the areas that are rusting are the areas that I'm manipulating with my hands.  I don't mess with the front of the gun during a shoot, and it's not rusting in the front of the slide, only the back where I grab it to rack.  

I'm actually planning on getting the gun hard chromed this winter.  I'd like to keep the sights, safety, and take down lever in black, so I may cerakote those black for better protection than the bluing provides.

[johnbu]

Stop storing it in that bag!!!

After each match, clean it, oil it all over and keep it in a warm dry open area.  

 

 

[PatJones]

I prefer electroless nickel to hard chrome.

[MemphisMechanic]

1 hour ago, johnbu said:

Stop storing it in that bag!!!

After each match, clean it, oil it all over and keep it in a warm dry open area.  

 

 

That mindset lasts about a year of regular USPSA use.

Then the gun gets cleaned every few thousand rounds, a few times a year, whether it needs it or not...

[GrumpyOne]

9 hours ago, PatJones said:

I prefer electroless nickel to hard chrome.

If I had to choose a shiny coating, it would be this. With electroplating, the coating can build up in more areas than others. With electroless nickel, all areas are coated to the same thickness, as it all depends on how long the piece is submerged in the compound.

[SouthEndTactical]

Save yourself the headaches, send the gun out and have it Cerakoted. Have them do the slide, barrel and all metal controls.

There are a lot of good Cerakote applicators out there doing good work at reasonable prices.

Be sure to wipe the inside of the barrel clean and leave behind a whisper thin film of a good oil behind after every outing.

Good Luck.

 

Edited November 5, 2016 by SouthEndTactical

[Dlister70]

22 hours ago, PatJones said:

I prefer electroless nickel to hard chrome.

Really?  I thought that the hard chrome was the more durable of those two?  Do you prefer the aesthetics of the nickel, or is there another reason? 

[johnbu]

On 11/04/2016 at 11:11 PM, MemphisMechanic said:

That mindset lasts about a year of regular USPSA use.

Then the gun gets cleaned every few thousand rounds, a few times a year, whether it needs it or not...

Unless the gun turns into a rusty furball!

 

My guns get cleaned when I test new parts. Probably 2000-3500 rounds. But my kid's buck mark gets oiled down after each use or it rusts.