what I do wrong Browning barrel

[Wyoduster]

   followed the directions .. (this was my first) Yes I was a virgin... Using Laural Mt. browning solution.
  After 5 coats and looked good, I cleaned/scrubbed it good with Baking soda/water, then rinse again, then heat it and use motor oil for 24 hr.s and followed by gun oil. been a couple days I wipe it down often with gun oil and its still rusting..... Will it stop? what do I need to do? am I just too impatient ?

[snapper]

I have done quite a few barrels over the years, and I have never had any keep rusting.

I always make a baking soda paste and simply work a bunch of the paste up and down the barrel, rubbing it hard with it.  Making sure it gets everywhere.  My paste will be rust color by the time I am done.

I would do the baking soda again.
Flener

[Pete G.]

It will eventually stop, but I would wash and degrease it with a good detergent to remove the oil and then wipe down with household ammonia. Seems to work better than the baking soda.

[flehto]

Household or janitor's ammonia works better for me than baking soda. I use a small paint brush and "paint" the ammonia on for a couple minutes. Then a hot rinse and oil or wax.


Smaller parts are just submerged in the ammonia for 5 mins and then hot rinsed, waxed or oiled. .....Fred

[Curtis]

Try linseed oil instead of motor oil.  Wash it down with Dawn or something similar and water, dry then apply the linseed oil.  Seems to work better than motor oil for me, with the same issues you are having.

Curtis

[Wyoduster]

thanks I will try the ammonia.. I didn't use a baking soda paste, I just mixed some in water, maybe that was my problem. I'll do it tonight. .

[PPatch]

thanks I will try the ammonia.. I didn't use a baking soda paste, I just mixed some in water, maybe that was my problem. I'll do it tonight. .

I had the same thing happen with LMF Browning early this spring on a nose cap and patchbox. The barrel, trigger guard and buttplate were browned at the same time but with those the rusting action stopped normally after heating and applying motor oil. With the two pieces of other furniture applying ammonia a couple of days later stopped the rusting process cold. When you wash that barrel use lukewarm water, Rinse well, dry, then apply the ammonia. With those smaller parts I soaked them for 10 minutes in the ammonia then rinsed them off with just water before playing a torch over them dumping them in the oil bucket. I think using a brush on larger parts should work well.

Good luck, I think you'll be fine. The LMF Browning solution is a good one btw, I have always gotten good results with it.

dave

[Wyoduster]

Done.... Just degreased and Soaked the !$@! out of them in Ammonia. Rubbed the barrel and then hot water rinse..... Covered with oil again now we shall see. 

[Long John]

Wyoduster,

I think that you will be better served if you switch away from the engine oil.

I have used the LMF reagent a number of times.  Once I have a nice even deep brown and have carded for the last time I wash the cr*p out of the barrel with hot soapy water.  I'll then rub it down with a paste made of baking soda and water and then wash the cr*p out of it with hot soapy water again.

Now I dry the barrel and put it on a couple of bricks and apply my torch to it to warm it up and drive of any water.  Then I drench it in WD-40 to get all the water out of the pores of the steel.  Now while keeping the barrel just too hot to handle with the torch I rub it down with melting bee's wax.  I really slather it on!  I run the torch back and forth along the barrel melting the bee's wax into the steel.  When I am satisfied that the barrel won't take any more wax I wipe it down while still hot.  DONE!

I have NEVER had any post rusting issues with any barrel done that way.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[FlintFan]

+1 on staying away from the engine oil.  While engine oil is a very good lubricant, there are other oils that have better rust preventative properties. 

John's advice is good, or if you are set on using an oil, use something like BC's Barricade (or other brands on the market), that is specifically developed for rust prevention. 

[Mark Elliott]

I have had barrels keep rusting for a while, but Ballistol and then Renaissance Wax seems to do a pretty good job of stopping it.  I have switched to ammonia from baking soda to neutralize acid; mainly because it is just more convenient to apply, particularly to wood.   

[frogwalking]

I am in the process of rust bluing a barrel.  I am assuming the ammonia wash is done after the browned barrel is boiled blue.  Is this correct?

[Maven]

I followed Long John's advice and method (post #8 above) after rust browning with LMF today.  I followed it up with a generous coat of paste wax, but will keep an eye on it for a few days before remounting it in the stock.

[Darrin McDonal]

I am in the process of rust bluing a barrel.  I am assuming the ammonia wash is done after the browned barrel is boiled blue.  Is this correct?

Frogwalking, you won't need to use ammonia after rust blueing the barrel. It won't rust like just browning it does. Repeat the process a few times with a good boiling after each application carding after each boiling.
Darrin

[Wyoduster]

just an update:   
  I did as described(ammonia bath) to my parts/barrel and the rust stopped....
 THANKS TO ALL!!!