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Best way to restore rusty magazines?

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magazine rust
12K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  dudel 
#1 ·
My house was flooded during Hurricane Irma and most of my Mini-14 and M1A magazines were submerged for several days. They've developed a pretty substantial coating of surface rust and I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to remove it while preserving as much of the finish as possible. The example pictured below is pretty representative of the mags that are in the worst condition. FYI, there is very little rust in the inside of the magazine bodies; there's just a little around the floorplates, but it's negligible. And the springs look fine for the most part. I'm considering using products like Evapo-Rust or WD40 Rust Remover Soak, but I'm concerned they might remove the bluing along with the rust. What say the GT brain trust?

 
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#2 ·
Have you taken steps to prevent additional rust from forming? I am not qualified to suggest what that might be, but I would think the first step is to keep the problem from getting worse.
 
#3 ·
Ouch, not looking good (from the pic you posted, the finish almost appears pitted).
I'm not sure if the cost of a blasting/refinishing job (i.e. cerakote/duracoat/etc.) is worth the cost....though factory Ruger and USGI M14 mags have never been cheap...tough call.
Sorry, wish I was more helpful.
 
#5 ·
Ouch, not looking good (from the pic you posted, the finish almost appears pitted).
I'm not sure if the cost of a blasting/refinishing job (i.e. cerakote/duracoat/etc.) is worth the cost....though factory Ruger and USGI M14 mags have never been cheap...tough call.
Sorry, wish I was more helpful.
It's not quite that bad; it really is just surface rust, but to perfectly honest, I'm not looking forward to going over a few dozen magazines with 0000 steel wool. That'll take forever.
 
#7 ·
I am not sure CLP does what's needed IF the metal got hit with any salt water, because I don't think it displaces the water (and any salts) that's in the rust.

Salts dissolve in water, not oil, and then the salty water needs to be removes. All I can think of is the procedure for cleaning a gun when corrosive ammo was used. First step is water and maybe detergent to dissolve the salts in the water and carry them away. Now you have something that's we, so it's on to dewatering, perhaps using alcohol which forms a solution with the remaining water that is in the rust layer (like bourbon and water mix together) to pull out the water. Then it's time to dry it. Following that, use oil or CLP to exclude air and moisture. The salt and water have to be removed before the oil is introduced.
 
#8 ·
We got flooded with creek water, not seawater, so I don't think that salt will be an issue...but I'll keep that in mind.
 
#11 ·
My house was flooded during Hurricane Irma and most of my Mini-14 and M1A magazines were submerged for several days. They've developed a pretty substantial coating of surface rust and I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to remove it while preserving as much of the finish as possible. The example pictured below is pretty representative of the mags that are in the worst condition. FYI, there is very little rust in the inside of the magazine bodies; there's just a little around the floorplates, but it's negligible. And the springs look fine for the most part. I'm considering using products like Evapo-Rust or WD40 Rust Remover Soak, but I'm concerned they might remove the bluing along with the rust. What say the GT brain trust?

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"I'm considering using products like Evapo-Rust or WD40 Rust Remover Soak, but I'm concerned they might remove the bluing along with the rust. What say the GT brain trust?"

The magazine in the picture is beyond surface rust. Once the rust is deep enough to cause pitting, the only thing you can do is take it down to the bare metal and have it parkerized or re-blued. Make friends with your local gunsmith who has a bed-blasting set-up and who can do bluing or Parkerizing.

Otherwise use emery cloth and scotchbrite and take it down to the bare metal yourself and then spray with rustoleum or cold blue. I actually prefer spray paint to cold blue but neither is as good as hot tank blueing or black manganese Parkerizing

It all depends on whether your time is more valuable than the money it would cost to pay a gunsmith to do a professional job or buy a new magazine.

 
#12 ·
well i have been using this workshop hero for a few years....they make it now from WD40 too...it is hands down the best rust remover and does not hurt paint or your hands....just removes the rust....and it is very safe to work around too...u can buy it just about anywhere...i would try that before blasting and refinishing...
 
#21 ·
I use kroil oil and steel wool, but it affects the bluing

Ive always heard soaking in regular coke works too
I was going to suggest CocaCola and the finest steel/brass wool you can find. It's an old car guys trick for getting surface rust off of chrome, without destroying the chrome. It's the phosphoric acid that does the trick.

Unfortunately, in this case, I think the blue finish under the rust is gone. Coke and wool will clean it up; but I'm afraid you'll end up with blotchy finish (but no rust).
 
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