R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

[JonnyHawes]

Hello all,

I recently went shooting with my finace, and about halfway through our shooting session I got called in to work, having to leave early. I ended up working and not having free time for the next 2 days, AKA - Guns didnt get cleaned.

When I finally got around to it, I noticed some rusting inside the chamber and bore of my R700. I did quite a bit of oiling, scrubbing, and sweating, I got the majority of it gone.

My questions are:
1) There are some small spots around where the barrel screws in I cannot reach. What should I do about those?

2) The feed ramp seems to have gotten the worst of it. Even after some scrubbing with a cotton cloth it still is noticeable brown. No pitting that I can tell, just not cleaned up yet.

I ordered some Butch's Bore Shine and Kroil off of Midway that will be here Tuesday, and I've been using Hoppes Oil and Bore Tech Eliminator to clean it out so far.

Basically, I want someone to tell me my gun isn't ruined haha And what I need to do that I have not done already to clean the rest of this out.

If I can get it cleaned, I am planning on having the whole rifle Cerakote'd within the month.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lucks]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

Your gun isn't ruined. You can remove the surface rust with solvents and a brass brush. It shouldn't affect accuracy once you've cleaned it well. Try to keep it oiled/lubricated from now on as it seems like once rust starts it takes even less neglect for it to happen again. It will be fine....

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

Are you sure you aren't seeing copper?

It's highly unlikely that you have caused any damage after only two days. I have had M16's rained on for weeks and not had any issues. You get surface rust where the finish has been worn away, but it wipes right off.

HOWEVER if you are getting rust in the nooks and crannies you need to clean it off. GP Brushes, Q-tips and dental pics are your friend. If you don't clean it off it will pit the metal.

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

I'm positive it is rust LoneWolf. I have been using LOTS of q tips because getting in the tiny spots in the chamber is a pain.

Do you recommend anything to clean/remove/prevent rust I haven't already mentioned? I have heard and read good things about Break Free CLP and Eezox, but Midway was out of both.

Would the Cerakote finish help prevent it from now on if I successfully clean it out?

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

I like CLP for removing light rust. Steel wool for heavy rust on stuff that doesn't have a high collectors value (you can scrub the value right off a classic gun).

Hose it with CLP (i mean dripping wet) and let it penetrate for a day. Blast it off with Carb or Brake cleaner and then oil it normally and see where that gets you. Make sure you take the action out of the stock before you do that though. Pulling the scope would also be a good bet.

I haven't seen many places on a M700 that you can't get to with a Q-tip and dental pic. I would be more worried about the trigger than the receiver and barrel. Make sure you flush it out with Zippo Lighter Fluid before putting everything back together. CLP can gum up a Remington trigger.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

Once you get it clean, put 50+ rounds down the tube next time you go out and stop cleaning it so much.

Clean once every few hundred rounds if it will allow. Dont clean it until accuracy declines. I cleaned my factory SPS about every 150 rounds and never had issues.

Mop the chamber after each session with a chamber mop and a VERY LIGHT amount of oil on it. I mop it with a lightly oiled mop, then again with a dry mop to get pretty much everything out. If you have oil in your chamber when you fire a round, it will increase bolt thrust because the case isn't gripping the chamber walls.

Do the same to the feeding ramp... light oil then wipe off.


Don't worry about it more than that. Just start saving for a Bartlein barrel.



And all I use for cleaning is Butches Bore Shine on a Nylon brush, followed by a dozen or so wet patches, followed by a dozen or so dry patches pushed through by a jag.


You mentioned Cerakote. It will protect the outside surfaces but obviously not the bore or chamber. Once you get the bore/chamber clean, just start shooting it and I think you'll be fine. Clean as little as you can.

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: R700 Bore/Chamber Rust

Thanks for the quick and informative answers all. I have less than 500 rounds down the tube on this rifle so I have no idea why it rusted so quickly.

Keith, I usually clean at the 100 round mark, so I didn't think I was over cleaning it, but apparently I've done something wrong! Haha

I shot it up with some more Hoppes #9 oil before I left for work and let it sit for the 3rd day, and it all is looking mostly good. Still a few marks I need to reach and the feed ramp needs a bronze brush taken to it.

When my Midway order comes in this week hopefully I can stop it all together.