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Rusted 870, ruined?

9K views 36 replies 29 participants last post by  Tom_R 
#1 ·
Folks,

I was disappointed today when I picked up my Remington 870 today after shooting it a week ago. When I released the action and pulled the pump it felt like there was sand trapped in it. I wish that's what it was because instead of sand it was good old red corrosion. The forearm tube rusted pretty well along with the barrel clamp and other places.

I shot it last weekend in the rain, brought it home, dried it off (or so I thought) and coated it in Rem oil. Still couldn't avoid the rust.

Where do I go from here? I know rust happens often especially with blued steel but it was just so sudden and only from rain! I'm upset because the thing is less than a year old. It's been riddled with some other issues too, front sight lost first time out (replaced on my dime), extractor lost soon after (replaced on Remington's dime) and now this.

Help. Oh yeah, is Remington capable of manufacturing anything half decent these days? Seems like their quality is eluding their prestigious moniker.

Thoughts...
 
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#31 · (Edited)
If you want to go parkerized may I suggest API Tactical. Check out his website. I have seen some guns that were horribly rusted that he made look like new. The thing with the Remington bead blast factory blue finish is that it holds a lot of oil against the steel. Conversely, if there is no oil on it, it will also hold a lot of moisture against the steel. Same thing goes for Parkerizing. Keep it oiled and it will protect against rust very well. When I first bought an Express back in the 90s I neglected to keep up on the oil and it turned brown. Once I learned to keep it oiled it has never rusted since.
 
#32 ·
I can easily identify with OPs rusting experience. Back in the day I bought a Sharps 1874 replica with a browned barrel. Obviously I'd used an inferior oil for maintenance, maybe rem oil for all I know since it's been ages ago. Like his 870, the Sharps seemed to start showing signs of corrosion practically overnight. It was stored in a safe along with other guns and equipped with a golden rod. Oddly it was the only firearm showing corrosion at the time. Perhaps it was the browning as it's my only gun with that finish. Who knows. I was mortified at first and quickly set about to correct the problem. Thankfully the bore was fine. Whew!
Stripped the rifle down and used oily 0000 steel wool to remove the surface rust. No pitting thank God. Saved it for the time being.
After a while I discovered other guns in the safe starting to show some corrosion spots.

Long story short, I purchased a humidity monitor for the safe and was shocked to see it registered 80%. Whoa, well no wonder I had a rusting problem! Took me months of trial 'n error with different products to solve the humidity issue. The final straw that fixed it was DampRid. After a month of changing the crystals the humidity dropped to 50%. Nowadays I use DampRid in all my safes. Humidity stays in the mid 40s and only have to change the crystals about every 3 months. Happy camper.
I threw away that worthless rem oil many years ago. I've stated in several threads the last thing I do before any firearm goes back in the safes is treating it with Boeshield T-9. Serves as a miracle product for me.
If one lives in a humid climate as I do or subjects a firearm to rain, any kind of moisture environment, or stores guns in safe with a high level of humidity, the results will be pretty obvious. Sure learned my lesson a long time ago re: effective gun care products and vigilant watch on safe humidity.
Nuff ramblin.
 
#33 ·
Your 870 will be fine, samvswild....
As others have stated, use some oiled 0000 steel wool or white scotch brite. They'll do wonders for cleaning up your trusty 870. I've got 3 of them...the newest is a '92 and the oldest is a '72. Even the newer ones can be improved upon for a long and happy life....just have to get kinda personal with them....:D
Good luck, and keep 'em well oiled!!
 
#34 ·
Nothing got as wet as my 870 when I fell with it in the Mississippi while duck hunting. I dried it out best I could on the hunt. When I got home two days later, tore it down completely, removed all the wood. Used an air compressor for tight spots, lots of CLP, q-tips, and scrubbed it clean /dry. Had a few surface rust spots, 0000 steel wool, degreaser, cold blue paste, more CLP. Brushed the barrel, and used some RIG on a patch. Wax on the dried wood prior to reassembly and it and looked like a hunting shotgun, not new but not abused. That baby was wet inside and out and had that fine Mississippi "silt" in and on everything. As I cleaned it, we formed a whole new bond. Bought that shotgun 35 years ago, still shoots straight, drops ducks even with steel shot and looks good. Tearing it down completely was the best thing I could have done. Sooner would have been better but the Mallards were decoying to nice - I would rushed, lost a part and been in the cabin - ticked.
 
#35 ·
On the extremely rare occasions (usually a long gun taken in trade) that I end up in your predicament, I'll use Stainless steel wool rather than plain steel wool. Microscopic traces of steel wool will be left behind while you're going through the rust removal procedure and that could lead to further rust issues.

Any pics? That would help us, to help you, more precisely.

Everyone has a different opinion on the severity of rusted guns. Take me, with the exception of a pair of 40cal Hi Powers, I haven't owned a blue handgun in 30 years. I'm anal about the possibility of any of my guns rusting. :eek:

Good luck!
 
#36 ·
I picked up an 870 Express at a pawn shop that had been neglected and had surface rust all over it for $100. I did the same as everyone else has stated. Oiled it up good and scrubbed it with 0000 steel wool and scotch pads. After the clean-up I degreased it and then used Krylon Flat Black Grill Paint to coat the exterior of the barrel and receiver. Most that have seen and fired it think that it has been cerakoted. Never had a malfunction with it yet.
 
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