High End Stainless Rifle Rusting Question (Not Abused)

[treillw]

So I purchased a high end hunting rifle this past fall and am pretty disappointed with the gun's corrosion resistance. The gun is stainless steel. After my second day trip of having it out in the field hunting, I noticed it starting to rust. I know that stainless steel isn't rust proof and I still treat it as if it were a blued gun - I always let it warm up to room temperature and then oil it shortly after every use. I do this with all my guns, both stainless and blued.

I am really surprised by this. I carry a stainless steel Smith and Wesson revolver with me while hunting as a sidearm. The revolver has been in worse conditions than the rifle and it has no corrosion. I have fallen into snow banks multiple times and had the entire holster filled up with snow and the gun soaking wet afterwards. Once at home, I placed both guns right next to each other to dry and oiled them both at the same time. The Smith doesn't have a spec of rust and the rifle does. I have dozens of other guns, stainless and blued, and none of them have rust. This is my most expensive gun.

I contacted the manufacture to ask them about the issue. They said "As embarrassed as I am to say, I have seen this before". They offered to Cerakote the rifle for free.

Cerakote is great for the cosmetic appearance of the rifle, but what about the most important part - the inside of the barrel? If this stainless steel rusts so easily, won't the inside of the barrel eventually rust and pit as well and potentially harm accuracy?

I left the manufacturers name out of this post because I'm not looking to defame them. Although I think it's pretty crazy that such an expensive gun has this problem. If anybody would like to know who it is PM me.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Dirty8404]

I’d look at it this way: chrome moly barrels will rust on the outside if left in the raw, but we don’t really worry about the inside of a blued or parked barrel because it gets cleaned periodically.

Also, when hunting it’s the outside that gets rain, dew, etc. all over, not the bore.

I’d be interested to know what rifle, pretty sure it’s the anti-corrosion additives in the steel that are different between those guns. Different steel additives have different properties (i.e. barrel steel vs. revolver frame) and cost, and we all know about cost cutting/profit margins and it’s effects on quality.

 

[treillw]

Just as a little bit more info - the barrel, action, and bolt are all rusting. The bolt has this weird black mark on it - not sure what that's about.

 

[buffybuster]

Too many variables, not enough details.
BTW have you taken the sideplate off your S&W? Parts inside are not stainless.

 

[padom]

Hunting rifles typically get coated for this very reason. Have it cerakoted and shoot it.

 

[fdkay]

Sounds like awesome customer service.
They have offered to address the issue for free.

 

[diverdon]

I have had stainless a remington 700 factory rifle on some wet hunts, no special care, no rust.

 

[Bradu]

I know I have had stainless Rugers rust before. All except my one build is cerakote so I don't have to worry it. I keep the bore clean if it is in bad weather or sitting a long time.

 

[ELR researcher]

Just as a little bit more info - the barrel, action, and bolt are all rusting. The bolt has this weird black mark on it - not sure what that's about.

I feel your pain, nothing bugs me more than shelling out a bunch of money and not getting what you expected. I particular hate rust.
While I realize it might reveal the manufacturer, your post really needs some photos.

As far as the bore having a similar problem, IF you are cleaning it real well soon after shooting and then oiling it before storage, you "should" be fine.
I recommend using Eezox - Accurate Shooter has published multiple reviews on rust prevention and it always comes out on top.

Personally, I'd accept their offer of getting it Cerakoted...but keep watching for rust.

 

[SubOptimal]

Until you know, or can find out, what grade of stainless was used, you cannot really complain. Stainless steels vary greatly in the anti-corrosion characteristics and their strengths has well. Oils also vary in their protection abilities from corrosion, maybe a switch in lubricants would help you. Select on specifically designed for the stainless steel market.

 

[Ledzep]

If they bead blast with the same media for SS and non, you can place traces of non-stainless steel on the surface that will rust.

Barring that, I agree with suboptimal. Hard telling without knowing what grade/condition the steel is supposed to be.

I wouldn't worry about the bore. You'd have to let it go a long time before you'd get appreciable pitting/damage. An oil patch prevents it if you're worried.

 

[flyfisher117]

If they bead blast with the same media for SS and non, you can place traces of non-stainless steel on the surface that will rust.

Barring that, I agree with suboptimal. Hard telling without knowing what grade/condition the steel is supposed to be.

I wouldn't worry about the bore. You'd have to let it go a long time before you'd get appreciable pitting/damage. An oil patch prevents it if you're worried.

First thing that popped into my head. We have it happen a lot at my work when people are lazy and try to take shortcuts when switching between standard and stainless.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Yep, as with knives it helps to know what type of SS they thought they were selling.

 

[Biff2]

So I purchased a high end hunting rifle this past fall and am pretty disappointed with the gun's corrosion resistance. The gun is stainless steel. After my second day trip of having it out in the field hunting, I noticed it starting to rust. I know that stainless steel isn't rust proof and I still treat it as if it were a blued gun - I always let it warm up to room temperature and then oil it shortly after every use. I do this with all my guns, both stainless and blued.

I am really surprised by this. I carry a stainless steel Smith and Wesson revolver with me while hunting as a sidearm. The revolver has been in worse conditions than the rifle and it has no corrosion. I have fallen into snow banks multiple times and had the entire holster filled up with snow and the gun soaking wet afterwards. Once at home, I placed both guns right next to each other to dry and oiled them both at the same time. The Smith doesn't have a spec of rust and the rifle does. I have dozens of other guns, stainless and blued, and none of them have rust. This is my most expensive gun.

I contacted the manufacture to ask them about the issue. They said "As embarrassed as I am to say, I have seen this before". They offered to Cerakote the rifle for free.

Cerakote is great for the cosmetic appearance of the rifle, but what about the most important part - the inside of the barrel? If this stainless steel rusts so easily, won't the inside of the barrel eventually rust and pit as well and potentially harm accuracy?

I left the manufacturers name out of this post because I'm not looking to defame them. Although I think it's pretty crazy that such an expensive gun has this problem. If anybody would like to know who it is PM me.

Thanks for any advice.

That is what they call dirty stainless. Take a magnet to it, if it sticks its not stainless its has iron in it and will rust. Different grades of stainless, its not all rust proof.

 

[SubOptimal]

That is what they call dirty stainless. Take a magnet to it, if it sticks its not stainless its has iron in it and will rust. Different grades of stainless, its not all rust proof.

You could really use a little education on stainless steel. It all has iron in it. Otherwise, it is not steel.

 

[ThePretzel]

That is what they call dirty stainless. Take a magnet to it, if it sticks its not stainless its has iron in it and will rust. Different grades of stainless, its not all rust proof.

http://pearlitesteel.com/difference-between-stainless-steel-and-mild-steel/

Stainless Steel is just plain old steel alloy that has a Chromium content of at least 11.5% by weight. Depending on the specific formulation of the stainless steel you use, it may or may not be as rust resistant as you expected it to be.

 

[Ledzep]

Thanks for the chuckle, Biff.

 

[Strykervet]

I understand some high end stainless is still susceptible to rust but it's usually light surface rust that just wipes off. At least that's how it's been in my experience. I don't have any SS with actual "rust" on it. I have some very high end parts that are marked 316, 416, Hastelloy and Inconel and NONE of those have rusted EVER. Wanna say the 316 developed some surface rust when I left it stored in the open, and years later all I had to do was just wipe it off, one spot took a bit of rubbing and it was like new.

Maybe I've just been lucky, my father beat it into me to take care of firearms and tools.

Cerakote will certainly protect the surface and you can use it inside the action too. I think they even make a dry lube version, don't hold me to that though. On internals, it usually burnishes, doesn't chip, so it works well. I had an FAL done inside and out and it was done by a pro; shit is really tough when applied correctly.

The bore usually gets a layer of copper built up after awhile and that helps as does running a lightly oiled brush down it. If you Sweets the barrel, I'd certainly get all that shit out REAL well, then make sure to leave a thin coat of oil since your barrel will essentially be stripped back to how it came new.

But storing them in a safe with a goldenrod AND that Dri-Eze silica stuff and you shouldn't have any more problems, at least with storage.

Note too much oil traps moisture underneath and that can cause rust if stored away like that. A very light coat is all you want. I have a rag I've used for YEARS that has enough oil in it that I can just wipe down with it without having to add more oil. Easiest way to do it turns out.

 

[ELR researcher]

That is what they call dirty stainless. Take a magnet to it, if it sticks its not stainless its has iron in it and will rust. Different grades of stainless, its not all rust proof.

Some confusion here. You are actually referring to whether the stainless steel is ferritic (typically magnetic) or austenitic (typically non-magnetic).

 

[JMcBurn]

That is what they call dirty stainless. Take a magnet to it, if it sticks its not stainless its has iron in it and will rust. Different grades of stainless, its not all rust proof.

Hey if the stainless grade starts with 4 it is ferritic or maternsitic stainless, they are magnetic. Austenitic stainless (300 or 200 series stainless) is not magnetic. You can't make a 300 series stainless barrel, one problem is the barrel won't be strong enough and it will move too much when hot (to the point of shooting pieces of the barrel out during firing)