Wingman Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Hi guys Over on some of the American websites it suggests using white vinegar to stop corrosion in pitted barrels. My SXS had some pitting in the bore although it seems to be surface only. The previous owner used the gun regularly up until a few weeks ago when I acquired it so I know it's safe. Has anyone ever heard of or done the vinegar thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 thought that would do the opposite....it is and acid......just make the pits worse !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Malt vinegar on my chips! I would hope that if the vinegar trick worked you would have to make sure all of it is removed from your barrel. Then when absolutely dry, a film of oil is put through and maintained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) Yep that's what I thought I am not a chemist so can't verify but the sixth post on this link tells the story! http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=177591&page=1&PHPSESSID=7a40a816bd98679a2dc4416f17a2c967 Edited October 22, 2016 by Wingman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasher Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Is it not the same as the idea of putting a high carbon steel knife blade into a lemon which forms some kind of grey hard oxidation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrian Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Is it not the same as the idea of putting a high carbon steel knife blade into a lemon which forms some kind of grey hard oxidation? I think this may be the theory behind it all because I seem to recall that there was/is a rust cure for cars that turned the rust a kind of blue. However, don't rely on me because my 'O' level Chemistry is 55 years away now and I barely scraped through even then. I would worry slightly about the effect on the non-rusted steel in the barrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Vinegar is very good for taking bluing off barrels . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Get them lapped out then keep the barrels protected with oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Get them lapped out then keep the barrels protected with oil. Yep a visit to a certain bucks gunsmith is in order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourer103 Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 got to agree with Bruno above, any vinegar is an acid and will corrode, best to have them lapped out and treat as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsbob Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) Vinegar will remove the corrosion, you then use oil to prevent further corrosion. Sulphuric acid can also be used to remove corrosion, I have used sulphuric acid myself on a rusty Vauxhall Frontera wheel arch and confirm first hand it does indeed work. Edited October 22, 2016 by sportsbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Vinegar will remove corrosion (rust or blueing, it doesn't matter) and will leave a patina (vinegar corrosion) which helps protect against other corrosion. My carbon steel knifes are treated with vinegar to stop rusting when out shooting and hiking and used in the wet, not 100% effective but does work in a limited way, just as blueing does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Yeah but all of this nonsense about vinegar and acid is irrelevant. if you've got pits in the barrels nothing other than lapping out is going to make these pits non existent. It all depends on how deep the pits are and how much metal there is in the walls to be able to make this possible. If the gun is worn out past limits and dangerous either get it resleeved or deactivated or scrapped. If the gun is something really special most remedial work is beyond the cost of repair. Just use it as it is and clean it out with a phosphor bronze brush and aquoil or Ed's Red. Unless you are putting thousands of cartridges through it the gun will last probably longer than you will ever shoot it. I have an old AyA #4 that I was given which has some/a lot of heavy pits that I use for my wet day gun and the targets don't know that the barrels are pitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsbob Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 (edited) I have to disagree with "nonsense" the vinegar with remove the rust and reduce the liklyhood of it getting rapidly worse you will then have rust free pitting instead of rusty pitting eating into the steel further. The Op said pitting that appeared to be surface only which I know is a contradiction in itself but I read it as surface corrosion which the vinegar will effectively remove. Edited October 23, 2016 by sportsbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourer103 Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 dont mean to get on my high horse here but pitting is pitting, the only way to clear it is lapping, if it is too deep to lap then hang it on the wall! i think your fingers and eyes are much more valuable then any gun even if its a purdey or holland & holland, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 dont mean to get on my high horse here but pitting is pitting, the only way to clear it is lapping, if it is too deep to lap then hang it on the wall! i think your fingers and eyes are much more valuable then any gun even if its a purdey or holland & holland, I completely agree with this. All of this talk about using vinegar or acid to remove rust and pitting is a nonsense. If the vinegar or acid did clean out the pits they would still be there. Back in the day of my grandfather they used black powder and fibre wads. the shot got scrapped off on the pits and they got worse. their idea of cleaning was just a pull through with a bit of rag. If you use plastic wads and clean the barrels regularly the gun will last for years. If the pits are that bad scrap it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsbob Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Quote "although it seems to be surface only" if this is the case then it is not pitting. I will say no more on this matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted October 24, 2016 Report Share Posted October 24, 2016 You can buy a bore hone and lap and polish the bores yourself, you can then do lots of guns you have over time if need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted October 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2016 Ok, its going to the gunsmith to get sorted properly thanks for all of the comments... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 25, 2016 Report Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) I tried this trick on a rifle I had that used to rust for the fun of it. It did seem to reduce the bother I had from rust. It won't fix pits, but if it's just surface rust then go for it. Mind the bluing, it'll take that off just as effectively! Edited October 25, 2016 by njc110381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buze Posted October 25, 2016 Report Share Posted October 25, 2016 Careful using wierd stuff on metal. The acid might looks like it's removing rust, but it might change the ionic balance of the metal and make it more /prone/ to rust afterward. I use electrolysis to remove rust quite often, and if you do 'only' electrolysis you are left with a metal that will rust in days. You need to then 'bake' it to rebalance it... Not too hot tho, otherwise you remove it's hardening treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Get them lapped out then keep the barrels protected with oil. Don't get them lapped, its a cosmetic cure and not worth the expense. Most old barrels have a bit of surface rust its just a fact of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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