How to protect finish of gun?

Kazaam · August 14, 2012, 11:55 PM

Is there anything I should put on the outside of the gun to protect its finish (stainless p226)? I see some people use silicon wipes to wipe off and protect the finish of their gun, but the item description of those wipes also says it polishes the gun. I definitely don't want the matte finish to be polished.

Any advice? Thanks!

Baylorattorney · August 14, 2012, 11:59 PM

It's already protected.

Bill DeShivs · August 15, 2012, 01:55 AM

Silicone cloths won't polish your finish.

Olympus · August 15, 2012, 08:15 AM

Just keep it wiped off with a clean cloth. A light spray of RemOil will be good for times when it sits in one spot for a long time. Stainless is very low maintenance.

Kazaam · August 15, 2012, 10:27 AM

Just to be clear, remoil is not a lubricant, right?

chewie146 · August 15, 2012, 10:48 AM

Remoil is a lubricant. I'm not entirely sure what you're looking to do, but really silicon will protect the "finish" of a SS gun from rust, corrosion, etc. As far as wear, etc. the only thing that will protect it is not carrying or shooting it and babying it. You'll get wear on a gun if you use it. It ads character. You're not going to hurt the gun by normal use, though.

aarondhgraham · August 15, 2012, 10:52 AM

I've seen paste wax recommended here,,,
But I have no idea what brand.

Aarond

.

Dragline45 · August 15, 2012, 11:41 AM

Use a rag with gun oil or hoppes and just give it a quick wipe down after shooting. When black residue stops coming off your good to go. Even if you get wear marks on the matte finish it's still stainless all the way through so it's not like it will be more prone to rust like with a blued gun.

bimmer*tr · August 15, 2012, 11:42 AM

The best protection I have found for blued or stainless finishes is Renaissance wax. It is great for all metal and wood, and will keep fingerprints off. The 7 ounce can will last a long long time as it takes very little to cover a firearm. I apply with my fingers and buff it with a clean microfiber cloth. I believe I bought mine from Midway USA several years ago.

Bimmer

drail · August 15, 2012, 01:33 PM

On a stainless gun there is no "finish". The only thing you have to be concerned with is removing anything that can attack the steel. The sweat from your fingers (or your friend's fingers) can be very corrosive if left on the metal for more than a few hours. Some people's fingerprints can be permanently etched into the metal if you don't wipe it down before putting it away. A rag that is slightly oily will take it off. You're not going to "damage" the matte texture of your gun with a rag. Just use a light grade of oil and wipe, don't try to polish the finish. Breakfree CLP and Collector have protected all of my guns for many years, including the blued ones. There are also products on the market that will neutralize any acids from your fingerprints. Birchwood Casey's "Sheath" is one. On metal surfaces that are checkered or serrated a small artists brush will get the oil down into the crevices where a rag won't go and allows you to get right up next to the grips without coating them with oil. Don't use WD 40 or any "silicone" type oils except in an emergency when you don't have anything else. WD 40 will exaporate off and leave a gummy film behind and silicone is almost impossible to remove from the grips. You don't want silicone on the surfaces you grip the gun with or on your hands. Wax works well for a safe queen or wall hangar that dos not get handled and stays in an air conditioned environment but doesn't provide much protection when the temperature goes above about 90 degrees, it will evaporate away. It will be worn off pretty quickly on a gun that is being handled much. But in a glass case in a museum it works very well.

JimPage · August 15, 2012, 01:54 PM

According to Ed Harris (wrote for the American Rifleman years ago) you shouldn't use WD40 on stainless steel. He was a QC engineer for Ruger when they found that some of the guns stored in boxes for awhile in the warehouse had cracked barrels where they were threaded into the frame.

He discovered that WD40 had something in it that was corrosive to one element of the stainless steel. Nickle I believe because he also said not to use it on nickle plated guns. The smiths had lubricated the threads on the barrels as they screwed them into the frames. He said WD40 was not allowed through the gates at Ruger when he left.

I had met him at a GUNS chat room on IRC. He was quite a knowledgeable man. I haven't heard from or of him for several years.

drail · August 15, 2012, 06:51 PM

Jim, I too have read that and absolutely agree. Shortly some folks will come along here and testify how they have used WD 40 for EVERYTHING all of their lives and never had any issues. The ONLY thing I would ever use WD 40 for would be to dry out a wet distributor in an emergency and then I would tear it down and rebuild it as soon as I could to get that crap out of there. It's good that Ruger had enough sense to ban it from their facility. I wish I had a nickle for every .22 pistol or rifle some customer brought in and claimed it was "broke". 90% of the were full of WD 40 "varnish" and worked perfectly after they were stripped and cleaned and lubed with REAL oil. In the shop we called it "Bubba spray".

Kreyzhorse · August 15, 2012, 06:57 PM

Wiping it down with a oil rag will pretty much protect the steel. It's stainless so there isn't really a finish like on blued guns. Shoot it, clean it, wipe down occasionally and that will keep your gun in pretty good shape.

BigJimP · August 15, 2012, 07:13 PM

On the outside of the gun ...a wipe down with an oily rag....or spritz some RemOil ...or Rig #2 Oil on the guns from their spray cans - and then wipe them down with a soft rag....Rig #2 is my personal favorite if you can find it...

( on the inside of my all stainless 226's I use Break Free as a lube ).

SIG 226 Stainless .40S&W and 9mm.jpg

These two all stainless 226's are about 6 yrs old now ...one in 9mm / one in .40S&W ....and they each have at least 10,000 rds thru them ....

Here is a Sig 226 X-Five ...I treat the same way ...another all stainless Sig 226 ....
http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...2&d=1344296606

Smit · August 15, 2012, 07:28 PM

All you need is a light coat of oil for storage, thats it. Stainless steel does not need to be coated in anything to protect it.

Kazaam · August 15, 2012, 07:47 PM

Whats the best oil for this type of function?

9mm · August 15, 2012, 08:50 PM

I like to know this also. I really don't care about my carry guns as they will fade over time. I just use rem oil on my carry guns and never had problems. Plan to replace a carry gun every 10 years or so..

I guess to protect the finish just don't use it and use rust preventer to keep the rest away.

Kreyzhorse · August 16, 2012, 06:08 AM

Any type of gun oil will work. Just a light coat will do the job and I use Hoppes Gun Oil or Rem Oil.

Bob Wright · August 16, 2012, 10:36 AM

All of my guns are blued, and here's my formula that has worked for me for over fifty years:

I use a 50/50 mix of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. I lightly coat the bore and chambers. Then, with the cylinder either swung out or removed, heavily coat the gun using an oil soaked patch. This will leave it far too oily. Then wipe down the gun with a Scott paper shop towel, those blue ones from Auto Zone or Home Depot. Motor oil continues to break down carbon, so after a week or mor of non-use, wipe down the bore and chambers again.

Maybe so there are "better" products, but I haven't found them.

Bob Wright

BigJimP · August 16, 2012, 01:20 PM

Rig #2 has been my go-to light oil for many yrs..../ Rig was purchased by Birchwood Casey a couple of yrs ago ....so this is what the current packaging looks like....

http://sport.birchwoodcasey.com/RIG/...9-8195cb71808f

I use a light coat of Rig #2 ....on the springs, action, firing pins inside my Over Under shotguns..../ on the trigger groups inside my semi-auto shotguns .../ inside my revolvers and semi-auto handguns - where something like Break Free is a little too heavy ...( like in the trigger group, leaf springs on a 1911 ) .....and as a wipe down on all of my guns before I put them back in the safe.

I think Rem-Oil is a decent product as well ....

Straightshooter629 · August 16, 2012, 09:05 PM

I have found that 3-in-1 machine oil works as well as any "firearm" specific lubricant, and it doesn't seem to attract dust as much as some other lubricants. I'm not sure what "finish" you are worried about protecting on a SS firearm. If it's a brushed finish, there is nothing that I am aware of that will protect it from normal wear form holstering/unholstering, and that is generally the only "wear" that you have to be concerned with. Other than that, SS is a material, and not a finish...it can't wear off.

KyJim · August 17, 2012, 08:51 PM

For rust and corrosion prevention, Eezox is hard to beat. Some objective tests:

http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html
http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html
http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/in...p?topic=5457.0

August 14, 2012, 11:55 PM	#1
Kazaam Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2012 Posts: 109	How to protect finish of gun? Is there anything I should put on the outside of the gun to protect its finish (stainless p226)? I see some people use silicon wipes to wipe off and protect the finish of their gun, but the item description of those wipes also says it polishes the gun. I definitely don't want the matte finish to be polished. Any advice? Thanks!

August 15, 2012, 01:55 AM	#3
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,979	Silicone cloths won't polish your finish. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

August 15, 2012, 10:52 AM	#7
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	I've seen paste wax recommended here,,, I've seen paste wax recommended here,,, But I have no idea what brand. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

August 15, 2012, 01:33 PM	#10
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	On a stainless gun there is no "finish". The only thing you have to be concerned with is removing anything that can attack the steel. The sweat from your fingers (or your friend's fingers) can be very corrosive if left on the metal for more than a few hours. Some people's fingerprints can be permanently etched into the metal if you don't wipe it down before putting it away. A rag that is slightly oily will take it off. You're not going to "damage" the matte texture of your gun with a rag. Just use a light grade of oil and wipe, don't try to polish the finish. Breakfree CLP and Collector have protected all of my guns for many years, including the blued ones. There are also products on the market that will neutralize any acids from your fingerprints. Birchwood Casey's "Sheath" is one. On metal surfaces that are checkered or serrated a small artists brush will get the oil down into the crevices where a rag won't go and allows you to get right up next to the grips without coating them with oil. Don't use WD 40 or any "silicone" type oils except in an emergency when you don't have anything else. WD 40 will exaporate off and leave a gummy film behind and silicone is almost impossible to remove from the grips. You don't want silicone on the surfaces you grip the gun with or on your hands. Wax works well for a safe queen or wall hangar that dos not get handled and stays in an air conditioned environment but doesn't provide much protection when the temperature goes above about 90 degrees, it will evaporate away. It will be worn off pretty quickly on a gun that is being handled much. But in a glass case in a museum it works very well. Last edited by drail; August 15, 2012 at 01:41 PM.

August 15, 2012, 01:54 PM	#11
JimPage Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2010 Location: Rome, NY Posts: 941	According to Ed Harris (wrote for the American Rifleman years ago) you shouldn't use WD40 on stainless steel. He was a QC engineer for Ruger when they found that some of the guns stored in boxes for awhile in the warehouse had cracked barrels where they were threaded into the frame. He discovered that WD40 had something in it that was corrosive to one element of the stainless steel. Nickle I believe because he also said not to use it on nickle plated guns. The smiths had lubricated the threads on the barrels as they screwed them into the frames. He said WD40 was not allowed through the gates at Ruger when he left. I had met him at a GUNS chat room on IRC. He was quite a knowledgeable man. I haven't heard from or of him for several years. __________________ Jim Page Cogito, ergo armatum sum Last edited by JimPage; August 15, 2012 at 02:01 PM.

August 14, 2012, 11:59 PM	#2
Baylorattorney Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 177	It's already protected.

August 15, 2012, 08:15 AM	#4
Olympus Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2008 Posts: 770	Just keep it wiped off with a clean cloth. A light spray of RemOil will be good for times when it sits in one spot for a long time. Stainless is very low maintenance.

August 15, 2012, 10:27 AM	#5
Kazaam Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2012 Posts: 109	Just to be clear, remoil is not a lubricant, right?

August 15, 2012, 10:48 AM	#6
chewie146 Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 853	Remoil is a lubricant. I'm not entirely sure what you're looking to do, but really silicon will protect the "finish" of a SS gun from rust, corrosion, etc. As far as wear, etc. the only thing that will protect it is not carrying or shooting it and babying it. You'll get wear on a gun if you use it. It ads character. You're not going to hurt the gun by normal use, though.

August 15, 2012, 11:41 AM	#8
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	Use a rag with gun oil or hoppes and just give it a quick wipe down after shooting. When black residue stops coming off your good to go. Even if you get wear marks on the matte finish it's still stainless all the way through so it's not like it will be more prone to rust like with a blued gun.

August 15, 2012, 11:42 AM	#9
bimmer*tr Member Join Date: May 15, 2007 Posts: 37	The best protection I have found for blued or stainless finishes is Renaissance wax. It is great for all metal and wood, and will keep fingerprints off. The 7 ounce can will last a long long time as it takes very little to cover a firearm. I apply with my fingers and buff it with a clean microfiber cloth. I believe I bought mine from Midway USA several years ago. Bimmer

August 15, 2012, 06:51 PM	#12
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	Jim, I too have read that and absolutely agree. Shortly some folks will come along here and testify how they have used WD 40 for EVERYTHING all of their lives and never had any issues. The ONLY thing I would ever use WD 40 for would be to dry out a wet distributor in an emergency and then I would tear it down and rebuild it as soon as I could to get that crap out of there. It's good that Ruger had enough sense to ban it from their facility. I wish I had a nickle for every .22 pistol or rifle some customer brought in and claimed it was "broke". 90% of the were full of WD 40 "varnish" and worked perfectly after they were stripped and cleaned and lubed with REAL oil. In the shop we called it "Bubba spray". Last edited by drail; August 15, 2012 at 07:04 PM.

August 15, 2012, 06:57 PM	#13
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Wiping it down with a oil rag will pretty much protect the steel. It's stainless so there isn't really a finish like on blued guns. Shoot it, clean it, wipe down occasionally and that will keep your gun in pretty good shape. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson Last edited by Kreyzhorse; August 16, 2012 at 06:06 AM.

August 15, 2012, 07:13 PM	#14
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	On the outside of the gun ...a wipe down with an oily rag....or spritz some RemOil ...or Rig #2 Oil on the guns from their spray cans - and then wipe them down with a soft rag....Rig #2 is my personal favorite if you can find it... ( on the inside of my all stainless 226's I use Break Free as a lube ). SIG 226 Stainless .40S&W and 9mm.jpg These two all stainless 226's are about 6 yrs old now ...one in 9mm / one in .40S&W ....and they each have at least 10,000 rds thru them .... Here is a Sig 226 X-Five ...I treat the same way ...another all stainless Sig 226 .... http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...2&d=1344296606

August 15, 2012, 07:28 PM	#15
Smit Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2012 Posts: 335	All you need is a light coat of oil for storage, thats it. Stainless steel does not need to be coated in anything to protect it. __________________ "Vegetarian, an old Indian word for bad hunter."

August 15, 2012, 07:47 PM	#16
Kazaam Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2012 Posts: 109	Whats the best oil for this type of function?

August 15, 2012, 08:50 PM	#17
9mm Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2011 Location: Land of the Free Posts: 2,834	I like to know this also. I really don't care about my carry guns as they will fade over time. I just use rem oil on my carry guns and never had problems. Plan to replace a carry gun every 10 years or so.. I guess to protect the finish just don't use it and use rust preventer to keep the rest away.

August 16, 2012, 06:08 AM	#18
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Any type of gun oil will work. Just a light coat will do the job and I use Hoppes Gun Oil or Rem Oil. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

August 16, 2012, 10:36 AM	#19
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,987	All of my guns are blued, and here's my formula that has worked for me for over fifty years: I use a 50/50 mix of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. I lightly coat the bore and chambers. Then, with the cylinder either swung out or removed, heavily coat the gun using an oil soaked patch. This will leave it far too oily. Then wipe down the gun with a Scott paper shop towel, those blue ones from Auto Zone or Home Depot. Motor oil continues to break down carbon, so after a week or mor of non-use, wipe down the bore and chambers again. Maybe so there are "better" products, but I haven't found them. Bob Wright

August 16, 2012, 01:20 PM	#20
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Rig #2 has been my go-to light oil for many yrs..../ Rig was purchased by Birchwood Casey a couple of yrs ago ....so this is what the current packaging looks like.... http://sport.birchwoodcasey.com/RIG/...9-8195cb71808f I use a light coat of Rig #2 ....on the springs, action, firing pins inside my Over Under shotguns..../ on the trigger groups inside my semi-auto shotguns .../ inside my revolvers and semi-auto handguns - where something like Break Free is a little too heavy ...( like in the trigger group, leaf springs on a 1911 ) .....and as a wipe down on all of my guns before I put them back in the safe. I think Rem-Oil is a decent product as well ....

August 16, 2012, 09:05 PM	#21
Straightshooter629 Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 475	I have found that 3-in-1 machine oil works as well as any "firearm" specific lubricant, and it doesn't seem to attract dust as much as some other lubricants. I'm not sure what "finish" you are worried about protecting on a SS firearm. If it's a brushed finish, there is nothing that I am aware of that will protect it from normal wear form holstering/unholstering, and that is generally the only "wear" that you have to be concerned with. Other than that, SS is a material, and not a finish...it can't wear off.

August 17, 2012, 08:51 PM	#22
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	For rust and corrosion prevention, Eezox is hard to beat. Some objective tests: http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/in...p?topic=5457.0

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