Pietta cap&ball rusting?

sixgunnin · April 7, 2017, 09:24 PM

I have a Pietta 1851 navy that is a blast to shoot. At the end of the day it washes up nice, but then the inside of the cylinder and barrel start getting rust spots on them. I am washing it with soap an hot water and letting it steam-dry and then oiling it lightly.
Are the small rust spots need for concern?
What do you guys use for oil?

Oliver Sudden · April 7, 2017, 10:05 PM

Use cold water and you'll get less rust, flush with WD 40 then oil with your favorite gun oil.

Model12Win · April 7, 2017, 11:46 PM

Spray the gun liberally with wd40 to displace any water from cleaning. You can run the entire gun assembked under a hot faucet and use a bore brush to clean. I recommend using Ballistol to oil the internals as it is water soluable and protects the metal even when damp. Let the gun dry in a windowsill or in the oven on low and spray with wd40. Wipe out the bore and chamber before shoiting agaib.

Hawg · April 8, 2017, 08:56 AM

I use hot water but no drying process. I also don't tear mine completely down. I do the action first and let it drain while I do the cylinder and then spray it out with WD-40. I use Remoil or whatever is handy inside the action where it can't interact with powder fouling and Bore Butter in the bore and chambers. I use whatever oil is handy for an external wipe down. I'm partial to 3n1 for that but 10 W 40 or trans fluid are good.

rodwhaincamo · April 8, 2017, 11:06 AM

I used to use WD-40 as well. But with Ballistol there is no need as it will mix with water but allow it to evaporate leaving just the oil behind.

g.willikers · April 8, 2017, 11:09 AM

During the hey day of black powder firearms, it's was probably common for them to have at least some rust.
Especially during war time.
As long as they functioned as expected, rust was probably just considered normal.
The amount you have described would no doubt have earned your shootin' iron a high grade at the local gun shop back then.

Ricklin · April 8, 2017, 11:13 AM

My only cap and ball revolver is a stainless 58 NMA from Pietta. I went with their target model, and it's a sweet shooter.

It took two tries to get a good one. The first one shipped had differing cylinder bores. After much ado...and me paying the shipping they did replace it.

No it's not traditional, and yes even stainless can rust, but it has yet to rust and I have owned it for a few years now.

I also chamfered the cylinder to make it easier to cap with my snail capper. That worked out well, and I can cap it pretty quickly.

All and all I am pretty pleased with my shiny cap and ball revolver.

**4V50 Gary** · April 8, 2017, 04:26 PM

Dry in used (and purposely bought) toaster oven and then oil.

Hellgate · April 9, 2017, 12:03 AM

If you are getting the cylinder good and hot you may be just getting flash rust which is pretty superficial. I use hot water and get the flash rust but I get less of it when I spritz the cylinder & chambers with 99% rubbing alcohol which dries it quickly. Acetone would do as well. I always oil the bore, chamber and frame with a swab before putting it away warm.

Docthebiker · April 9, 2017, 07:33 PM

Don't tell the wife, but I just strip off the grips, clean the barrel with brushes under a hot tap, and then run it though a hot cycle in the dishwasher (no detergent and no salt).
I Hit it while it's hot with a good spritz of NATO C-634 spray (that I bought 4 cases of), but WD-40 will do. The WD standing for water displacement it will drive the last of the water out, but it's oil content is low. So it will need oil after. Although I have found good wax furniture spray polish works for keeping the rust at bay too.

maillemaker · April 10, 2017, 04:01 PM

Hot metal will oxidize more quickly. I would not use heat to try and dry the gun. Though I do use hot water to clean the gun.

I use compressed air to blast all water traces off of the gun. Then I oil liberally with Ballistol.

Once I put a shirt of chainmail armour that I had just cleaned in the oven on low in an attempt to bake the water off to dry it. It came out bright orange from rust. After that I hung them up on a rod and blew them off with a leaf blower.

Steve

44 Dave · April 10, 2017, 07:35 PM

I use black powder solvent then non petroleum oil, have had 1 or 2 small brown spots that missed with the oil in the last 10 years. My cap and ball revolvers get oiled every few weeks even if they aren't shot, just because I like handling them.
One is always loaded, they are on a random rotation. This week it is the '62 Police.

April 7, 2017, 09:24 PM	#1
sixgunnin Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2017 Location: Montana Posts: 182	Pietta cap&ball rusting? I have a Pietta 1851 navy that is a blast to shoot. At the end of the day it washes up nice, but then the inside of the cylinder and barrel start getting rust spots on them. I am washing it with soap an hot water and letting it steam-dry and then oiling it lightly. Are the small rust spots need for concern? What do you guys use for oil?

April 8, 2017, 11:09 AM	#6
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	During the hey day of black powder firearms, it's was probably common for them to have at least some rust. Especially during war time. As long as they functioned as expected, rust was probably just considered normal. The amount you have described would no doubt have earned your shootin' iron a high grade at the local gun shop back then. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 8, 2017, 11:13 AM	#7
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	Stainless My only cap and ball revolver is a stainless 58 NMA from Pietta. I went with their target model, and it's a sweet shooter. It took two tries to get a good one. The first one shipped had differing cylinder bores. After much ado...and me paying the shipping they did replace it. No it's not traditional, and yes even stainless can rust, but it has yet to rust and I have owned it for a few years now. I also chamfered the cylinder to make it easier to cap with my snail capper. That worked out well, and I can cap it pretty quickly. All and all I am pretty pleased with my shiny cap and ball revolver. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

April 8, 2017, 04:26 PM	#8
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	Dry in used (and purposely bought) toaster oven and then oil. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 9, 2017, 12:03 AM	#9
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	If you are getting the cylinder good and hot you may be just getting flash rust which is pretty superficial. I use hot water and get the flash rust but I get less of it when I spritz the cylinder & chambers with 99% rubbing alcohol which dries it quickly. Acetone would do as well. I always oil the bore, chamber and frame with a swab before putting it away warm. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

April 7, 2017, 10:05 PM	#2
Oliver Sudden Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 272	Use cold water and you'll get less rust, flush with WD 40 then oil with your favorite gun oil.

April 7, 2017, 11:46 PM	#3
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Spray the gun liberally with wd40 to displace any water from cleaning. You can run the entire gun assembked under a hot faucet and use a bore brush to clean. I recommend using Ballistol to oil the internals as it is water soluable and protects the metal even when damp. Let the gun dry in a windowsill or in the oven on low and spray with wd40. Wipe out the bore and chamber before shoiting agaib.

April 8, 2017, 08:56 AM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I use hot water but no drying process. I also don't tear mine completely down. I do the action first and let it drain while I do the cylinder and then spray it out with WD-40. I use Remoil or whatever is handy inside the action where it can't interact with powder fouling and Bore Butter in the bore and chambers. I use whatever oil is handy for an external wipe down. I'm partial to 3n1 for that but 10 W 40 or trans fluid are good.

April 8, 2017, 11:06 AM	#5
rodwhaincamo Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 1,246	I used to use WD-40 as well. But with Ballistol there is no need as it will mix with water but allow it to evaporate leaving just the oil behind.

April 9, 2017, 07:33 PM	#10
Docthebiker Junior Member Join Date: April 3, 2017 Posts: 6	Don't tell the wife, but I just strip off the grips, clean the barrel with brushes under a hot tap, and then run it though a hot cycle in the dishwasher (no detergent and no salt). I Hit it while it's hot with a good spritz of NATO C-634 spray (that I bought 4 cases of), but WD-40 will do. The WD standing for water displacement it will drive the last of the water out, but it's oil content is low. So it will need oil after. Although I have found good wax furniture spray polish works for keeping the rust at bay too.

April 10, 2017, 04:01 PM	#11
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	Hot metal will oxidize more quickly. I would not use heat to try and dry the gun. Though I do use hot water to clean the gun. I use compressed air to blast all water traces off of the gun. Then I oil liberally with Ballistol. Once I put a shirt of chainmail armour that I had just cleaned in the oven on low in an attempt to bake the water off to dry it. It came out bright orange from rust. After that I hung them up on a rod and blew them off with a leaf blower. Steve

April 10, 2017, 07:35 PM	#12
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	I use black powder solvent then non petroleum oil, have had 1 or 2 small brown spots that missed with the oil in the last 10 years. My cap and ball revolvers get oiled every few weeks even if they aren't shot, just because I like handling them. One is always loaded, they are on a random rotation. This week it is the '62 Police.