Degreaser/protector

[RedSkyFarm]

Hi all. Would like to get your opinions on what you would recommend for a good, safe degreased/cleaner on the blued parts. Mainly the action and barrel. Also, what protective coating would be best to put on to keep the rain/snow from causing damage. Thanks.

[Bill DeShivs]

You don't need a degreaser. It will REMOVE the protective oil coating. A good quality gun oil is all you need. If your gun gets really wet, unload it, and flush it liberally with WD 40. Shake it out, dry it as best you can, and then oil it.

[TBM900]

M-Pro7 Cleaner followed by M-Pro7 LPX

[jcj54]

When I need to do a deep clean I use paint thinner on blued or stainless guns, it is amazing what crud a soaking in paint thinner removes. After drying they are thoroughly oiled with FP10 and excess oil removed leaving a light film.
I also regularly wipe with a RIG rag.

[Scorch]

Grease or oil on the blued parts will protect it from rain and snow. Just a light wipe of grease or good oil is all it takes. Sooooo, if you degrease the gun, you will want to re-coat it with grease to protect it.

I use Militec-1 for lubrication and protection from the elements, but any good gun grease or oil will work.

[Unclenick]

It depends on what you are trying to get off the gun. Paint thinner (odorless mineral spirits), as mentioned by Jcj54 will take off a lot; fingerprints, powder residue, etc. But if you spilled something water-soluble like a softdrink on it, you need soap and water and a good rinse in the hottest water you can do it with to get the gun hot so it dries fast. If you have a big enough tank, suspending the metal parts in boiling distilled or RO water after cleaning will tend to protect it from rust for a few hours by making it dry very quickly and leaving a thin layer of fresh bluing on the surfaces. But you still need to apply oil or another water-repelling protectant afterward for longer-term protection.

There are some commercial substances that can help. LPS-2 or Birchwood-Casey Sheath will provide protection for a matter of weeks or months if not wiped off or disturbed. LPS-3 can do it for longer, as it leaves a waxy layer behind. Same with Boeshield T9. Some folks prefer actual wax, but just be sure it is one that water can't mix with. This place has a number of commercial chemical solutions.

[HiBC]

Bluing is essentially a controlled and refined rust.

It looks nice. By itself,it offers no rust protection. What it does is offer a bit of"tooth" for oil or other protective film to anchor to. Like paint primer.

I don't know if this is the "approved" professional gunsmith method,but I get beeswax to reluctantly almost dissolve in turpentine.

When I get done with a boiling water/rust blue job I seal the fresh blue with the beeswax solution,then wipe it down.

Certainly the harsh solvents like carb or brake cleaner will degrease...but by stripping the blue of whatever oil,or rust inhibitive film (like RIG) the micro texture of the blue is holding,you remove any corrosion protection you may have had.

Have you ever used a well seasoned black cast iron frying pan? You can cook eggs in it just as non-stick as a Teflon pan.

Take that same pan and degrease it with harsh dishwashing and it will rust,and your eggs and pabcakes will stick.

These days,we recognize petroleum products on the skin are not good for you,bt long ago it was common and effective to use clean motor oil to cut the black nasty dirt off your hands when mechanicing.

I don't know what you are trying to clean...I guess revolver cylinders,etc get carboned up,but for most blues exterior surfaces,a wipe down with a lightly oiled rag or a "RIG rag" is all that's necessary.

There are 100 year old guns that are still pristine .They had no magic de-greasers. They may have used whale oil,or deer tallow,or Vaseline.

Any salt free barrier to water and oxygen mght do.

Keep that cast iron frying pan in mind