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I've searched 'til blue in the face for a post that had several threads re; safe ways to remove rust from bluing. It was very helpful
and now I can't locate it. Any of you know of what I speak?

rootie3

Oil of your choice, I use atf or similar weight and #0000 steel wool. Rub it away gently.

Blue wonder bore cleaning gel does a great job as well. Will not harm the bluing. I will coat an area let it sit for a while then wipe off. Only on really stubborn spots will you need steel wool. Usually a scrubbing with a coarse towel will be all that is needed.

I use Kroil and 100% pure copper scouring pads (chore boys). Make sure to flush the pad so you don't end up having rust particles begin acting as abrasive . . . that will scratch your finish.

A drop of breakfree on it then run a used bronze brush over it.

That's what I do also. It takes the rust off but any time you have a rusted spot it's going to leave a mark. Once it's rusted your flawless blued finish is done with.

That's why my blued rifles stay in the safe and everything I use is stainless any more.

This is similar to what I do. I soak the spot in Kroil and then use either a copper penny filed down to an edge or the mouth of a brass case to scrape it off. If there is any brass or copper left on the bluing you can use a bore solvent that will remove copper to take it off.

I use 00 or 0000 steel wool depending on how bad the rusting is and whatever light oil is handy. This can lighten the finish a little, red iron oxide is softer than the black oxide (bluing) but sufficient rubbing will remove some of that too. Then blend with Oxpho Blue, with patience and practice you can blend almost identically to the original finish - hard to tell even if you know what/where you're looking for. An advantage of Oxpho is it's phosphoric acid based. Phosphoric acid converts the microscopic bits of red rust you left behind to passive black iron phosphate.

BTW, Oxpho Blue will remove brass smears from scraping.

Hey... Thanks for all the good info. My rifle is a 1960's Rem 700, 7mm RM. It's a stainless barrel which I think was being experimented with to deal with perceived barrel burnout... Not sure of the process used to blue that barrel. Anyway, it's a very durable truck gun. The bluing is very worn. Not sure how the small specks of rust are adhering to the stainless but I want them gone. I might durra-coat it to dress it up afterwards.

Thanks again... rootie3

Stainless is a whole 'nother subject, guess we were all thinking blued chrome-moly steel.

Kroll and 0000 bronze wool

Oxynate 84 for blueing stainless steel, just did some barrels tonight

I will ask a dumb question here, didn't Rem plate some of the early SS barrels with mild steel so they could be blued?

Never ran cross any of them when blueing. Do you mean plate chrome moly of stainless so the could be blued

I cannot speak for Rem. SS barrels, but I do know that Winchester pre'64 .220 Swift SS barrels were plated with iron before bluing. Since those days, bluing salts have been developed that will allow bluing of SS without any plating.

RB-17 is a great rust remover without harming the bluing.

http://www.rb17usa.com/

http://www.big45.com/