I have a really nice BAR that has some slight speckles on the barrel. Is there a safe way to minimize the speckling and keeping the rust from further pitting? I plan on sending it to Browning for a complete refinish in the future. Are there other shops which can do a more then competent job on the rifle? The rifle has great sentimental value for me.

ATF and bronze wool.

Judicious rubbing with bronze wool and oil will be the least injurious, but there is no true panacea for that problem. No matter how skillfully executed, a discerning eye will pick up on it in the right light. Rub it out, wipe down with OxphoBlue, and oil it, then proceed with the refinish when you can.

Were it mine, and the sentimental value came from its previous ownership by forebears, I wouldn't refinish it, especially if its flaws came about through honest use/wear.

A discerning eye will also pick out the OxphoBlue "repair" as well.

Yeah, my brother owned it for almost 20 years and retired it . It's nickname is "Kill" and it has done just that. Good Mojo

Yep. But using it after rubbing out will provide one's best shot at camouflaging it a little bit. I doubt it would pass the "three foot test" though.

I'd just do as mentioned above about using ATF but minus the bronze wool (or any abrasive). Removing rust from tools with ATF is an old mechanics trick of the trade. I just removed surface rust from the inside of a muzzleloader bbl. No breech plug so I sealed the flash hole and filled the bbl with ATF and let it sit for a week. Emptied and mopped it out. One more treatment for a few days and all was good. I've used it on many firearms that weren't going to be refinished. I'd rig something up so you could submerge the whole bbl in ATF and let it sit for a few days. Wipe it off with a soft rag that absorbs and see what you get. Repeat as necessary.

Big 45 Frontier cleaning pad, works like majic to remove rust without damaging the blue.

Huh. Food for thought. Thanks.

http://www.exploreproducts.com/big45-frontier-gun-cleaner.htm

There is a true panacea. Go to the Gun Garage and pick up their "Big 45" gun scrubber cleaner and use as directed. Will remove rust and not hurt the blue. The best I've ever seen. Been trying to spread the word but you know how people are. powdr

I've used 0000 steel wool and allot of oil many times with great results. You have to pick one spot at a time and work in small tiny circles. Be very liberal with the oil. I buddy picked up an unfired Interarms Mark X for $100 because it was covered in surface rust. We spent two weeks on it and it is absolutely beautiful now. Real deep, high luster blue.

Lots of very good info given which is much appreciated. I have frontier 45 pad on order, I have xxxx steel wool and going to try the frontier pad first and then what is screwed will be touched up with oxpho blue.

Thanks once again

Oil, Oil,Oil..... You won't need to touch anything up. Small circles. Try to go too fast and all bets are off.

Be aware though that once it has rusted, it will want to rust there again. Diligence is needed.

^^^ yep. I use car wax on my rifles before season. Make sure and get a new car wax and not a cleaner wax which has a mild abrasive.

I was going to order renaissance wax for my blued guns.

Don't blame you. Definitely good stuff. I'm still on my yrs old can of Turtle Wax. Just for reference for others to see:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...wax-polish-for-guns.cfm?gun_id=100364622

Can't keep my mouth shut tonight, dang it.

For real surface rust, no pitting, I'll clean it off with 0000 steel wool and then a quick rub with Oxpho and that 0000 stuff. You don't even need oil-free steel wool. The purpose is to restore any little bit of blue color I rubbed off. Only a light shade difference if that. Then let it sit overnight, Oxpho likes to sit overnight. Then a rub with 0000 over the area lightly just to blend. Guess I don't have a discerning eye, I can't find the spot again. BUT we're talking just a little surface rust here.

Oxpho has the property of converting any microscopic red rust - can't get it all - into iron phosphate (it's black) which cuts subsequent rusting tendencies. Those microscopic particles of red rust pick up water from the atmosphere which can accelerate rusting.

But I claim no oracle status on this, not even close.

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Oh yeah, bronze wool. Tried it and liked the finer steel wool better (I use it with a light touch). Not to knock bronze wool, I think it comes down to technique which is an individual matter.

This.........
I made some pretty cheap pawn shop finds look almost new....

Pretty much use paint sealants on the cars and trucks so I have no real wax in the house.

Yup!

Because guns will often get some sort of refinishing at some point I never let car wax anywhere near guns. The silicone will screw up any type of refinish attempt.

I use pure carnauba wax, usually a floor wax, that contains no silicone.

Aren't they decontaminated some way before a new finish is applied? I'm talking strictly metal components.

Bought some oxpho blue and a frontier pad and I am beyond pleased, area is a little lighter then surrounding area. I will get some 0000 tomorrow and go over it one time or two.