i always promptly clean my rifle after shooting. due to a job change i haven't had a chance to get it out as much this past year. the bore butter i had in it dried out and allowed some rust to form in the barrel. i am getting itout slowly using a lot of elbow grease. aside from putting a fresh coat in every couple of months what other products could i use to provide rust protection for a longer time frame? i usually keep it in a safe with desicant but failed to place it there last time and it was in a hard case behind my closet door for the last 6 months. i'm sure that didn't help either.

most gun shop sell a spray on storing grease that lasts for up to 15 years at least my local shop dose its a bitch to get off but man dose it work iv never personaly had to use it cause i use my guns all the time.

Both Midway and Midsouth sell a product called Ballistol. It is a water-soluble oil, and it is the cat's whiskers. I have never seen anything do what this liquid does, from cleaning, to lubricating, to preventing rust.

It is extremely cheap at normal price, and I believe Midway has it on sale this month at $6/pint. Buy several. You will use this stuff for everything...

quote:

i usually keep it in a safe with desicant but failed to place it there last time and it was in a hard case behind my closet door for the last 6 months. i'm sure that didn't help either.

Willing to bet that was the culprit! However I have never used bore butter so can't say how it works for storage in duration.

I use Birch Casey Sheath and have done so for years without ever incurring rust, even when falling behind oiling during storage.

quote:

i always promptly clean my rifle after shooting. due to a job change i haven't had a chance to get it out as much this past year. the bore butter i had in it dried out and allowed some rust to form in the barrel.

Bore butter really is bad news.

Breakfree CLP, RemOil, Mobil 1, anything that fully covers the metal with an oily film is better.

I have a gun safe with a dehumidifier, so I have no concerns about long-term rust, but my buddy uses a good gun oil like I use ... Breakfree CLP, Birchwood Casey Sheath, Rem-Oil.... then he puts his rifle in one of those green silicone gun socks -- then puts the ML in a fake bedroom closet wall. He runs a new oil patch down the bore once a year.

I love Ballistol also for all-purpose everything ... just don't have the guts to try it long-term yet.