Rust inside stainless Howa 1500

[MANNY82]

Hi guys,

Long time posting. Noticed some small rust spots inside my new Howa 1500 stainless. Inside the breech (where the bolt locks into place, just in front of the chamber). Top and on each side. Very small spots, so I must've missed them the first few times while cleaning. Had to get a Flashlight in there to see.

Doesn't seem to be any in the barrel or the chamber itself. I always keep my barrel oiled. Used Slip2000, now using Eezox. Since day one. So I'm pretty sure that's free of rust. Patches also come out clean.

Before reading up I used the old "0000 steel wool" and oil to remove most of the small spots inside the breech. But still some in the top I missed. I've used the oil and wool to effectively remove rust from blued guns before, but apparently it shouldn't be used on stainless.

My question is. Should I try the baking soda paste or citric acid to remove the spots? Obviously I can't dunk the entire gun in citric acid solution. So I thought if baking soda, which is pretty mild won't work, I'll try a past of citric acid.

Or is this best left to a gunsmith?

Any one have any experience with this?

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[zguy]

using non-stainless steel on stainless will leave particles of metal behind that will rust and cause corrosion.

I cant see any harm trying water and baking soda. Or plain spirits vinegar. No first hand experience, but im sure the experts will chime in.

[Desperatezulu]

Before you try anything too harsh, it wouldn't hurt to give the chamber a good scrub with a solvent like acetone or even WD40. Perhaps the brown stuff you see is some residual packing grease or lubricant from when the gun was assembled. Maybe that solves the issue!

[oafpatroll]

Before you try anything too harsh, it wouldn't hurt to give the chamber a good scrub with a solvent like acetone or even WD40.

I second this. Perhaps get a couple of 12G brushes and try them first with solvent/cleaner before pulling out the big guns.

[MANNY82]

Before you try anything too harsh, it wouldn't hurt to give the chamber a good scrub with a solvent like acetone or even WD40. Perhaps the brown stuff you see is some residual packing grease or lubricant from when the gun was assembled. Maybe that solves the issue!

Thanks Oefpatrol and desperatezulu. I gave the area a pretty good scrub with the steel wool, washed that out with Q20 when I read you shouldn't. And then I used brass pots rubber around a 357 bronze brush. (that I normally use for leading in the rollie. Pretty sure it's rust by the random pattern and the color. But I'll give it another wack with a brush and some solvent to be sure.

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