[B81]

I went for a hike today, and carried my Dan Wesson Valor with a Stainless Stan Chen Gen 2 magwell in a Hill People Gear kit bag.

I've noticed that carrying a pistol in a HPG kit bag tends to expose your pistol to a lot of moisture because of the way it holds the gun right against your chest. When your body sweats, the vapor hits the metal and condenses. That's why I carry my stainless 1911 when using a kit bag. To be fair, I suspect most concealed carry options would expose your pistol to a lot of moisture when hiking.

Today's hike was longer hike. I walked for 7 hours. I don't know the exact mileage, but I estimate it to be at least 15 miles.

When unpacking my gear I saw this

The stainless Stan Chen magwell is starting to rust. The rest of the valor is spotless, including the sights (which are not stainless).

Any suggestions for removing the rust?

 

[Integrity Arms]

I went for a long hike today, and carried my Dan Wesson Valor with a Stainless Stan Chen Gen 2 magwell in a Hill People Gear kit bag.

I've noticed that carrying a pistol in a HPG kit bag tends to expose your pistol to a lot of moisture because of the way it holds the gun right against your chest. When your body sweats, the vapor hits the metal and condenses. That's why I carry my stainless 1911 when using a kit bag. To be fair, I suspect most concealed carry options would expose your pistol to a lot of moisture when hiking.

Today's hike was particularly long. I walked for 7 hours. I don't know the exact mileage, but I estimate it to be atWhen unpacking my gear I saw this

View attachment 460789

My stainless Stan Chen magwell is starting to rust. The rest of the valor is spotless, including the sights (which are not stainless).

Any suggestions for removing the rust?

Send it to me Ben, I'll bead blast it for you. Next time add some renaissance wax to it or wipe down with a silicone rag or Wd-40 lightly..

Anything short of blasting will change the finish and over all texture of the part. Is definitely a SS part hmm. Not the first time I've seen SS rust probably do more to the salt in your sweat than the actual moisture..

 

[Colorado Sonny]

Try a little baking soda paste using a tooth brush. It's not the moisture, it is your body salts!

 

[Whiskey Sour]

Personally I would use RB17 gun cleaner and a clean nylon brush or 00 steel wool. That stuff works wonders.

 

[BCD 45]

Hey Steve,
Would that probably be a 300 series stainless for the magwell & the gun a 400 series stainless?
.................................................................................
BTW B81, I'd send it to Steve for sure for a bead blast.

Jim D.

 

[Integrity Arms]

I believe Stan advertises all his stuff made from 416

 

[AZ Husker]

I'd never use steel wool. You are implanting ferrous metal into your pistol.

 

[StLRichard]

If your part came in contact with other metal, it could be the cause. We have to keep our stainless and non-stainless tools separate at work.

 

[Integrity Arms]

Send it to me Ben, I'll turn it around for ya the day it gets here and send it back off in the mail the next day. I'm still using the same media I did when I originally blasted that gun...So it will be back to a perfect match...

 

[Integrity Arms]

Oh and Btw did you get it did you shoot it while you was out? Looks like it would of been a good area to do so. Beautiful country in your neck of the woods.

 

[Colorado Sonny]

Don't use steel wool!!! Microscopic particles of steel wool will get into the stainless and be a constant source of rust! I learned this the hard way.

 

[tac45]

Just as I thought, looks like Chen uses Chinese stained steel .

 

[Slapshot]

That is kinda' strange.

 

[Weiker]

Metallurgy. lower grades as have more carbon steel in alloy. High grades ss more chrome and nickle.

 

[B81]

Oh and Btw did you get it did you shoot it while you was out? Looks like it would of been a good area to do so. Beautiful country in your neck of the woods.

No shooting, unfortunately. This was PA State Forest land, and they forbid target shooting except at designated ranges. Even the state game lands forbid target shooting except at designated ranges. The only place I know of in PA where you can shoot where you please (subject to basic safety guidelines) is the Allegany National Forest.

I did shoot my camera. But a lot of the photos just didn't capture what it was like to be there. Much of the hike was along a river, and I have yet to figure out how to use a camera properly when photographing scenes like that.

 

[B81]

Send it to me Ben, I'll turn it around for ya the day it gets here and send it back off in the mail the next day. I'm still using the same media I did when I originally blasted that gun...So it will be back to a perfect match...

I'll PM you sometime this evening to work out the details. Thanks.

 

[DRD]

Virtually every SS is rust resistant, not rust proof. And there's a gillion kinds of SS (see previous comments). I personally spray my guns that are going to be carried in an outdoor environment with a compound called TMS-301. (It's a little pricy, but then, so are most of my guns.) Then they get another wipe down after I return. I've shot very $$ shotguns in pouring down rain, and I've never had a rust issue of any sort.

 

[Slapshot]

There are times when SS can get contaminated and rust can form. I have a customer who makes SS fittings and he requires to passivate them before he ships them. It's a relatively easy process. Below is a link with some information.

https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/how-to-passivate-stainless-steel-parts

 

[B81]

All better now. Big thanks to Steve O (@Integrity Arms ) for bead blasting the rust off for me. He did excellent work!

 

[Rick McC.]

I live on the water in SW florida, where it’s very humid for most of the year.

I carry daily, and many of my pistols are blued. I’ve used Eezox exclusively for cleaning, lube and as a protectant since probably the late ‘80’s, and have no rust on any of my guns. Even the ones that have a bit of holster wear have no rust: