[nexusnrg]

I was keeping my AR at my parents house because it's more secure, and without my knowledge, my Mom decided to clean out my old bedroom and moved several things to a storage shed in the back yard several months ago. Unfortunatly two of the items she moved were my CAR-15 and a GSG MP5. Both of them in heavy duty nylon cases, but because the shed is not enviromentally controlled my AR now has a good bit of rust on it. Primarily looks like on the A2 Post sight, muzzle break, peppered along the barrel, on the trigger, and etc.

What I want to do is remove the lower and set it as side, and take the barrel off of the upper, remove the carrier bolt assym. remove the delta ring assym. remove the A2 Post sight, remove the gas block and tube, remove the muzzle break. Then take all of those parts that have rust and place them in a pan filled with WD-40 Rust Removal Soak.

My question to all of you is, do you think or have experience using WD-40 Rust Removal Soak on a firearm? The barrel is chrome lined. I don't want to really damage the firearm anymore than it has already become. So I'm also looking for suggestions on other methods/solvents to use that are safe on an AR for removing rust. Please chime in with your ideas/thoughts/suggestions.

And for your viewing pleasure, here is what putting your cased AR in a shed for months would look like. :uzi: DIE COMMIE RUST!

(also I don't need any wisecrack comments about leaving some of my firearms at my parent's house. I have my reasons, you won't understand them, and I'm not going to explain myself. It is what it is, and now I'm just looking for some input on restoring.)

 

[onlymaroonmatters]

That's just sad. Poor evil black rifle. I'd break it all down. Soak the small parts. Send bigger stuff to be cerakoted. And or send smaller stuff with it and have him sandblast it and coat them too.

 

[Twang]

Hopefully @22lrfan will chime in. He has purchased some pawn shop finds (not necessarily AR's) that were in questionable cosmetic condition, and was able to make them look really good.

 

[Sum Gy Custom Firearms]

Try sum gy lube it woks good for rust removal

 

[DEADEYE 1]

I have had good luck with Flitz. Followed by a high quality lube later.

 

[Rw]

fine steel wool and light oil will take care of that. I have rescued much worse doing just this. That rust removal soak stuff will probably remove the rest of the finish on the metal .
Look at what i did here with just a wire brush on a grinder.
Ole rusty and crusty

 

[vr1967]

Soak your parts then use 0000 (4 ought) steel or brass wool lightly to help remove stubborn rust.

Not sure what finish is on your rifle, but I have been cleaning my antiques this way for years and have yet to ruin the finish. (My current oldest is an 1838 dated Springfield)

 

[Msgo76]

Eds red or macs red

 

[Henry Bowman]

Soak your parts then use 0000 (4 ought) steel or brass wool lightly to help remove stubborn rust.

Not sure what finish is on your rifle, but I have been cleaning my antiques this way for years and have yet to ruin the finish. (My current oldest is an 1838 dated Springfield)

Ditto on the 4 ought brass wool.

 

[Jarhead5811]

While I haven’t had anything nearly that bad, the few times I’ve dealt with a rusty weapon, I broke them down and soaked them with CLP and let them sit for a while before scrubbing them vigorously with a brush.

If you ever find yourself having to store a weapon in a less than ideal environment I’ve found that soaking them in CLP and placing them in a gun sock protects them pretty damn well.

 

[Henry Bowman]

I tear all my stuff down and soak it in a solvent tank. I use the "real" solvent not the PC biodegradable smells like roses but don't take **** off your parts stuff. I scrub with the brass wool and it works great. Blow off with an air hose, wipe down and lube.

 

[Chicknman]

You should consider trying to clean it without removing the front sight base unless you have experience removing one. Might be a pita

 

[Tuco]

I don't have any experience with an AR 15. I use WD-40 to try and remove a cannonball from a spiked tube one time. It did not work.

 

[22lrfan]

I usually use from 00 to 0000 steel wool or bronze wool, according to how bad it is, along with Balistol. Coat with Sum Gy Lube when finished.

 

[Redlick83]

Not for the future: Don’t store guns in cases long term. That’s what tends to happen.

My suggestion mirrors many of those above, steel or brass/bronze wool, oil (sum guy lube is good) and elbow grease.

 

[oO_Rogue_Oo]

Soaking in CLP could get costly; I'd take it down and soak in a tray of (1 gallon diesel, 1 quart motor oil). Just pick up a shallow plastic bin at Walmart that the upper/barrel will fit in and soak for a couple of days. Most of the rust should wipe away. Pitting will be another story but that will most likely be limited to the barrel / other steel parts.

EDIT: I've brought 1911s that were worse off than this back to life this way.

 

[rigrat]

Try sum gy lube it woks good for rust removal

Soak some brass wool in it and have at it.

 

[Chicknman]

Soaking in CLP could get costly; I'd take it down and soak in a tray of (1 gallon diesel, 1 quart motor oil). Just pick up a shallow plastic bin at Walmart that the upper/barrel will fit in and soak for a couple of days. Most of the rust should wipe away. Pitting will be another story but that will most likely be limited to the barrel / other steel parts.

EDIT: I've brought 1911s that were worse off than this back to life this way.

Steel diesel tanks never used to rust inside. With the fuel they make these days new equipment tanks will be flaking scale in 6 months.

 

[Redlick83]

Steel diesel tanks never used to rust inside. With the fuel they make these days new equipment tanks will be flaking scale in 6 months.

I’m sure it’s just because it’s more refined now. It used to be way cheaper than gas, so that's why they charge more for it now, right.

 

[Ellis93]

Steel diesel tanks never used to rust inside. With the fuel they make these days new equipment tanks will be flaking scale in 6 months.

No sulfur!