Protecting interior rifle parts

[7STW]

I'm curious what our seasoned forum members have found and done regarding aftermarket/add on treatments for protecting the critical fire control parts of a typical rifle: trigger group and bolt spring/firing pin/hammer etc.

It strikes me that while the EXTERIOR parts of most rifles have many viable treatments/coatings that can eliminate or minimize rust and corrosion in Alaska, the smaller and more intricate parts that HAVE to work are left untouched or given short shrift.

We have thousands of years of in the field experience on this board...tell us what has worked...and what hasn't... on the interior metal parts.

[BrownBear]

I've been using LPS3 for years. So far so good, but I'm quick to do a full disassembly any time I've been plying the salt or get dowsed with rain. In the field for long periods, I'll at least hit all the openings with an excess of LPS3, then let them drain and dry. Not as good as disassembly, but better than not doing it.

Revolvers are much neglected by most owners, but if anything they get more abuse than rifles. I think it's important for owners to learn to break them open and maintain them. Stainless steel revolvers are NOT immune, because even if the stainless doesn't rust, lots of internal parts are not stainless. I have used RIG on revolver internals for close to 50 years. No reason to stop or to change horses.

[1Cor15:19]

I'm curious what our seasoned forum members have found and done regarding aftermarket/add on treatments for protecting the critical fire control parts of a typical rifle: trigger group and bolt spring/firing pin/hammer etc.

It strikes me that while the EXTERIOR parts of most rifles have many viable treatments/coatings that can eliminate or minimize rust and corrosion in Alaska, the smaller and more intricate parts that HAVE to work are left untouched or given short shrift.

We have thousands of years of in the field experience on this board...tell us what has worked...and what hasn't... on the interior metal parts.

As a kid we used some kind of 3-in-1 oil and got by somehow, though it gunks up stuff pretty easily and is minimal in protection. I have since discovered there are better products and stray away from "gun oil" in general. For enclosed triggers I use lighter fluid, specifically Ronsonol though others are probably as good, and nothing else. Everything else gets a light spray with Eezox and while I'm all ears for a better product or better regimen I've zero complaints with my present methods.

[ADfields]

After seeing Rancid Crabtree's tests and my own experience with it on my Hornady press I have converted to One Shot silicone spray . . . don’t have long term evidence yet but it is easy on, lubes the insides very well and is dry so shouldn’t make issues in the cold.

[PRDATR]

Eezox here too but nothing beats regular maintenance. If you are going on an extended hunt in crappy weather then do some maintenance before you go and when you return.

[Smitty of the North]

After seeing Rancid Crabtree's tests and my own experience with it on my Hornady press I have converted to One Shot silicone spray . . . don’t have long term evidence yet but it is easy on, lubes the insides very well and is dry so shouldn’t make issues in the cold.

Andy:
What about on a Rem. 700 Trigger? I had both my 700 triggers cleaned and adj by Stan Jackson a few years ago, and I have left them strictly alone since then.

Now the one on my 280 is givin be trouble. There is a slight short creep just before the trigger goes off. I dunno if it's effecting my shooting, but I can feel it every time.

Thanks
Smitty of the North

[rbuck351]

I clean my triggers every 15 or 20 years and oil them with whatever oil is handy ( 3n1, motor oil, gun oil, atf). Some don't get cleaned as much but none give any trouble so I don't think about it too much. Some get cleaned a little more often if I can spray them off from the outside with brake kleen, hose them off with air, oil them and hose them off with air again. Seems to work.

[Smitty of the North]

I clean my triggers every 15 or 20 years and oil them with whatever oil is handy ( 3n1, motor oil, gun oil, atf). Some don't get cleaned as much but none give any trouble so I don't think about it too much. Some get cleaned a little more often if I can spray them off from the outside with brake kleen, hose them off with air, oil them and hose them off with air again. Seems to work.

I thought that was a NO, NO, and caused the Remington 700 trigger problem you hear about.

SO, I didn't dare attempt to lub them.

Smitty of the North

[ADfields]

Andy:
What about on a Rem. 700 Trigger? I had both my 700 triggers cleaned and adj by Stan Jackson a few years ago, and I have left them strictly alone since then.

Now the one on my 280 is givin be trouble. There is a slight short creep just before the trigger goes off. I dunno if it's effecting my shooting, but I can feel it every time.

Thanks
Smitty of the North

yup I spray it inside Remington 700 triggers, used to use wax if apart or Rem-oil spray through the viewing window. Without anything the sear surfaces will rust in time. The Remington trigger issue comes from adjusting the pull lighter and can affect all Mauser type bolt actions. What happens is the heavy spring in the bolt overpowers the tiny trigger spring and pushes by . . . Or (with a trigger block safety) was mostley let by with safty stoping it and when you take it off safe boom. Oil could make the issue worse but it's the trigger haveing too little engagement and holding ability that is the trouble, at 4+ pounds or so they are fine but so many want a 2lb pull.

[rbuck351]

Well Smitty, I do all kinds of things that some consider No Nos but most of the time I seem to get away with it. Non lubed moving metal parts bother me. After oiling a trigger I use high pressure air to blow off all the oil I can. That leaves a very thin coat of oil which is all I want. I did have a problem with one of my 700 Rems once. It got dirt in it and would go off when letting of the safety. Hosed it down with Brake Kleen, oiled it and blew it off with air and it has worked ok since. Come to think of it, that has been about twenty years ago and it's probably time for a cleaning again. All this trigger cleaning has just got to stop.roud:

[FullCryHounds]

I sent several guns to a guy in Utah about 15 years ago and had him Teflon coat them. He disassembles the gun entirely, spray coats each part, bakes them at 600 degrees then reassembles. He can't do scopes because of the rubber seals. I use my .338 every year, leave it out in the weather and it still looks as it did when I got it back 15 years ago. Zero rust. By far the best thing I've ever done for my guns. The company is called Black Ice Coating. Any gun that is used outdoors should have this done IMO.

[stevelyn]

Eezox here too but nothing beats regular maintenance. If you are going on an extended hunt in crappy weather then do some maintenance before you go and when you return.

Marching in Uncle's legions back in the day taught me there is no excuse for neglecting a firearm in the field. Field cleaning kits are light enough and small enough to keep in a daypack as part of your basic gear.

[Smitty of the North]

yup I spray it inside Remington 700 triggers, used to use wax if apart or Rem-oil spray through the viewing window. Without anything the sear surfaces will rust in time. The Remington trigger issue comes from adjusting the pull lighter and can affect all Mauser type bolt actions. What happens is the heavy spring in the bolt overpowers the tiny trigger spring and pushes by . . . Or (with a trigger block safety) was mostley let by with safty stoping it and when you take it off safe boom. Oil could make the issue worse but it's the trigger haveing too little engagement and holding ability that is the trouble, at 4+ pounds or so they are fine but so many want a 2lb pull.

Theories abound, about the Remington Trigger.

Some say the problem is the design, 2 piece, when it could have been 1 piece, and there are a couple of fixes.

When I researched the issue a few years ago, the consensus seemed to be that the problem was mostly caused by people lubing them, and even with something like WD40, which is how, I got the impression I should NOT LUBE them, and that cleaning them should be done by taking them apart first, which I'm not about to do.

Stan Jackson would not adjust a Remington 700 trigger, but he would "Clean and Adjust" them. Mine are spose to be 3.5 lbs.

After Market triggers are popular for the 700s, too.

Smitty of the North

[Smitty of the North]

Well Smitty, I do all kinds of things that some consider No Nos but most of the time I seem to get away with it. Non lubed moving metal parts bother me. After oiling a trigger I use high pressure air to blow off all the oil I can. That leaves a very thin coat of oil which is all I want. I did have a problem with one of my 700 Rems once. It got dirt in it and would go off when letting of the safety. Hosed it down with Brake Kleen, oiled it and blew it off with air and it has worked ok since. Come to think of it, that has been about twenty years ago and it's probably time for a cleaning again. All this trigger cleaning has just got to stop.roud:

I just mentioned in my post to Andy, why I thought that I shouldn't lube my 700 triggers.

I assume that Stan lubed the trigger when he had it apart to clean. I had lubed the one, for years, and never had a problem, but then the pull was at least 5 lbs. I even adjusted it, but only the pull weight.

The other gave me trouble, and when I had that one done, I just had the first one done to for the same pull. And since, I've had them all made the same.

I've only carried the 280 for one hunting year since, and I can't imagine that it would get dirt or rust in the trigger housing, but ????. I guess, I could spray it out with Brake Cleaner, spray lube it, and blow it out all from the outside, and see if it solves the problem.

Thanks
Smitty of the North

[ADfields]

After Market triggers are popular for the 700s, too.

Smitty of the North

They sure are. I placed my biggest order with Timney ever today just shy of $1000 worth of triggers and all but one for Remingtons.