I've tried just about everything to keep my musket from rusting, I wear gloves when I clean it to keep my skin oil off and I put gun oil all over it, yet it still seems to rust sometimes, is there anything I can do to prevent or even stop rusting?
__________________ "Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees."
First how are you storing it, if you are storing it in any kind of bag that is a big part of your problem. She needs to breath. When you put up your musket after oiling it how much oil is evident on the barrel, you should be able to see it but it shouldn't be running off it. If you wipe it down too well you remove all the oil and might as wll not have oiled her at all.
I wrote this a while back for the benefit of some of our new unit members; it might help.
The proper care and feeding of a Civil War Reproduction Rifle Musket
Shane Christen
I have recently been asked repeatedly how to properly clean a rifle after use in a Living History or re-enactment. My instructions are as follows.
In the field there are two ways you can go about cleaning the black powder fouling out of your weapon.
1. Take a dipper and fill w/ water, then place said dipper over fire until it is hot... hotter the better. Pour scalding water down the barrel, the inside of the barrel being the preferred locale. It is suggested that you do this w/ the weapon leaning against a tree or cracker box so your hands don't get burned by either the water or the soon to be quite warm barrel. Repeat the process until water runs clean out of the nipple. Then using dry patches on your ramrod proceed to wipe the barrel clean. Once this is accomplished make certain that your weapon is dry, inside and out.
2. If you have a brass brush and mop use the brush to loosen and get the majority of fouling out of your barrel then use the mop to clean out the barrel... NOTE: DO NOT CONFUSE POWDER WATER W/ COFFEE. It's been done, and while quite amusing to watch... can be detrimental to the health if the victim of the prank lacks a sense of humor. Use dry patches to dry the barrel and remember to wipe down the weapon.
When you get home it’s time to break out the toolbox as it's time for a thorough cleaning. Break down the weapon to it's component parts (remove the bands, barrel, butt plate trigger guard, ramrod, lock etc I do mean broken down) and lay them out on a table... preferably on top of white newsprint so the wife doesn't have to ask why you got oil all over her kitchen table. Trust me guys, use the newsprint and don’t look twice at the bathroom towels either. As you break down the weapon wipe down each metal item w/ an oil cloth. Take the barrel to the bathroom, remove the toilet tank cover and set the barrel into the tank breach first. Take your ramrod or a cleaning rod and attach a mop, soak the mop in Hoppes Black Powder solvent or an equivalent and start swabbing out the barrel, if done properly there should be some good suction action going on. Repeat the process until the barrel is clean. Don't forget to check the ceiling height in the bathroom or you’ll end up telling your wife you were probing for electrical wiring. Don't do this part when the wife is home... trust me. After cleaning and drying the inside of the barrel; coat the barrel with Hoppes lubricant. Make certain to wipe excess water from the floor and put the dirty towels into the laundry ASAP... ideally before the wife returns and asks what in the hell you've done to her nice towels.
If the weapon is in need of polish, ash and spit work well. But in an effort to keep the wife from asking what you're doing w/ ash in her living room use Never Dull to polish the metal surfaces. Never Dull works well and you can work while watching a football game.
Take a bit of linseed oil, enough to fill your hand and wipe down the stock, pay particular attention to nicks and dings as the linseed oil will help protect the stock. Once the oil is dry it’s a good idea to run a cloth over the stock to pick up excess oil. I do this at least once per season, though I know others who do so after every event.
Now it's time to start putting the beautiful piece of art back together. I usually soak a patch w/ gun oil and lightly coat each screw and band prior to putting her back together. When I get to the lock I drop just three drops of sewing machine oil on the moving parts to keep them lubricated. Don’t go crazy with oil in the workings of the lock or you’ll end up with a mess.
Once your lovely weapon has been put all back together I suggest wiping down the whole thing with a silicone impregnated cloth. If you have a leather sling I suggest you rub that down with good boot oil. Do this at least once per season or you’ll significantly shorten the life of the sling.
Store her either in a gunsafe, guncabinet or a closet. Don't store in a cloth or plastic guncase as that encourages rust, you want her to be able to breath.
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
Wow Shane!
I've been working with these smoke poles for a few years and that is the first time I ever heard of utilizing the toilet tank! Buckets of water, yes but never the toilet tank! (my wife would kill me)
But anyway I've always used just plain hot soapy water, a good 12 Ga. bore brush, hoppes #9 plus and some elbow grease. But don't let your rifle set around all afternoon before you decide to clean it.
Right before the begining of the season and at the end of the season before putting the muskets back up on the wall I always dismount the barrels and paint the bare wood with a coat of bees wax and bear oil. some folks call it bearswax? and then put a coat of grease on the bottom of the barrel and remount it. this keeps you from having a nasty orange surprise at some point. I also do a little lock maintenance at this time too.
I have found, and it is a period correct proceedure for weapons maintenance to wipe you musket down after cleaning and every evening at events with a little bit of sweet or olive oil. This has usually always taken care of the rusting problems for me. I wouldn't get to crazy with the linseed oil either remember the stocks did not have that high sheen polished finish that weapons do now days. Keep an small oily rag in you kit somewhere and keep you rifle wiped down and you shouldn't have the rust problem. Oh yea, and don't lay your weapon on the bare ground at night or outside uncovered unless it is in a stack. Put it under the blanket with you
Just my two cents worth
__________________ Sammy D Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
I cannot believe I am about to forward this to Mr. Brown.
Thankfully, he has his own bathroom, and is responsible for its cleaning and care!
Next you're going to tell us that you NEVER peek in there to see that he's discharging his "responsibility" to your standards. Heeeheee. Ole :-)
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Next you're going to tell us that you NEVER peek in there to see that he's discharging his "responsibility" to your standards. Heeeheee. Ole :-)
ole, after 20+ years of marriage I have figured something out. Whether the bathroom is spotless or not is not the most important thing in life. If he can handle his sink being dirty, who am I to argue with him?
__________________ 4th Alabama Infantry, Co. F., Law's Brigade and 79th New York "Highlanders"
What Johan Steele says except for one thing. Instead of applying oil, apply Rennaisance Wax. It's a PH neutral wax developed by the British Museum and is used to preserve wood, leather and metal. Then again, if it's a shooting iron, follow what Comrade Steele says. BTW, if it's only shot during a "season," then use Rig Gun Grease after the final cleaning. It's cheaper than Rennaisance Wax.
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Rusting Musket 
Toilet tank? 
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