slowing down bluing degredation

[lonewolf_one]

I have a stoeger 12 ga. sxs that is a couple of years old. While giving it a thorough cleaning, I noticed that the bluing is either wearing off or defective in one area. It's more like a bunch of pinhead size dots than a solid wear spot. Anyway, from what I've read, it seems as though touchup won't match the original and it's way before being severe enough to blue the whole barrel. Can anything be done to slow the wear process?

[Dee]

Definitely! DO NOT USE THE GUN! Just put it up, and look at it once or twice a year, and only handle it when necessary. Well greased, and in an air-tight glass case would be best.

[gunnut69]

Sounds like rust freckling maybe caused by handling(salt and acid in the perspiration). Use OxphoBlue to touch up , just follow the directions. It'l match OK.. The use wax to coat the piece or a product called 'RustPreventIt'. This is a spray on form of wax that is quite durable..and still easy to remove.. It's what I use for my intermediate storage just now and it works very well indeed..

[Phoneman]

I have a stoeger condor and it started to rust along the rib first time I took it out. I'm very anal about oiling my guns after everytime i handle them. Not a very high grade of blue on these guns. Since it is a field gun I think there is some duracoat in the near future for it.

[The Gamemaster]

Regular automotive paste wax - such as Turtle Wax will protect your barrel.

It might streak or stain some, but it will not let it rust.

[Dee]

All said is true. Car wax is as good as anything and has been used for years. However, wear adds character. JMO

[lonewolf_one]

Thanks for the input folks. Dee, thanks for the laugh! It came at the end of a long, "nothing went right today", day. Right on time!

[mcwoodduck]

I use either Boesheild or Barrier.  Both are spray wax lubes that work very well to keep rust off the gun.  Boesheild is a product that was designed for the leading edges of planes to keep them from icing.  Hold up to water at jet speeds!  Works great you can get it at Boat/ US or at a county air port.  I talked  few guys into using boesheild here in CA and one afternoon we had shot over 100 rounds and a summer sun shower came up and my friend pointed out that we had shot all morning in the heat and the water from the rain was still beading up on the barrel. 
Barrier is what my local gun store carries and is good as a stop gap when I run out of Boesheild. 
I clean my guns and lube them then take a clean cloth and spray on some of either product and wipe the whole firearm down with it and put it away.  It makes the wood look great and will fill in any minor scratches.
The boesheild really shines in eastern NC at my fathers house where it is really humid and dad does not look at his guns till the morning he is headed out to the farm.

[STUMPJMPR]

Since I was a child i wiped my guns down with plain WD-40....My dad showed me this when i was young...He has several guns 40-50 years old that still looked almost brand new except for the occasional wear.  This was before a hurricane got them all....I know most people don't believe WD-40 is a good gun oil but it does keep them from rusting....Keep a rag sprayed with it and just wipe your guns down before you put them up....It helps alot

[oldandslow]

Wax is the way to go. Fingerprints will rust thru oil but they won't thru wax. It's all I've used for nearly forty years. If it didn't work I wouldn't still be using it.