So I messed up. I ended up moving and not being able to keep my rifle safe in the house for now. So they have been livig out in the garage. I've been to busy with a new job to check on them.

Last night I dug my safe out of the crap and found that all of my guns have a layer of rust on them. It varies from a sort of fine powdery looking light rust to spots of the coarse darker red rust splotches.

I've never let this kind of damage happen to any of my guns before and I don't know he proper way to fix it, so I figured one of my stops in trying to learn how to fix it would be you guys.

What is the best way of going about cleaning the rust off and protecting the metal from this happening again?

I would really appreciate the help in fixing my stupid mistake. Thanks

What guns? Pics?

Put any kind of gun oil on them, even WD-40, ASAP. Get a can of Kroil. Use it on a cloth, a toothbrush or #0000 steel wool depending on the type of finish on the gun. For bright and satin blue, use the cloth or steel wool. For matte blue/Parkerizing, use the toothbrush. On the steel wool, keep it wet and use minimum pressure. It is going to take time, and where you have flaking rust, there will be pitting.

Hopefully these pictures show up.

WA state. Yep.

Stop the rust NOW. Any of the top oils Eezox, CorrosionX or the like with a brush and super fine brass wool (not steel wool). Get them dry ASAP. Wipe and repeat. You are doing this step to prevent any (more) pitting.

The blue looks toast. Not sure where you are, but you can get ahold of TinCanBandit. His rebluing is pro. He puts on clinics.

Join Seatleguns.net and Waguns.org and see his work. He even posts on THR.

They are dry and warm now. I'm wiping them down with a rag and some WD-40 right now since it's all I've got. I'll have to pick up the rest after work Monday.

The 30-30 in the pics was my grandfathers, that man was a wizard with cleaning and repairing guns. Hopefully I can repair it to the point he had it.

Once you get the rust off, here's the real stuff.....lasts for decades.  A quart will last you a lifetime.  Been used since WWII.  You want the 342 version.  I'll post some pics of my heirloom rifles I coated back in '97.
Cosmoline 342 Rust Veto

Have a pistol that rusts when I think about rain.

Still goes bang every time I pull the trigger.

Light film of rust might wipe off.

Darker spots are going to pit.  Only way to stop it is aggressive removal.  Last time I used a bronze brush and Hoppes 9 copper solvent.  Didn't scratch the bluing, but the pitting was pretty deep.

Don't get too aggressive, you can do more damage than the initial rust.

Marick; you are going to see pitting. What's done is done.

Here's what I use for an all around cleaner pad.......safe on blueing.