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Posted: 3/17/2009 2:23:47 AM EDT
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Guys I am trying to figure this out. I have a kit upper that I put together. When I look at the front sight where it meets the barrel I can see a faint red line. It almost looks like rust. I took some brake clean and a soft toothbrush and tried to scrub it out. For the most part it worked. Late last night I checked it again and it looks like its back. I dont want to take it off to check, but what I want to know is it common for the kit makers to put some kind of grease or assembly lube on these? I am wondering if it is a grease or anti seize that is leaching out and thats what I am actually seeing. If it helps it is a Sherluk kit. Also does anyone know who makes their barrels? If I have to I will take off the front post to check but I didnt want to fool with have to take off the flash hider and everything if it was some assembly lube.
Thanks everyone, Will |
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It could very well be rust. I know of no requirement to put lube or grease under the FSB before assembly.
If it concerns you, you could pull the FSB, clean up the rust on the barrel and FSB, coat the barrel with dry-film lube, a light coat of CLP, then reassemble. |
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To remove the front sight base, you just need to tap the pins out from the left side of the rifle right?
Then the gas tube and everything will just pull out? Do you know if the front sight base will slide over the flash hider or will that need to be removed? Thanks Will |
| Pull the hider. Pop the pins out. Tap the fsb assembly forward and off. That simple. The hider should not require much force to remove. I think its a 3/4" wrench. Or even better use a GI combo wrench on it. A cheap and handy tool to have if you do builds. As others have suggested use CLP or something similar to remove the surface rust or whatever it is. If it turns out to be rust steer clear of Sherluk in the future. Other than perhaps some retro stuff I would not consider them. Bad rep for the most part. |
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Other than this problem I cannot say anything bad about the rifle. It shoots great, and has had zero problems since I put it together. I just dont want to let this go to the point of pitting the metal. I take very good care of my rifles, so when I see something like this it drives me nuts. I will try to post some pics when I get home. But Im not sure it would show up very well.
Thanks for all the help, Will |
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Quoted:
It could very well be rust. I know of no requirement to put lube or grease under the FSB before assembly. The trick is that only a few top end manufacturors parkerize the barrel before pinning the FSB. Colt does, Sabre does a light park under the FSB, and I'm sure Noveske does too. Even LMT does NOT do this. I can't remember if Bushmaster does or not. It's just another example of why you do get what you pay for when you buy a COLT. (Edit: For what it's worth, I'd ignore it. You'll likely wear out the barrel before the rust will ever become an issue. In order to park these bare metal rings, you have to repark the whole barrel.) |
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It looks exactly like that. I cant figure out why the brake clean cleaned it up for a while anyway. Almost like it was some kind of grease and then when I put oil back on it came back, like the oil partially broke down the grease and it ran out.???
Hmm, I think I will just have to take the fsb off and look tonight. Thanks Will |
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Quoted:
It looks exactly like that. I cant figure out why the brake clean cleaned it up for a while anyway. Almost like it was some kind of grease and then when I put oil back on it came back, like the oil partially broke down the grease and it ran out.??? Hmm, I think I will just have to take the fsb off and look tonight. Thanks Will You can take the FSB off if you want, but I don't think it's necessary, as others have suggested, this small amount of corrosion is harmless. |
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I am starting to lean toward not taking it off. I have some blue wonder bore cleaner which will also remove rust. I think I will scrub it will that tonight and get some model paint to match the barrel and put a light ring around where the ring and the barrel meet. I will tape it off to only get the paint into the crack. Then that should keep the rust from creeping back out. I thought about taking off the fsb and cold bluing under it. But I would have to have a way to rub some oil in every now and then so I think that would be no good.
The paint seems to be the easiest way. Thanks Will |
| Don't worry about it. The parkerizing process involves water, and some of it seeped between the base and the sight. Its partly rust, and partly chemicals from the parkerizing process that did not get cleaned off. Flush it with WD40 (water displacement), and then oil it heavily and forget about it. Taking the front sight off is more trouble than its worth. And don't seal it in with paint. Oil is a good product. |
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I may try that blue wonder and a soft brush. This happened a long time ago with the same rifle. When I heavily oiled the base and stood the rifle up, some light red came out the other side of the base. Thats what made me wonder if it was some kind of lube. I just hate seeing the rust. I am very anal about my rifles. Funny thing that I dont understand is the m1 garand has a similar set up with the way the port design is on it and the way it mates up to the gas cylinder. Both of them have never had any rust on them, and I check every so often but very rarely clean them. Go figure.
Thanks Will |
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I have parkerized things. The solution or the bath is the color of rust, sometimes. It depends on the chemicals and the kind of iron or steel.
Soak it in a low-viscosity oil and then a heavier oil. Compressed air? Its OK. The Garand parts are assembled after finishing. Oil is really a wonderful product. Even a cheap 10-30 oil is good - these are non-moving parts. There is no substitute for oil. Thank the dinosaurs. |
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I was just thinking about where the m1 is raw in the "window" area. I just think its funny how it doesnt have the same problem, or that Ive seen anyway. Does synthetic oil work the same way on the rust as normal oil.. I have some left over from the oil change on my truck.
Thnaks for the help, Will |
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