Flooded Guns

[Ellis1958]

I've been tasked to deal with some firearms that were flooded. I'm no gunsmith.

- The owner has no emotional attachment to them. Think of them as just tools.
- They are not of upper quality.
- They are seriously trashed. One was in a leather holster that spent 10 days soaked after the water receded. You can guess the level of rust.

So what are the options to dispose of these arms? I should know this but I'm drawing a blank.

 

[pyreaux]

Wait for a gun buyback and get some money for them if all you want to do is get rid of them.

 

[notasheeple]

I had guns underwater for weeks in Katrina.

After long soaks in WD40, some of the shotguns just needed new barrels.
The receivers were in decent, not pretty, shape.

For some that were family guns, I soaked the clumps of rust in WD40. After cleaning up I just framed them.

What you can do depends on the guns you have and what your intentions are.

 

[DBMJR1]

First thing first.

Get them all soaking in a mix of mineral spirits and ATF fluid.

After you clean them, you'd be surprised at how tough guns really are.

Somebody will want them, if only for a project. I've restored several Katrina guns that are great shooters, but cosmetically of no value.

 

[Ellis1958]

Thanks for the replies. Gives me something to work with.

Got an offer or two to take them as is. Also can at least give it a try of soaking the rust off then then maybe some spray and bake coating. I'll see what the owner wants to do.

 

[Abby Normal]

If any are Rugers, call them. After Katrina a coworker from St Bernard sent his back. When it came back he said it looked new. no Charge. He had a S&W and they told him to trash the gun don't even try to fix it.

 

[LACamper]

I had guns underwater for weeks in Katrina.

After long soaks in WD40, some of the shotguns just needed new barrels.
The receivers were in decent, not pretty, shape.

For some that were family guns, I soaked the clumps of rust in WD40. After cleaning up I just framed them.

What you can do depends on the guns you have and what your intentions are.

I used breakfree and had good success. I left them soaking for about a week...

 

[kz45]

I would think diesel fuel would work too


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[rcm192]

Motor oil too.

 

[340six]

If any are Rugers, call them. After Katrina a coworker from St Bernard sent his back. When it came back he said it looked new. no Charge. He had a S&W and they told him to trash the gun don't even try to fix it.

I had a 29 classic under my water bed i forgot about, as we cut the carpet around the base. When we found it it cleaned up well but the finish was shot. Needed a simple Re-Blue. Did not want to- ship if could use a local Big Mistake! Asked around about a local and was told use 10-8! As they had a guy who they used who did great work!!!!!!!!! They gave me a price on re-blue as that was that was need. The old formula CLP works and other than some minor finish it was was mint. No pitting at all on outside as well. Even the springs were 100% but were swapped. They gave me a price and i never used S&W as the 10-8 price was inline with S&W. Note} S&W wanted pics and after they got pics that they would do it. But I used 10-8, as not to ship. And Morey swears by the work being better.
After a week 10-8 calls and says it is done, But tells me it was twice as much $ as quoted! Pay 2 tomes as much as i was originay told or they would sell it.
I could have gotten it done 2 times at what they charged and they work was not so good.

Only other one that was damaged was I had a Colt 1911 slide off the gun in a case that roof leaked on. So needed Re-Blue Sent it in was $80 bucks round trip! Very nice work!! And they even gave a free front white dot sight, and mint used {so they said) white outline blade on the rear adjustable sight.

For $80.00 with 1st day ship there and back Ruger rebuilt 100% a Bearcat that was a theft recovery! It was Light Rusted and Beat up bad. It was a gun that dad took all the kids to learn to shoot with. And dad is no longer with us. So I wanted it done at any cost. The old Ruger looks better than new. It was rusted, and needed some parts swapped after it was apparently Mexican carried plenty. Every one who see's it now says how nice it looks. Ruger was a class act. Smooth light trigger like it had before

 

[sksshooter]

I had about a dozen long guns that were under for 2 days i got to them on the third day. The rust was minor mainly just light surface rust so i soaked them all down with oil and started cleaning them. Very little permenant damage. Had an h&r stock that was messed up a little and 2 x .22 crickets that had a couple of small blemishes in the finishes.

 

[hunter5567]

I had a new Henry Big Boy Steel 357 Carbine and a new S&W Shield 9mm pistol at a gunshop in Denham Springs that was flooded. I still haven't gotten my guns back from them. I contacted Henry about possibly redoing the rifle once I got it back and Henry sent me a brand new rifle. S&W told me tough luck on the Shield. I'm waiting patiently to get my flooded guns back from the gunshop since the owner got some water in his house and his son had 7 ft of water in his house. Anyways, it has been 5 weeks since the flood. I may give them another week to contact me about my guns or I guess I'll have to send the Sheriff over to get them for me.

 

[Abby Normal]

That's what I expected from Ruger. There are great comments on the Ruger forum about their customer service. Good to hear that Henry steeped up as well. S&W on the other hand is again disappointing.
If I ever have to choose between a S&W and a Ruger, this shows it's no chose for me. Ruger all the way.

 

[JBP55]

Today I found a spare bag filled with loaded Glock 17 and VP9 magazines that were in the flood water 5 weeks ago. Manually unloading the magazines all the Glock magazines worked like new and all the VP9 magazines malfunctioned. After cleaning and lubricating they will all be range only magazines. I gave all the ammunition to someone that reloads.

 

[charlie12]

Today I found a spare bag filled with loaded Glock 17 and VP9 magazines that were in the flood water 5 weeks ago. Manually unloading the magazines all the Glock magazines worked like new and all the VP9 magazines malfunctioned. After cleaning and lubricating they will all be range only magazines. I gave all the ammunition to someone that reloads.

You're back. I've been asking Marliam about you since the flood. He said you got it pretty bad. I had started a thread on here wondering where you were. I guess the I-12 dam was not a friend of yours.

 

[JBP55]

You're back. I've been asking Marliam about you since the flood. He said you got it pretty bad. I had started a thread on here wondering where you were. I guess the I-12 dam was not a friend of yours.

Back occasionally, as I have not replaced my computer yet. You and Marliam are both correct, I lost almost everything and I did not have any flood insurance.