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Kimber Desert Warrior (barrel Rust?)

7K views 18 replies 5 participants last post by  Plinio 
#1 ·
I am new to this forum so I hope I am posting this question in the right place.

I have a problem with my Kimber Desert Warrior. Many months ago the gun got wet and I did not know about it (a pipe broke downstairs while I was away.) The barrel had rusted and kimber was kind enough to do something with it, don't know exactly what they did, but when they sent it back to me the rust was gone. They send it back with a stern note telling me not to bother them with this again.

After I got it back I was careful with it. Kept it in dry conditions, oiled, etc. Neverthelelss, it has developed some kind of darker half ring close to the end of the barrel. I did a web site search and it looks like some people have complained about the barrels on these guns rusting for no reason. I find it hard to believe. I have had many guns before and this has never happened to me. I keep all my guns, including this one, reasonably clean and oiled.

I spent a couple of hours working on that spot with gun oil, a bore brush and fine steel wool. It has almost disappeared but I cannot stop thinking that this could happen again.

Do you guys know where I can send this barrel to have it refinished, coated or something so this doesn't happen again? Any idea of the cost? I really like this gun, but the barrel seems oversensitive to rust IMO...
 
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#4 ·
Is the "dark ring" you describe in the inside or the outside of the barrel?
Are you sure it's from corrosion and not use?

A simple hard chrome plating of the barrel should take care of any corrosion sensitivity. To give you an idea of cost, Robar out here in Phoenix charges $35 to do a barrel in hard chrome and $50 to do a high-tech NP3 or Rogard coating. If you ship just a barrel, there's no major expense involved.

If you're in central CT, you might call or drop by JoJo's Gun Works in Southington. They're quite knowledgeable about 1911s and can advise you well.
 
#6 ·
Well, it's possible to chrome plate the inside bore but, it's usually and typically not done.
Chrome won't throw down into the bore of the barrel unless the barrel is specially jigged with an internal anode.
Electro-less NICKEL would be a better option since it molecularly bonds and coats all of the metal internally and externally and that would rust proof the entire barrel.
 
#7 ·
the ring was outside the barrel, close to the point where the bullet exits. I can't say i am sure it was rust but it had to be something other than regular fouling because I had to rub it hard for a couple of hours to get almost get rid of it.
 
#9 ·
sounds good. Does robar apply the finish to the outside and inside of the barrel or just the outside. The inside looks like glass, very nice (but I don't know if the outside has problems if this means the inside will also develop problems as well. it seems to me like the inside of the barrel has a different finish, harder, more resistant.)
 
#11 ·
Robar only does the outside of the barrel.

Not sure about a different finish on the inside of most barrels; some (esp. military) are chrome plated for wear and corrosion resistance, but allowances are made during initial manufacture for the thickness of the chrome (i.e., plating after the fact takes special consideration and measurements). But sending jacketed and/or lead bullets down a bore using modern primers and powder is rarely an invitation to corrosion.

Can you show us a picture of the dark ring on your barrel that's causing you consternation?
 
#10 ·
If you're just worried bout minor rust starting again on bare steel then you could just buy a small bottle of OXPHO-BLUE from Brownell's.
Cold blue the barrel with OXPHO-BLUE....then fine steel wool the barrel hard....repeat....do that a few times and then warm the barrel up a bit and wet it down with BreakFree CLP or WeaponShield and let it stay wet with either of those two overnight.

That should keep it from ever rusting back up as long as you're doing routine maintenance on your firearm.

You can do that at home for only a few bucks. :yup:

If you're going to spend 50 or 75 dollars on having that factory barrel plated then you might as well just spend a few dollars more and buy an aftermarket Stainless steel drop in barrel.
 
#16 ·
"Here ya go. Black Nitride: Black nitrade / melonite review of the guns i have had done "

sounds like a great suggestion but I went to the website and they only do this process on guns that have been shot very little. My guns is fairly new but I've already shot about 500-600 rds through it so they do not recommend this.
 
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