[MikeyRizz]

So I was cleaning my guns today and noticed that there was a significant amount of surface rust on the slide of my p229 SSE. There is no rust on the frame, only on the slide. I have 4 other pistols that are stainless that are all stored in the same way. I keep my firearms well oiled and wipe the entire firearm with a little bit of oil after cleaning. I noticed a small amount of rust a few weeks ago so I bought a couple silicone rags and used those. Since then it seems that the rust has gotten worse.

Would you guys recommend contacting sig? Or is there something I'm doing wrong?

I've included some pictures

 

[BigBlockBobby]

I have had very good luck getting rust off of matte stainless guns with a stainless fine bristle brush and a very light touch with some spray conola oil.
BTW conola oil is something I picked up to use on blades so it is safe to eat with. It works VERY well to keep rust down.
https://www.samsclub.com/sams/cooking-spray-2-16onz/prod2540293.ip

 

[bblr]

Wow. I didn't think stainless steel was supposed to do that.

 

[bearone2]

you're in a moist environment, how old is the sse?

if you bought new, call sig.

bblr:
stainless will rust

 

[MikeyRizz]

Yes I purchased it new in November. It's very dry in Michigan in the winter months. Humidity in my house is at about 25%

 

[bearone2]

so this has developed since nov??

 

[MikeyRizz]

so this has developed since nov??

Probably more so over the last 3 months

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

This is not good.

First, a badly rusted stainless slide on a Legion, and now the corrosion on this SSE slide?!?!?!?!?

I wonder if SIG has gone to a less-expensive stainless steel to cut costs?!?

(smh)

 

[Mills]

This validates the Legion fiasco, or so it seems.

 

[LB001]

A number of years ago I bought a US Firearms single action handgun called the China Camp model. It was advertised as being made of "semi stainless" steel. After being handled for a while the finish looked just like your pistol. It turned out the gun was made of ordinary steel devoid of any protective finish. I don't think Sig would do something like that. I still have that gun, but wipe it down every time I handle it.

 

[sigke]

Stainless steel can certainly rust. And faster than you might think too.
I always make a point to keep my pistols wiped down.
Even my stainless knives that have a lot of chromium in them, Ill wipe them down too every once and a while.
The only metal I know that will not rust is H1.
(Spyderco Salt Series Knives)
Anything else can and will...

 

[hodge]

A number of years ago I bought a US Firearms single action handgun called the China Camp model. It was advertised as being made of "semi stainless" steel. After being handled for a while the finish looked just like your pistol. It turned out the gun was made of ordinary steel devoid of any protective finish. I don't think Sig would do something like that. I still have that gun, but wipe it down every time I handle it.

There are different grades of stainless. Most will corrode, given the right conditions.
Some stainless is magnetic. I just had stainless exhaust manifold bolts replaced on my truck, because they had corroded bad- to the point of breaking. They were stainless coated, not solid stainless.
I don't think that Sig is doing something nefarious. They look at more than just the material's ability to resist the elements. Ability to be machined, strength, brittleness, etc.

 

[bumper]

As Hodge says, there are many stainless alloys. This is a short easy read:

18-8 Stainless steel, 304, 316 Stainless Steel Corrosion

I haven't heard of stainless "layered" or coated exhaust pipes though. Chrome, for looks, but stainless? The cost to layer SS would be prohibitive and not obtain the value of other coatings such as ceramic (that actually helps conduct heat out of the engine compartment).

On their all stainless guns, SIG uses different SS alloys for slide and frame, as the differing harnesses of the steel help prevent stainless' propensity for galling. It is very important to keep all SIG slides lubed with grease.

 

[hodge]

As Hodge says, there are many stainless alloys. This is a short easy read:

18-8 Stainless steel, 304, 316 Stainless Steel Corrosion

I haven't heard of stainless "layered" or coated exhaust pipes though. Chrome, for looks, but stainless? The cost to layer SS would be prohibitive and not obtain the value of other coatings such as ceramic (that actually helps conduct heat out of the engine compartment).

On their all stainless guns, SIG uses different SS alloys for slide and frame, as the differing harnesses of the steel help prevent stainless' propensity for galling. It is very important to keep all SIG slides lubed with grease.

Stainless coated manifold bolts. The replacements were the same. Stainless, but carbon steel/highly magnetic.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140727802057?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Probably a good idea. If/when they need to be drilled out of the heads, carbon steel is easier to deal with than solid stainless. On my V10, 9 of the 20 had to be drilled and helicoiled.

 

[Redline727]

I had started to notice something similar on my very first pistol, it was an original S&W Sigma 9VE, I didn't know much about metal's back then or much about storing firearms. I lived in Southern NJ at the time on a lagoon right off the bay. It didn't take very long for the salt air to make short work of that slide. I tried cleaning as much off as I could. But ultimately sent it out to Bowie Tactical Concepts anyway and had the slide rounded, blasted and coated. I am sure low quality ss was used on that piece since it was a low cost polymer firearm for them. Since then I keep plenty of silicone cloths on hand, even though I now live in Central VA.

Being you have a Sig Elite I would give them a call and see what they say. I feel most manufacturers would turn this back on the owner for proper storage and maintenance. I would be curious to see what they do since I am new to Sig and just got a P320 and Legion. I am willing to bet at most they have you send it in for them to try and clean it.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Jedi5150]

It turned out the gun was made of ordinary steel devoid of any protective finish. I don't think Sig would do something like that.

I'm probably misreading you, but SIG don't put protective finishes on their stainless slides (as least the ones that don't look black). My Two-Tone P226 is just a bare stainless steel slide, no clear finish on it.


As for stainless (and carbon steel) rusting, I'm of the belief that some are just more prone to it than others. I've had Albion swords made of carbon steel that were rust free with nearly no maintenance, along with exposed metal portions of German carbon steel SIG's that never rusted. And on the flip side, I've had S&W "stainless" revolvers that rusted if I looked at them the wrong way, or other Albion carbon steel swords that were rust magnets. It would not surprise me in the least if even among the same model of pistol/ sword/ revolver, different batches of steel were more or less prone to rusting.

 

[Animal]

Dude, I live in MI as well and have no issues with rust. And, mine are stored in a basement safe, with desiccants for keeping the humidity off my guns.

How are you storing these guns? in the cases?

 

[MikeyRizz]

Dude, I live in MI as well and have no issues with rust. And, mine are stored in a basement safe, with desiccants for keeping the humidity off my guns.

How are you storing these guns? in the cases?

They're constantly rotated, they spend time in their cases as well as in my night stand and in my pelican case which fits 5 of them.

I have 5 stainless pistols and have never experienced this with any of them.

 

[colt1979]

I would see what SIG recommends.

 

[MikeyRizz]

They acknowledged that it is not normal, and recommended sending in the slide to get sand blasted.

I don't know of that will solve the problem however.