I take care of my firearms. I am not OCD but maybe OCD adjacent so to speak. As such I’ve always wiped my firearms down after use/handling/carry etc. and that extends to alloy guns such as SIG. Now obviously polymer guns are not going to corrode in any way from handling. (I know they will outgas over time etc. but I am speaking purely from handling/sweat/our oils etc.).

Do anodized alloy frames exhibit any likely corrosion from handling such as surface rust etc. like steel can take on or does the stainless nature of aluminum combined with the anodizing make them impervious to normal handling. I am talking about normal carry, picking up, holding etc. not leaving out in the elements or damage from rings or incidental contact.

I’ve always wondered if I actually needed to wipe down alloy frames like I would steel. All my firearms, even the more heavily used ones are in fantastic shape so I must be doing something right but I’ve always wondered about handling alloys. I mean I guess I’ve handled alloy flashlights my whole life without a thought and never had an issue so that’s probably my answer. .

I’ve thought about this from time to time over the years and it just popped back into my head so I figured I’d ask.


Take care, shoot safe
Chris

It can, and will, rust, if not taken care of. Let's say, you have sweaty hands. Your "normal" handling will accelerate the process, if you keep neglecting to wipe it down.

I assume by “alloy” you are referring to the aluminum alloy frames that some guns have like most Classic line SIG pistols, and not the steel of their slides and other parts, which is also an alloy.

If so, how does an aluminum alloy frame rust? Develop corrosion under some circumstances, perhaps, but rust? According to the only definitions I have found of the word, “rust” refers only to oxidation of iron or its alloys—no?

I live in a high, dry climate, so my aluminum alloy parts are not challenged as much as If I were on the seacoast, but I have never seen those parts develop corrosion regardless of how they were handled. I do not normally protect them with any sort of antirust preservative—or even wipe them down with any sort of regularity.

Thanks folks, and yes I do not mean any of the steel parts (Slide/controls/sights etc. Just the alloy(aluminum) frames.

The anodize will corrode, but it's more likely that wear spots will expose AL, those spots can oxidize, but it's not "rust."

AL and anodize aren't "stainless," Stainless steel has a high nickel and chromium content. AL and the coating, are non-ferrous but not "stainless."

AL "rust" looks like a white fuzz/powder.

Do you need to wipe it down from hand sweat etc?
Not really, unless you have corrosive sweat, some do.

Is it easier to take care of than blued steal? Generally yes.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
The anodize will corrode, but it's more likely that wear spots will expose AL, those spots can oxidize, but it's not "rust."

This.

And note, in my younger, less OCD, years, I've managed to neglect stainless steel firearms components such that actual rust spots manifested. Not all stainless steel is created equal.

Anodizing oxidizes the aluminum to a stable corrosion resistant oxide versus the typical white corrosion. It is going to be pretty resistant to corrosion, so normal cleaning should suffice.

Stainless steel comes in many alloys. The ones that are most resistant to corrosion are also the softest, least weldable, and non-hardenable. Adding other metals to the allow increases hardness and strength and the expense of corrosion resistance. But that includes the stainless alloys used in gun slides, frames, and barrels.

Biggest problem is slide to frame wear if you don't keep guide rails greased, chipping is next (bad if you drop the pistol), last is corrosion- wipe the pistol with a silicon cloth.

Anodizing was the best available technology for coating aluminum at the time. Current pistols use better thinner coatings.