Pitting on Lugers

[ViggoG]

Ted:

For most of my life I was a costal resident

in fact I was born and raised in the Hampton

Roads Va. area.

Never living more than one mile from a salt

water beach.

Far to many guns Long and Short were carried

to the beach for tin can plinking which was

also carried out on watercraft of all sizes

in spite of laws against the discharge of

these weapons over open water.


When I have seen guns with a fairly even

rusting of the outer surfaces it was almost

always one of these. Salt spray rusting is

almost always nearly impossible to prevent.


It seems that the salt invades and

mixes with most rust prevention coatings and

attacks the metal from within the coating

itself.


At NASA , We tested many types of oils

and grease based coatings for use at our

coastal launch facilities and as of my

retirement in "77" nothing was found that was

permanent not even the silicones .


I found a beautiful 1906 Eagle Luger

which I have had for 55 Years now, I would bet

that it had gone this path.


Now after careful polishing and reblueing

its only a very pretty "collectible shooter".

ViggoG


If the gun is mint inside and evenly pitted on the exposed surfaces I would bet on salt air.