Thank God for Airweights...

[LBnM]

If you think there is a chance your gun will be exposed to sweat get the 642. I previously had a 642 that I replaced with a 442 because I prefered the black finish. I now wipe surface rust off the barrel and cylinder of the 442 everyday I carry it. I never had any problems with rust on the 642. I did have problems with the clear coat flaking off near the top of the grip, but no rust. So, if anyone has a nice 642 they want to swap for a 442 let me know.

I've carried a 442 for years (actually more than one) in all conditions - the worst being dunked when I turned a kayak over. I have never had any rust on mine. I have about 1500 rounds thru that one and it still looks good. I do wipe down whatever I carry about once a week, or more frequently if I've sweated bad that day. I think maybe you just got one from a bad batch. The Airweights are about the last gun in my safe I enjoy shooting (not my favorite handgun) but they sure carry well.

 

[ez bake]

I've carried a 442 for years (actually more than one) in all conditions - the worst being dunked when I turned a kayak over. I have never had any rust on mine. I have about 1500 rounds thru that one and it still looks good. I do wipe down whatever I carry about once a week, or more frequently if I've sweated bad that day. I think maybe you just got one from a bad batch. The Airweights are about the last gun in my safe I enjoy shooting (not my favorite handgun) but they sure carry well.

Actually, it depends a lot on the PH balance and chemical make-up of your sweat at the time its exposed to the gun - one man's sweat might be of no effect at all to the frame and/or steel, while another's might be extremely damaging to the same alloy/steel.

BTW, depending on your diet, health, and other factors, your sweat's chemical make-up can change without warning - hence the reason I've always been able to carry guns and sweat on them and as long as I wiped/oiled them with something good like CLP Break Free every month, I had no problem.

Then one day (after some pretty serious medical changes in my life), bam, my sweat ate the clear coat off of my 642.