Unfortunatley, I left my LC smith in its case longer than I like. I made sure it was dry and put it in a Cabelas gun sock before casing it. Ended up being cased for about 2 weeks. When I pulled it out it looked like it might have some surface rust starting to form. It is very, very light if it is rust. What's the best way to polish the blue just in case? I've heard stories of fine steel wool with gun oil but wanted some opinions before I touch anything.

A soft oily cloth should move most of it.
Fine wire wool, some say to use it dry as it's been said the rust and oil mixed is supposed to be more abrasive than the wire wool. I'm not convinced though and have used it carefully with oil and had no problems. If there's no stubborn bits after a good buff with an oily cloth it shouldn't be an issue.

Steel wool with oil is fine but I suggest you buy some bronze wool in fine grade for such jobs. Much softer and less danger of harming finishes. Found at woodworking sites.

I'm not an expert but the issues is with rust itself.
Rust is actually a mixture of various iron compounds, some of whic are harder than steel on scales such as Mohs.
Rust can therefore scratch steel if rubbed around as an slurry.
It is known to wear steel cutting tools aggressively.
Better in general to remove it frequently however you're cleaning it.

Jeremy

That's why when I get home I blast it down with WD40. Then wipe that off with an oily cloth. All the time its raining or snowing.

Frontier pads with some oil, works great!

Did you wipe your LC Smith down with an oily rag before you cased it?. I've had to leave guns in soft and hard cases for quite a while at times but have had no trouble as they are always wiped down. Ounce of prevention and all that.

Frontier pads. +1

SRH

Yes. Even when I case them I oil them and always run a bore snake through them at the very least, after hunting them.

I don't see any visible rust, but it looks like there are a bunch of incredibly tiny pits. I'm going to look over it again with a fine tooth come when I get home. It honestly might just be me freaking out.

Wipe a clean, dry white cloth up and down the barrels. It it's rust you know what it will look like.

John Roberts and his son were here to shoot doves with me several years go and I pulled out the little SKB 200E 20 ga. to show him. It had a very fine coating of surface rust all over it!!! I was so embarrassed. It cleaned up perfectly and I do not believe anyone would ever know it happened ....... but I caught it very early.

After the fact.



SRH

A reliable method for removing light surface rust from blued barrels, used by English gun trade is to coat the barrels with a light oil, then using chalk sticks [as used on a black board]
scrub the barrels with the chalk sticks, the rust is easily removed without damaging the blued finish.
This method can also be used to brighten the finish on Damascus barrels that have over time developed a dull surface finish.