Long term gun storage

[jednorris]

I recently purchased an older B.P.C.R. Rifle that came like new in the box with papers. I would like to put it away in my safe for storage but unfortunately my gun safe is in the garage and not temperature controlled. I am wondering if there is a company that manufactures a big airtight zip lock type bag that I could place the whole gun and the box, inside.

[Jeff R]

Hi,
I would slip the whole box into a custom Foodsaver bag and vacumn seal the whole thing.
Jeff

[Hossfly]

LPS-3 would be good to cover with it leaves a waxy seal on metal and protects from rust, kinda like cosmoline, but easier to get off. Wrap in like Saran Wrap and put in safe with a save heater rod.

[DanishM1Garand]

Hi,
I would slip the whole box into a custom Foodsaver bag and vacumn seal the whole thing.
Jeff

Add a desiccant package and VCI paper rolled up in the barrel. The military does both to the rifles they store long term.

https://www.armorvci.com

[kaiser]

I lived in Hawaii many years ago close enough to the ocean to hear the waves and wipe the salt from the hood of my roof and hood of our car every day. My gun safe was in a closed shed next to the car in the car port. I used R.I.G. on all the metal parts of my rifles and shotguns and never had corrosion or rust for 3 years there. This product was recommended for shipping and storing by a gunsmith friend who knew ocean front conditions and where I was going. Although I now live in a relatively dry climate. I still use R.I.G. (inside and out) for even short storage periods.

[cwlongshot]

Hi,
I would slip the whole box into a custom Foodsaver bag and vacumn seal the whole thing.
Jeff
What a idea!!

Id grease that baby up first maybe even a couple desiccant bags in with it.

Awesome idea!!

CW

[jdfoxinc]

Mylarbagsdirect.com. 7mil zip deal alumised mylar bag for rifles. Use with o2 absorber and desiccant for ultimate protection. Note keep the desiccant bag and o2 absorber separated.

[marlinman93]

I'd never put any valuable gun away for long term storage in a sealed bag or container. I never let any of my guns go for more than a few months without taking them out and wiping them down, and my safes are inside the house in a near perfect climate. If I had an expensive gun I wanted to keep perfect, I'd buy a second smaller safe and find a closet inside the home to keep it in.

[Texas by God]

RIG grease +1

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Shawlerbrook]

https://www.zerustproducts.com/products/firearms-ammo-weapons/vci-gun-storage-bags/

[Photog]

Wipe down with Boeshield T-9. Its pretty amazing stuff and not expensive.

[koger]

Rig grease x2. This is the best stuff I have ever put on a gun, to protect it. And it wipes off easy. I do clean my guns I am going to grease with a towel soaked with Hoppes #9, to get anything off that might be on it, you don't want to seal something corrosive with grease next to your gunmetal.

[john.k]

Worst mess (rust) Ive ever seen in a gun was caused by putting the gun away with some "medical /low lint all purpose towel" stuffed into the action and barrel...For really long term storage ,there is a Utube of the Remington works in 1917,with workers dipping the M17s in melted grease.....and we all know how long that lasted.

[gnoahhh]

+ RIG. Also, I would never ever seal a gun up in anything for long term storage. How's the moisture trapped in there going to dissipate? (And trust me, there will be moisture in there.) Climate control the storage venue as well as possible, grease the metal parts inside and out (I would remove everything steel from the wood so as not to get any grease on it- nothing good ever comes from petroleum products on wood), and plan on inspecting the stuff periodically. Let air circulate around it.

[marlin39a]

Back when I lived in the wet, humid, climate of Taxachusetts, I used Breakfree Collector on all my firearms. Never had any rust or corrosion. I've still got half a spray bottle of it after being in Arizona for 20 yrs. I don't need it here.

[Outpost75]

Another vote for BreakFree Collector. Lacking that RIG is a proven product as good as Cosmolene and much easier to remove. And Brownell's does have Cosmolene if you want to use that. I have also used as an expedient Lee Liquid Alox bullet lubricant, mixed with equal parts of mineral oil USP from the drug store, which works similarly to, but is easier to remove than Cosmolene afterwards. The calcium soap base used in Lee Liquid Alox is chemically similar to the Ziebart rust preventive treatment used on automobiles.

[GregLaROCHE]

I stored some guns in a hard transporting case with a good friend during a divorce and didn’t recover them for six years. They were coated with a light gun oil. I was surprised how much rust had started on them.

I have always thought about an STP would be good to protect guns. It sort of reminds me of cosmoline. Probably heating the gun with a hairdryer before whatever you put on it would be a good idea. Vacuum seal would be a plus and why not throw a few gel packs in for good measure.

I shoot all the guns I own from time to time. That’s why I buy them. If you want to protect a gun as an investment, why not. The point is to enjoy what you are doing.

Can you still find cosmoline and can an amateur use it? I always had the idea that many guns were dipped into a hot vat full of it. Maybe some members can can explain more about the process.

[john.k]

They were dipped in a vat.....there is a Utbe of the Remington factory 1917,with finished M 17s being dipped in a big vat of melted grease....The Cosmolubric products were /are made by a Houghton&Co ,dunno if they still exist..........I have some 5 gal drums of preservative I bought off the army years ago ,along with lube oil and grease.....anyway ,its fluid ,sticky ,gooey,strong smell .....used for preserving recoed gearboxes and diffs.....Ive never used it ,should have ,as lots of my truck and tractor stuff is damaged by rust......doesnt matter now,Im too old.

[Outpost75]

...Can you still find cosmoline and can an amateur use it? I always had the idea that many guns were dipped into a hot vat full of it. Maybe some members can can explain more about the process.

You can either buy Cosmolene from Brownells or direct from the manufacturer. A quart can is about $40.
For individual guns you can apply it liberally with a paint brush, melt with a heat gun, wrap the gun in VPI paper and then heat-seal into a plastic bag with a desiccant pack for permanent storage.

253241
https://www.cosmolinedirect.com/mil-spec-grease-mil-c-11796c-class-3/

MIL-SPEC Grease (MIL-C-11796C, Class 3) is a medium grade grease/corrosion preventative compound that can prevent rust and corrosion for years, even in the harshest of environments. MIL-C-11796C, Class 3 is commonly used to protect/preserve equipment, machinery, firearms, and any other metal surface when put in long-term storage or while in transit (overseas, road, marine, etc.). This classic Cosmoline grease is also commonly used in in-use/process machine applications. The film is semi-firm, amber in color and transparent. This heavy-duty MIL-SPEC Cosmoline grease is the same Cosmoline Grease used back in WWII....and is still widely used today by the U.S. Armed Forces.

SPECIFICATIONS MET:
MIL-C-11796C Class 3 - Certificate of Conformance provided free of charge with each order. View the official Cosmoline Military-Specification here.

INTENDED USE:
Cosmoline MIL-SPEC Grease (MIL-C-11796C Class 3) is a corrosion preventative compound that is commonly used on antifriction bearings, firearms, equipment and/or on machined surfaces for which a protective coating is required that is brushable and easily removed at room temperature.

APPLICATION:
Cosmoline MIL-SPEC Grease (MIL-C-11796C Class 3) should be applied by brushing or swabbing at room temperature. It is recommended that your surface be clean, dry and as "rust free" as possible.

REMOVAL:
Cosmoline MIL-SPEC Grease (MIL-C-11796C Class 3) can be removed with most over-the-counter petroleum solvents (mineral spirits, paint thinner, naptha, Cosmoline Remover, etc.). Other methods may include vapor degreasing and/or high pressure steaming.

SHELF LIFE:
5 years (60 months)

TECHNICAL INFO:
Penetration (tenths of mm): 200-250
Minimum Flash Point: 350 Degrees F (177 Degrees C)
Minimum Melting Point: 162 Degrees F (57 Degrees C)
Density, Weight/Gallon at 77 Degrees F (25 Degrees C): 7.7 lbs/Gall
Specific Gravity at 60 Degrees F (15 Degrees C): 0.92

5% Salt Spray (Hours) per ASTM B-117 Test: 500 Hours

100% Relative Humidity (Hours) per ASTM D-1748 Test: 720 Hours

Weathering Hours per Fed Standard 141, Method 6151: 300 Hours

DOWNLOADS: Cosmoline Mil-Spec Grease (MIL-C-11796C, Class 3) SDS

[john.k]

We used to get M17 barrelled actions so thick in solid grease,would have taken hours to clean one......they were put thru a vapour degreaser,and came out clean as a whistle,ready for use or sale......if you want a sample of WW2 Cosmoline preserved stuff ,there are Harley WLA pistons on ebay for around $10 each...Very good example of the packing method using cosmoline and cloth.

[GregLaROCHE]

In the past I bought some surplus aircraft tools that were coated in something, that on the outside was more wax like. Anyone know about that stuff ?

[marlinman93]

Here's something that works! I bought this Ballard from the son of the owner. He was in his 80's and said he and his brother removed the wood on all their dad's guns 50 years before, and coated all the metal (including sights!) with varnish!

https://i.imgur.com/eWFQmSRl.jpg

Took a few minutes with acetone and a rag just to get that one spot removed to see what the caliber was! Then another 7.5 hrs. to remove the rest of the varnish completely! But their crazy plan actually did keep the finish perfect!

https://i.imgur.com/ETUnDfJl.jpg

[BigEyeBob]

Lanolene spray .Spray onto a cotton cloth and wipe over the metal parts . Sarted doing this a while ago , because every thing steel I touch rusts where I put my hands . Works well .Firearms smell like sheep which helps my Kiwi mates feel at home .

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Warming the subject rifle with a hair dryer before coating with your preferred preservative would probably help drive off any moisture. I suppose most of the preserved military rifles were "hot dipped".

[Outpost75]

In the past I bought some surplus aircraft tools that were coated in something, that on the outside was more wax like. Anyone know about that stuff ?

Sounds like Cosmolene

[Tom Herman]

In the past I bought some surplus aircraft tools that were coated in something, that on the outside was more wax like. Anyone know about that stuff ?

Greg,

Sounds like Boeshield... A Boeing product that sprays on and dries to a waxy consistency.
Works GREAT on my bullet moulds!
Of course, I can't find the can at the moment.... But here's a link to the product: https://boeshield.com/ .
Best of Luck,

-Tom

[doulos]

RIG grease has worked well for me for long term storage

[Eddie Southgate]

My pap died in 1990 . Before he died he put his handguns away in a dynamite box with a thin coat of Rig on them . My dad had them in his unheated and uncooled shop building unpacked until he died in 2017 . When he died I got the guns . The handguns coated with Rig had no rust , the rifles were not coated and had rust that left pitting when removed . I am a firm believer in Rig .

[singleshotcajun]

After hurricane Harvey I had to put my safe in the garage for ten months while my home was redone (flooded) . I gave everything a healthy dose of Ballistol inside and out. I checked on it from time to time not a lot as the safe was hidden by furniture and boxes intentionally. Everything faired very well and I live on the Gulf coast near Galveston,TX. Glad to have the safe back inside a climate controlled house and am a big believer in Ballistol.