doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Long term storage - Best products?

VPI paper is wonderful for use in the bores of long-term stored guns. You just cut a strip and roll it up and slide it down the bore, shotguns and rifles.

Will the guns be stored in a gun safe? If so, 4 years is nothing, IMO. I have guns in my safe that have not been touched in much longer than that, other than to inspect, and absolutely no problem with rust. The Goldenrod works great, even in this coastal plain humidity. Most rust on stored guns is the result of handling and forgetting to wipe it off before putting back in a safe.

SRH

I understand your concern.

I entombed my accumulation of relics - built from the 1880s to the 1980s in VPI for approximately 4 years with not a problem one.

Oganza,

Here is a quick version of US Marine Corps procedures for long term storage of weapons.

1. Thoroughly clean weapon, removing all rust or corrosive items. Use gloves so as to not leave finger prints on the metal.

2. Lightly coat all metal surfaces with preservative oil - wipe off any excess.

3. Cusion any sharp and/or protruding areas with a noncorrosive material (i.e., MIL-B-121, PPP-C-1797, PPP-C-1842, etc.) to prevent puncture of the barrier material. You can google MIL-B-121 and find products that meet this standard.

4. Insert VCI(volatile corrosion inhibiter)bore tube into barrel.

5. Sandwich gun between layers of MIL-B-22019 Type II, VCI (volatile corrosion inhibiter) cold seal barrier material. The barrier material must be completely sealed around the weapon with no visible channels through the seal. You can google MIL-B-22019 and find products that meet this standard.

6. Immobilize gun in a fiberboard box. All seams and joints with tape (i.e., PPP-T-76). Fiberboard containers will conform to ASTM D1974, ASTM D5118/ASTM D5118M (formally PPP-B-636). You can google these specs as well to get more info on them.

The weapons are stored this way for one year, then opened for inspection each year and then re-sealed. I've seen weapons stored this way for three years with no issues (without the annual inspection). This may seem like a lot of difficult jargon and procedures, but once you identify the proper materials to use, it's a simple process and very effective.

I am always on the lookout for project guns and will often end up with them sitting in my shop for several years before I can get to them. Often I will apply RIG on one that I have not cleaned and have had no problems with rust(as long as visitors do not pick them up and wipe off the grease). It is inexpensive, quick to apply, and last nearly as long as cosmolene(and you don't have to take your gun into the shower to clean it with a red faced DI screaming in your ear). One thing I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH is heat affecting the wood, especialy if the stock has oil in it and I have not degreased it. I live in a humid oven of a location so that adds to the problems. Something you may wish to consider is purchasing an umbrella insurance bond that will cover theft, fire or AoG.
Shoot safe but shoot often,
Vic Shultz

Stan,

What's the Golden Rod?

Patrick,

It is a low wattage heating element that operates off 120V current. It has a gold anodized tube around it, hence the name. The cord runs out the hole in your safe (I drilled one in my old Mosler) and plugs in an outlet. You just leave it on all the time. It gently warms the interior of the safe and all items in it and somehow rids the inside of humidity by doing so.

Take a look, www.goldenroddehumidifiers.com/introduction.htm

Inexpensive and easy to find at Cabela's or other gun accessory suppliers.

SRH

Stan,

Thanks - went to the site - good info. So, if I use this, can I keep my guns in a safe that's stored in an outside storage shed? All of my guns (a small arsenal) are in my Mom's house I would like to put them in a gun safe, but the only room she has is in a large shed outside. I was afraid of putting a safe out there due to rust. She lives near Ft Worth, Texas - humidity is about 30%, but the temerature stays in the 90's or 100's in the summer. If I use the golden rod, wouls i be ok to put a safe in an outside shed and store my guns in there?

Thanks for the help.

Patrick,

Check your personal messages.

SRH

I use the electric Browning de-humidfier in every cabinet. As well of course as making sure all of the guns are well cared for and oiled.
Cheers
T

Museums use Renaissance Wax, a microcystalline wax. You need to disassemble, degrease and wax coat everything, inside and out. And ditto, dewax and lube, before using again.
If not handled it'll rustproof for many years in a controlled environment and help keep the wood from drying and shrinking