How to preserve the life of a firearm

[ArkansasHunter]

I was just kind of curious to what lubrication and solvents you guys use to keep your firearms rust free and performing at full capability.

What would be the best lubrication to sit on a rifle for long term storage?

Any tips or tricks for keeping dry storage dry without a safe.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Please define "long term."

I see long term as months to a year.

Some people see long term as years to decades.

The difference matters.

 

[Targa]

Not sure what your definition of long term is but I clean my firearms, coat lightly with oil and then I put them in silicone gun socks.

 

[natman]

It depends. How long do you want to store and how much effort are you willing to spend putting them in and taking them out of storage? Here are some recommendations in order of ease of use:

Breakfree COLLECTOR. Wipe on, dries to a slightly waxy coat, wipe off if you feel like it before shooting.

LPS3. Wipe on, dries to a thin grease, must wipe off before shooting.

Rig Grease. Wipe on, greasy and messy, must wipe off and clean / re-oil before shooting.

Cosmolene. Wipe on, dries to a hard shell, must clean off with solvent. Proven rust protection, but the Army has an infinite supply of cheap labor. IMO, more trouble than it's worth.

For everyday use, I like Breakfree Collector. It works very well and is easy to apply.

For true storage, combine the protectant of your choice with VCI bags. They emit rust preventing vapors and protect from handling nicks.

 

[armedleo]

All the above recommendations are good.

But, for me, if you truly care about your firearms, I would urge you to field strip and clean and lubricate them (and use a protectant) no less than every six months. IMHO. Especially if you think there might be the possibility of the need for you to grab one for immediate action, it should be ready to go.

 

[T. O'Heir]

For long term storage(months plus like Franken says) use grease. Doesn't have to say 'Gun" on the tube/package either. Car grease will do nicely. Oil is for shorter term protection. Oil will drain off under gravity. Grease will not.
"...keeping dry storage dry without a safe..." A lot depends on how humid it gets where you are. A safe really doesn't matter in really humid places. Florida, for example. However, a low wattage light bulb will keep the air in a steel cabinet just warm enough to prevent condensation. Even if it's not an air tight box.
"...Cosmoline. Wipe on, dries to a hard shell..." Cosmoline is just a brand name of thick petroleum jelly(just like Vaseline). It's a grease. If it's hard, it needs replacing. Isn't cheap stuff either. Runs about $36 per quart/2 pounds. That will go a long way though..
http://www.cosmolinedirect.com/mil-spec-grease-mil-c-11796c-class-3/
The absolute best solution to long term storage is a plastic bag and a vacuum pump or sealer. You can make a pump out of a bicycle tire pump.

 

[Picher]

My gunsmith recommended using Synthetic Auto Polish, mine is made by TurtleWax. It's waterproof and I've used it for several years with great results, even on bare steel. It's dry, so it doesn't collect dust/dirt, and sweat doesn't affect it either.

It doesn't hold fingerprint salts, important for people with younger shooters who often have acidic sweat and often pick up rifles by the barrel, especially tubular-feed rifles.

I use non-graphite dry-lube like moly lubes on internal parts, especially on guns to be used in very cold weather.

 

[osbornk]

I think keeping them clean and in a dry environment is more important than what you use. I have 3 shotguns from the 40s, one snub nose 38 "Saturday night special" from the 60s and a Taurus revolver from the 70s that have no rust, look good and shoot flawlessly. Some of them sat untouched in a closet for decades and I'm sure the prior owners took no special care or used any special solvents or oil.

 

[ArkansasHunter]

Im stationed in Japan i'll go back home once a year for a month to hunt and shoot so my guns just sit untouched for a year.

I did see some plastic bags for guns anyone use those?

All i put on the guns before i left was remmy gun oil, (July 15)

I'm going back in Nov. So far im thinkin a thick grease and put them in silicone socks, or vacuum bags? Im good with having to clean all the grease off and apply oil before use.

What kind of grease would yall use?

I have 1 wood stock gun would it be okay for it to have a grease coat also? or should i put a wax on the wood?

 

[FrankenMauser]

I've had good luck with a heavy coat from RemOil wipes for up to 8 months, with guns stored in cabinets or safes. (Internals lubricated and protected by moly grease, FP-10 gun oil, and/or Slip2000 EWL.)
Beyond that, or when in contact with foam or cases, I have no idea how it would do.

 

[natman]

If you are talking about 1 year between uses for a reasonable number of guns, I'd use Breakfree Collector and Poly Gun Bags. Easy on, easy off and BC will have no problem keeping the guns rust free if reapplied annually. I've seen guns stored for far longer using this combo with no problems.

Do NOT grease the wood. It's not going to rust.

 

[g.willikers]

If you use plastic bags, make sure the guns are absolutely dry before sealing them up.

 

[Ricklin]

Do not eat!

Those little packets that are in the box that new electronics are packed in?? Ya the ones that are all marked do not eat.

They contain Silica gel dessicant. Toss any you get in your gun safe. They will remove humidity from the air inside your safe.

Can't beat the price and they are very effective.

 

[natman]

Can't beat the price and they are very effective.

Until they aren't. Desiccant packets are fine at removing moisture, but they can only remove so much, then they stop working. Then they have to be gently heated to release the water so they can be used again. A packet sized to remove the moisture from a sealed package is not going to last very long trying to remove the moisture for an entire unsealed safe.

 

[osbornk]

Until they aren't. Desiccant packets are fine at removing moisture, but they can only remove so much, then they stop working. Then they have to be gently heated to release the water so they can be used again. A packet sized to remove the moisture from a sealed package is not going to last very long trying to remove the moisture for an entire unsealed safe.

I bought some directly and the instructions said to put them in a microwave occasionally to remove the moisture.

 

[Ricklin]

Yup of course the capacity of the Silica gel packets is finite. How could it be otherwise?

If mama will let ya put them on a cookie sheet in a low heat oven for a couple of hours. That will drive off the absorbed moisture and make them good as new.

There are commercial products on tbe market that employ the exact same "technology" those products do not come free with a new TV.

 

[ArkansasHunter]

Even if i did have a safe i would only be able to renew the packets once a year.

so far from this thread I've came to a conclusion to use thick coat of grease and put each gun in a silicone sock, then clean and reapply a gun oil before use..

Any objections??

 

[natman]

so far from this thread I've came to a conclusion to use thick coat of grease and put each gun in a silicone sock, then clean and reapply a gun oil before use..

The guns probably won't rust, but what is the inside of a silicone sock going to look like after you've taken a heavily greased gun in and out a few times? What is the gun going to look like?

Breakfree Collector and VCI bags.