Pistol Storage

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SIMP

New member
So, I've got my pistols all nice and clean and in the safe. I have a two shelf pistol case with a desiccant pack that's more than adequate. Is it okay to leave them in the safe "open air" after a good cleaning and wipe down?

Many thanks and I do apologize if this is the wrong place to ask this question.
 
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pilpens

New member
- Should be OK to leave them in the safe "open air". Depends on humidity and how long they will sit.
- Firearms I seldom shoot are inspected every month or two and wiped down with oil/grease.
 
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BarryLee

New member
The only issues I can think of would be caution related to what material you lay them on. I had a friend that lined his cabinet with some thin foam matting and after some time it deteriorated and stuck to some of the guns. He was able to clean the metal surfaces with no problem, but it was still kind of messy.
 
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FloridaVeteran

New member
I put mine in "Stor-Bore" (sp?) and they seem to do a great job of preventing rust here in Florida. I don't know why - presumably they are impregnated with silicone.

Putting a "Damp-Rid" or similar dessicant in the safe ought to improve the situation for everything inside.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
If I am putting something away for a length of time I like to give it a light coat of CLP, and then put it in the case in a folded piece of wax paper. The wax paper keeps the foam from absorbing all the oil and CLP is a pretty good at stopping rust.
 
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SIMP

New member
Thanks for the help everyone. I'm going to cover the foam padding on the shelves with something or simply place the guns atop some different material as recommended above.
 
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ROGER4314

New member
I store my pistols in old socks The open weave material keeps them from scratching each other but still allows the gun to "breathe" so moisture doesn't collect.

Flash
 
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RC20

New member
Do not use damp rid. It has other stuff that puts out vapors.

Get silicone dessication form Granger or McMaster and keep in the bottom.

You are fine with open safe for a period of time but should keep it closed up as much as possible and the more humidity the more closed it should stay (I would only go in and out in Florida).

The Silicone get change color or the pack indicator will and when it starts to go from blue to pink replace it.
 
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SIMP

New member
The Silicone get change color or the pack indicator will and when it starts to go from blue to pink replace it.
Click to expand...

That's a big 10-4. This is the exact ones I ordered. I believe they are made by Stack On.
 
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cohoskip

New member
I store my handguns on a coated metal rack with a 25 watt light bulb on.
I live in WA with high humidity. Works for me...
 
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drail

Moderator
Just make sure there are NO fingerprints on them and keep a thin coat of oil brushed on and they'll never rust. Oily rags are your friend.
 
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g.willikers

New member
Oil them up and wrap them in a cloth sprayed liberally with silicone.
Then put them in a container to prevent the oil and silicone from escaping.
Cheap and effective even in a high humidity area.
Been doing that for many years and it seems to keep them good for at least a year.
 
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SIMP

New member
Took out the foam padding n the bottom of my pistol case today. Cut cardboard pieces out the same size and stuck them in there instead. Used some tee-shirt rags with oil to line the bottom on top of the cardboard to set the pistols on. I also have my desiccant pack in there as swell.

There are many good ideas posted here and I appreciate that. Everyone seems to have their own special way of storing their guns so that makes it interesting. Thanks to everyone for your input.
 
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rodfac

New member
Yep...I do that with mine...a good wipe down with a heavier oil...30 wt car oil works well, then into the safe. No fingerprints to start the rusting process after the wipe-down.

Be careful what you lay your guns down on...some fabrics can and do hold moisture...leather has acids in it due to the tanning process...sheepskin "gun sleeves" hold moisture...

I use a plane wood rack, finished in two coats of poly....and I make sure that the gun room does suffer from extreme temperature variations to avoid condensation issues. In that regard, a garage is not a good place for storage., but your closet might be good, no matter what your wife says! Rod
 
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FloridaVeteran

New member
Rodfac - got more powder than shirts in my closet.

Doesn't keep me from beefing that her closet is 3X the size of mine. Gotta keep 'em aware of priorities.

Besides, how many different shirts do I need? 3? 4? Plus a wedding and funeral one? Powder, now that's way different.
 
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RC20

New member
I have not researched it, but it smells. Not a good thing in my opinion where there are a number of other very good options designed for that specific purpose that are proven to work.

I work on electrical equipment, when we seal up a box we use the silicone packs. I do the same with my gun safe.
 
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AndyWest

New member
I store my unloaded pistols in my "drive-in" closet. Ports down, bores lightly oiled. Once a month or so I clean completely with dry patches and re-oil the rails, guides, barrel, anything else the manual calls for. Then I wipe the whole thing down with a (very, very) lightly oiled microfiber cloth. An easy routine to do once in a while when you're watching TV, and a good opportunity for some extra mindless scrubbing under the extractor claw, etc.

[Edit]

Also, I keep a notepad right next to my pistols and I jot down the last date I cleaned each. Makes it easier to keep a consistent rotation.
 
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