How to preserve a gun longterm?

[Birdstrike]

is there anything special I should do before putting a modern pistol away in the safe for a decade or two at a time. Is a good cleaning good enough or is there a grease like what comes in them from the factory recommended? If so, where do I find it & what is it called? What are some "NOT" to do regarding storage as well. Thanks!!

 

[Walt_Jabsco]

Is a longtern sort of like an intern that you keep for an extended period of time?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Are you leaving for deployment? Just a safe queen? Collecting?

Strip it, clean it and go heavy on the Corrosion-X or Eezox, put it in the bag (I like Vapor Locks from Brownell's), and put it in the safe with a golden rod and some desi.

If it is just a safe queen then I clean it with Corrosion-X and just leave it in the safe. Every few years I clean my safe queens. No problems here, but if I lived someplace salty I'd take more precautions.

Corrosion Technologies Corp

Eezox premium synthetic lubricants from Warren Custom Outdoor Products

TRIPLE TOUGH™ PREMIUM STORAGE BAGS - Brownells

 

[throttletony]

Hi, that's a good question. Here's a related thread I found:
Long term rifle storage procedures - TheFiringLine Forums

A basic google search turned up multiple people suggesting the following:
BARRELGUARD.COM_HOME
also a product called cosmoline
also a golden rod (for humidity control)

I hope some of that helps.

 

[sloughfoot]

Interesting question. By "modern pistol", do you mean polymer and hard coatings? If so, the barrel is probably the most vulnerable to corrosion followed by the trigger/striker group.

If so, grease the barrel, inside and out and oil the rest of it well and seal it in a bag with an oil soaked patch or two.

I have to know though, have you been convicted and are going to the big house, or taking a job overseas for a decade or two? Even deployments don't last that long.....

 

[yotebutcher90]

I've used crisco cooking oil to preserve a gun before, very messing....... just saying lol

 

[Birdstrike]

I have to know though, have you been convicted and are going to the big house, or taking a job overseas for a decade or two? Even deployments don't last that long.....

Ha, ha, fair question. I have my shooters and I have one or two I might just put away for my boy to enjoy (he's only 1 & 1/2). No reason why I couldn't pull them out and clean them every once and a while, I just know how other things come up and good intentions get forgotten. Thanks for the ideas everyone!

 

[sloughfoot]

Ha, ha, fair question. I have my shooters and I have one or two I might just put away for my boy to enjoy (he's only 1 & 1/2). No reason why I couldn't pull them out and clean them every once and a while, I just know how other things come up and good intentions get forgotten. Thanks for the ideas everyone!

 

[Yukon227]

I cleaned an old .22 rifle for a friend of mine. His grandfather had passed away and left him this rifle...it had been PACKED with vaseline for over 20 years....it took a good while to clean it all off, but it had no signs of corrosion.

 

[ccrise]

I cleaned an old .22 rifle for a friend of mine. His grandfather had passed away and left him this rifle...it had been PACKED with vaseline for over 20 years....it took a good while to clean it all off, but it had no signs of corrosion.

So if i understand you correctly. If its dipped in Vaseline it will last forever?

 

[sharkey]

So if i understand you correctly. If its dipped in Vaseline it will last forever?

AND be easy to slide into storage

 

[kludge]

I've used crisco cooking oil to preserve a gun before, very messing....... just saying lol

EEEeeeeeWWwwww!

Crisco goes rancid.

 

[jedi]

I cleaned an old .22 rifle for a friend of mine. His grandfather had passed away and left him this rifle...it had been PACKED with vaseline for over 20 years....it took a good while to clean it all off, but it had no signs of corrosion.

Hum.. how did grandpa do that? Just bought jars of vasoline and spread it all over the 22. Even filling the barrel of it?

 

[Yote69]

I've had good luck with Hornady Dry Lube. If it's not touched I would think that it would be alright.

 

[edsinger]

er

Uh Cosmoline...Good for 50 years I hear.....and it real easy to get off when your ready to shoot it.

 

[Birdstrike]

thanks edsinger, that is just what I was looking for. Also heard this, Rig RUG16 Universal Grease, was good stuff.