How Do Collectors.....

[Johnnu2]

Once a year, I empty my safe and (very lightly) oil the barrels of all my guns (rifles, shotguns and handguns). I often wonder how to those who have literally hundreds of guns (you know who you are maintain their treasures? Do you just not oil them? I know that you all keep them in temperature and humidity controlled environment but still...???
I've been wondering for years and too lazy to ask..! (been too busy oiling my tiny 'collection')
J.

 

[NikA]

Guns and reloading dies typically ship with VCI paper or the like. That's what I use for anything (guns, dies, expensive tools) that I don't want to rust but don't use often.

For things I work with regularly, I wipe with an oily cloth before putting away.

 

[Tenbore]

Twice a year I go completely through my safes and inspect and oil, and run an oily patch down the bores. I use a dehumidifying agent such as driz-air and it suck out a lot of moisture from the safes.

 

[Dan in MI]

while not guns a buddy of mine stores all kinds of things in old refrigerators. Non functioning cooling but a 25 watt bulb always on. He must have 6 or 7 lining the barn wall.

 

[Hvymax]

Eezox is the schizz. I can only find it online any more.

 

[Johnnu2]

Guns and reloading dies typically ship with VCI paper or the like. That's what I use for anything (guns, dies, expensive tools) that I don't want to rust but don't use often.

For things I work with regularly, I wipe with an oily cloth before putting away.

Do you simply wrap guns in VCI paper or, for example, do you 'spiral' some down the bores...? I assume you also lightly oil the bores before you utilize the paper?
THANKS,
J.

 

[NikA]

The 'V' in VCI is for 'vapor' or 'volatile'. I put things in relatively closed containers (drawers, plastic boxes, etc.) and let nature do the rest.

Bores are lightly oiled, but I mainly focus on wiping any hand oils from handling off before storage.

 

[contender]

Well, my meager collection is stored in a safe,, and gets wiped down & such on a kinda rotation basis. No real schedule,, just when I have a little time,, and feel like doing a few or so. And yes,, it's temp & humidity controlled.

 

[Johnnu2]

Thanks for all the replies....

J.

 

[nekvermont]

I hope I don't jinx myself by saying this, but I don't do anything very special to protect them from rusting and I have never had a rust problem. If one gets wet from rain or snow, I'll bring it to room temp., dry it with a rag and give it a quick wipe down with a little oil on a cloth.

 

[Kevin]

My couple of guns are in a temp and humidity controlled space. In a safe of course, with some of these humidity control things I bought on Amazon. I just looked and can’t remember what they are. They are supposed to last a year.

Oh, and silicon gun socks and renaissance wax and lots of oil along the way!

I should buy one of those tubes you plug in.

I’ll admit my safe is secure, but not the worlds best. We are going to move in about 5 years and when we do, I plan on buying the worlds best safe. Or close to it anyway.

All of this, and I do have to admit I have a Buckmark with a spot of rust on the barrel. We lived in Seattle and it was just so humid there when I got the rust spot. And that little spot really bothers me, so I do try to keep everything clean.

Great topic! I’m glad you brought it up. Thanks!

 

[Johnnu2]

My couple of guns are in a temp and humidity controlled space. In a safe of course, with some of these humidity control things I bought on Amazon. I just looked and can’t remember what they are. They are supposed to last a year.

Oh, and silicon gun socks and renaissance wax and lots of oil along the way!

I should buy one of those tubes you plug in.

I’ll admit my safe is secure, but not the worlds best. We are going to move in about 5 years and when we do, I plan on buying the worlds best safe. Or close to it anyway.

All of this, and I do have to admit I have a Buckmark with a spot of rust on the barrel. We lived in Seattle and it was just so humid there when I got the rust spot. And that little spot really bothers me, so I do try to keep everything clean.

Great topic! I’m glad you brought it up. Thanks!

Kevin.... they're called Golden Rod dehumidifiers....

p.s. I wouldn't go overboard when you buy your 'wor;ld's best' safe. Bad Guys can take almost anything out of your home; I've seen it proven with an acquaintance. I recommend a good, well reviewed, 'casual thief'/kid-proof safe (with a combination lock vs. electronics). Check this long, but very informative video on gun safes:

J.

 

[KIR]

If I had hundreds of guns, I would probably clean/oil them perhaps one everyday. I only have a dozen guns, so I only oil 'em once/year; a different one every day til they are done. Winter, when one is stuck in the house is a good time to do it.

 

[Kevin]

Johnnu2:
Hey, Thanks a bunch! Just ordered one of the Golden Rods.

 

[Dave P.]

To get my real "SAFE" the thieves would need to bring an excavator. It's in the basement sitting on/in a poured concrete
riser, set in place with a loader. Guessing at around 3500-4000 pounds, maybe a few more. It was a used several years
old safe and between servicing the lock and rigging etc. was fairly expensive...overkill no doubt. Somebody would
need a lot of time, tools and knowledge to get in it. We joke the safe may have cost more than the stuff in it.
Also have a Sturdy brand at ground level bolted through the floor into the basement into two pieces of angle, 2 in legs
by 3/8in thick that are bolted to the bottom of 6 floor joists. Somebody would need to spend some time on the SS hardware running
through SS schedule 80 pipe to cut it loose enough to get it out of the corner in a closet to haul it away. It was around 1100 pounds
empty.
All that's after they deal with the alarm system.........

 

[Johnnu2]

To get my real "SAFE" the thieves would need to bring an excavator. It's in the basement sitting on/in a poured concrete
riser, set in place with a loader. Guessing at around 3500-4000 pounds, maybe a few more. It was a used several years
old safe and between servicing the lock and rigging etc. was fairly expensive...overkill no doubt. Somebody would
need a lot of time, tools and knowledge to get in it. We joke the safe may have cost more than the stuff in it.
Also have a Sturdy brand at ground level bolted through the floor into the basement into two pieces of angle, 2 in legs
by 3/8in thick that are bolted to the bottom of 6 floor joists. Somebody would need to spend some time on the SS hardware running
through SS schedule 80 pipe to cut it loose enough to get it out of the corner in a closet to haul it away. It was around 1100 pounds
empty.
All that's after they deal with the alarm system.........

OMG.....
To think, I just worry about RUST...!!!

J.

 

[Hvymax]

To get my real "SAFE" the thieves would need to bring an excavator. It's in the basement sitting on/in a poured concrete
riser, set in place with a loader. Guessing at around 3500-4000 pounds, maybe a few more. It was a used several years
old safe and between servicing the lock and rigging etc. was fairly expensive...overkill no doubt. Somebody would
need a lot of time, tools and knowledge to get in it. We joke the safe may have cost more than the stuff in it.
Also have a Sturdy brand at ground level bolted through the floor into the basement into two pieces of angle, 2 in legs
by 3/8in thick that are bolted to the bottom of 6 floor joists. Somebody would need to spend some time on the SS hardware running
through SS schedule 80 pipe to cut it loose enough to get it out of the corner in a closet to haul it away. It was around 1100 pounds
empty.
All that's after they deal with the alarm system.........

And I thought that I was the only responsible gun owner. A zip lock bag with a few pounds of powder for safe keeping of course in the safe will prevent anyone using a torch or grinder from getting away with anything.

 

[The A Team]

A relative of mine has a small collection that has sat in a safe for 15-20 years without much use / attention and when he checked them last year- several guns had mold growing on them.

 

[KIR]

My safe sits in the garage that was converted into a den. The safe was "walked" into the corner where I wanted it by a 5'10"/180# installer. I was amazed. He then bolted it into the cement floor. He said it would take explosives to get it out. I told him no prob...my son spent 20 yrs. in a Army EOD unit.
When I worked around B-52's, the motto was...When all else fails, HIGH EXPLOSIVES seem appropriate!

 

[dcsundog]

No real schedule with the guns in my safes. I live in the mountains of NM with low humidity, so an oiley patch thru the bore and a wipedown keeps them in good shape.