Guns involved in a house fire

yblockhead

January 22, 2013 18:35

My buddy lost his house in a fire last week. He brought over a rifle, shotgun and 2 handguns last night that survived with smoke and water (AFFF) damage. I stripped the lumber off and and am setting them off in the corner to dry off slowly. Started soaking everything in solvent to prevent any further rusting. As far as I can tell they were not exposed to any extreme heat. Any other recommended suggestions? Not a lot of high $$ stuff, more sentimental as they were his dad's.

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  Hawk Carse

  January 22, 2013 18:52

  That is the way mine were cared for after the fire.
  Results were wildly variable. Nearly all stock finish was ruined except for military linseed or tung oil that is so coarse that you would have a hard time calling it damaged. Some metal was rusted badly, some lightly, and some almost unaffected. A couple of barrels with long "snail trails" etched through the blue and not damaged outside of it.
  
  Nothing to do but clean and keep oiled until you can evaluate one by one for condition.

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  rusty3040

  January 23, 2013 01:21

  i have dealt with quite a few guns that went through fires, my rule is if the springs are still tight then the gun is still safe, if the springs have lost their tension then i scrap them

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  mrbruce

  January 23, 2013 04:23

  If the wood is charred, it's best to toss them is what I was taught back in the old days..

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  allamericangunshop

  January 23, 2013 04:53

  OK ,
  The old gunsmith I done my apprentace work under had a rule about guns in fires !
  If its been in a fire , Its Unsafe !!!
  Why take the chance ???
  
  now , thats my rule ...
  
  Thanks !!!
  d.a.stearns ......... a.k.a. ......... SKEEZIX .......................
  Gunsmith / LEO
  Athens , Tn
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ... www.allamericangunshop.com
  ... www.tnhandgunclasses.vpweb.com
  .
  .
  .

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  charliemeyer007

  January 23, 2013 05:59

  Strip the wood, put bbl action etc. in plastic wall paper trough cover with wd-40, tranny fluid, something with oil. Wrap wood in cloth, set flat and supported up high where its warmer to dry slowly.
  
  If springs still have their temper, there is hope to at least recover a behind the seat truck gun.

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  p3skyking

  January 23, 2013 12:58

  If the springs are still good, the weapons are still good.

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  MP

  January 23, 2013 16:49

  "If the springs are still good, the weapons are still good."
  
  I agree, I learned this from first hand experience.

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  competentone

  January 24, 2013 03:54

  quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
  Strip the wood, put bbl action etc. in plastic wall paper trough cover with wd-40, tranny fluid, something with oil. Wrap wood in cloth, set flat and supported up high where its warmer to dry slowly.
  
  If springs still have their temper, there is hope to at least recover a behind the seat truck gun.
  
  
  Agreed, but wash them with hot soapy water (dish soap is good) and rinse thoroughly with hot water (pouring boiling water to rinse is good), and dry by blowing them out with compressed air, before soaking them in something like WD-40.
  
  Contaminants in the air, and particularly possible additives the firefighters may have put in the water when fighting the fire, can be corrosive to metals. Most will be water soluble, so washing with water will clean it off.
  
  If you've already oiled them, I'd suggest degreasing (get a can of spray brake parts cleaner and rinse them down with that) before washing with soap and water.
  
  Treat them like cleaning a black powder firearm, or cleaning after shooting corrosive primers. Soap and water first, then oil to protect.

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