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Gun storage

Tardoc
I have recently retired. Plan on spending my winters in Florida. My guns will be staying in upstate NY in my gun safe. Will I have a problem with my guns being stored in the unheated safe for the winter? There will be no heat in the house. Would appreciate any input.

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7 comments

Date Votes
  • Tardoc
    Anybody have a good resource for the proper way to clean and prep a gun for long term storage. Thanks.
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  • charliemeyer007
    I like Shooter's Choice to clean the bore and parts subject to powder combustion products. After the last clean dry patch, I wait a while and run a patch wet with Break Free a couple of times. I wipe all the metal down with Break Free. If I have completely taken the gun completely apart I lube critical areas with Rig grease. On Stainless I use their Stainless+ grease.
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  • nmyers
    You might want to do a search (select 'Search' at the top of the forum page) for "long term storage".

    Neal
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  • babun
    What is "long term" to you????

    A rifle totally covered in cosmoline will be shootable after 50 years left in just about any storage.
    But it will take a bit of work before it is usable.
    Proper "prepping" of a gun for storage depends on many factors, some of which are, length of storage, climate, speed of useability needed,
    even type of gun being stored.
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  • beantownshootah
    I think there is more than one way to skin a cat here.

    You want the gun cleaned thoroughly to remove any powder and primer residue, then all parts subject to corrosion coated with a protective coating, inside and out.

    Dunking the entire gun into cosmoline, of course, is the time-tested way to "stop the clock" on a gun, but its also messy, and requires quite a bit of work on the other end to clean the gun up and make it ready for shooting again. I don't really think this is practical or necessary for home use.

    If by "long term storage" you mean at home for a several year to indefinitely long period, I'd clean it, oil it well inside and out, put in in an air tight, moisture proof bag with dessicant inside, then make sure it was stored in a climate controlled area.

    Special mylar bags are made specifically for this purpose; something like this: https://www.zcorrproducts.com/
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  • Ray Boone
    In previous years I've thoroughly cleaned then coated with RIG, and for guns with synthetic stocks I still do. However when dealing with wood stocks, any metal that will come into contact with the wood gets one of those synthetic sealants so that the wood won't get "oiled".
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  • fyrfinder
    Since few of my rifles ever get out of the lockup I guess they are in long term storage. I have been using the knit silicone impregnated gun socks and have always heard good talk about them. Recently had a "high moisture" situation that flooded into the storage area .. was tense moments for almost a month after .. no signs of damage or rusting on any of the weapons in the socks. I think they are great and available in many brands. Has anyone heard any bad issues with the gun socks? [?]
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