Best Way To Preserve S&W Model 19-3

[MagnumDweeb]

I just got a Model 19-3 4" in near mint condition. There was no box for the gun as I traded a grey beard a couple thousand rounds of .22lr, a Ruger 10-22, all of my spent .38 special brass (couple thousand cleaned and deprimed pieces more or less), and nearly two thousand cleaned and deprimed 9mm brass cases.

I've known the guy for a while and he told me his hands can't take shooting .357 magnum anymore and he couldn't remember the last time he had shot the gun (he has a Model 27 I've eyed but he will never let go). He wanted a .22lr rifle provided I had ammo for it (thank you hording tendencies), and when he wanted to dicker over cash I offered for him to have my spent and cleaned up brass. He still has a Model 10 he shoots religiously (his get'em at night gun he's told me) and he shoots mostly .38 special out of his Model 27 nowadays as it is. So he's got plenty of reloading brass and figures to barter some of his reloads here and there. I just knew if I bought another gun with cash my fiancee was going to flip her lid (I've bought four cheap LNIB and never fired AR-15s in the course of the last two months [haven't paid more than $500]).

So I'm now up to six Model 19s and they are all college fund guns (when the kids are starting to get ready for college that's when they get sold) so I was wondering if anyone had any good tips for long term storage. All my other ones get cleaned and oiled every three months (run some Hoppes into the barrel), wrapped in dry cotton rag, then wrapped in wax paper, and put in the back of the safe. Is anyone else doing it differently for their collection. The rags get cycled out every six months (run through the washing machine with just some cold water and a pinch of detergent and allowed to air dry), and the wax paper gets replaced every six months.

I'm thinking I've got to keep them safe for the next twenty years or so. Perhaps then folks will pay today's Colt Python prices for them. They Number 19-3 through 19-5, and even the 90% beater amongst them (a 19-4 with 6" barrel and target shooting features) has been put into long term storage since the arrival of my GP100 6".

I'm seeing them sell for over $500 today without a box when a couple of years ago they were barely breaking $400 without a box.

 

[Kernel]

Keep doin' what you're doin'. I think you got a good system. Some guys will put a 40 or 60 Watt incandescent light bulb in their safe and leave it on all the time. Makes for an inexpensive dehumidifier.

Regarding future value of your pre-lock M19's. It won't be going down, that's for sure. In my view, worst case they'll keep up with real world inflation, no matter were it goes. Best case they'll appreciate 50 to 100% in adjusted dollars over the next ten years. No worse than what the S&P 500 is doing now, without the risk of an inevitable "correction".

 

[David E]

Ok, so in 10 years it might be worth $500 more than you paid for it....

Were it me, I'd designate each Model 19 to each kid and teach them how to shoot their gun. That'd easily be worth more to me and the kids than the measly $50 that might accrue each year if I just stashed it in the safe.

 

[dickydalton]

Ok, so in 10 years it might be worth $500 more than you paid for it....

Were it me, I'd designate each Model 19 to each kid and teach them how to shoot their gun. That'd easily be worth more to me and the kids than the measly $50 that might accrue each year if I just stashed it in the safe.

Thumbs Up.

 

[Quentin]

Well you're not getting my Model 19-3, and I prefer to be called silverback not graybeard!

 

[natman]

I was wondering if anyone had any good tips for long term storage.

I just took a large collection of guns out of storage that I put in 5 years ago. I used Breakfree COLLECTOR and VCI poly bags. None of the guns showed any signs of rust whatsoever. The COLLECTOR oil worked great and was easy to apply with no need to remove. Because of the large number of guns ease of application and removal was critical; if I only had a few I was going to put away for LONG term storage I might use RIG grease instead.

If you want to get the best ROI down the road, spend the extra to get MINT examples now, it will pay off in the end. If you want shooters for your kid's it's not as important.

 

[dprice3844444]

clean and lube w/break free collector and vci poly bags.get one of those food vaccuum sealers to suck out all the moisture,than seal it

 

[silicosys4]

Give them a good coating of RIG universal gun grease, and let them sit on a smooth wooden surface, with as little humidity and temp. change as possible.

 

[bannockburn]

Have had great results with long term storage with RIG Gun Grease as well.

 

[BCRider]

Buying gold bars would be a far better investment. You're not going to even pay for the first kid's first year with all the guns you've stashed away.

Anyway, I second the use of a bag and vacuum setup. But I'd add some freshly "dried" silica gel packs to the bags before sealing. Between a good oiling and that VOC paper already mentioned and drying what air is still in the bag with the silica gel the guns will sleep snuggly for as long as you need with no further attention until they are opened.

I'd also remove the wood or rubber grips and bag them separately so the storage oil or grease doesn't soak through the finish and into the wood. No need to vac seal the wood though. Just a loose bit of rag for a little impact protection padding.

 

[CraigC]

I'd lose the cotton rag. Cotton is notorious for holding moisture.

Buying gold bars would be a far better investment.

Yep. Guns, as a rule and with rare exception, are a very poor investment. You'd be better off buying gold, CD's or putting it in an investment account. Even better would be to push them towards academic scholarships for the biggest short and long term payoff.

 

[mesinge2]

Send it to me and I will lovingly care for it for years to come.

 

[huntsman]

I'm thinking I've got to keep them safe for the next twenty years or so.

Vote wisely

 

[shafter]

Buying Model 19's is a great idea. Buying them for a college fund is a bad idea.

 

[jgh4445]

A lot of museums use Renaissance Wax, but what do they know?

 

[Walkalong]

Pick one.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have a good number of blue revolvers. I wrap them in a piece of flannel sprayed heavily with Rem Oil and put them in a pistol rug. That way I can stack them any old way in the safe. I run a dehumidifier rod and monitor humidity with a cheap digital gauge.