long term storage

[peteinct]

Every body put down your tinfoil hats I'm not asking about burying guns in the back forty. A co worker of mine who is not a gun guy has a Plainfield M-1 carbine that he inherited. He has only shot it once over 7 years ago and cleaned it then. After that he just left it in a soft case.

I told him I would clean it and oil it for him and I have just received it. There is a little rust on the outside but it doesn't look too bad. I was going to give it a good cleaning with breakfree clp give it a functionality test (shoot it a couple times, I couldn't return it without seeing if it worked) clean it again and return it.

Is there a better long term protectant that I should use? I was thinking I would wrap the gun and mags in wax paper before I put it back in its case for its next 7 year sentence, is that good?

Is there any good ammo that works in an M-1 carbine other than ball ammo?
Are there any fun facts I can tell my coworker about his gun?

thanks, Pete

 

[Old Fuff]

Go to Brownells (www.brownells.com) They sell a VIP (vapor inhibitor paper) wrap that is similar to what the military uses as well as some manufacturers.

After cleaning and lightly oiling the firearm you wrap it in a sheet of VIP and then seal it in a plastic bag. The paper will give off a vapor that prevents rust for a period of about 5 years, depending on how well the plastic is sealed. NEVER SEAL A GUN IN PLASTIC UNLESS IT IS PROTECTED WITH A VIP WRAP!

Brownells also has the plastic bags (rifle or pistol sizes) and anything else you need. You may easily unseal the gun and use it if you want to, and the wrap will remain good as long as it is sealed in something to retain the vapor.

Be aware that the vapor can attack some older stock finishes and plated metal surfaces.

 

[Werewolf]

I have some SA Revolvers I don't shoot but once in a blue moon.

Here's what works for me but then I live in a relatively dry climate.

Liberal dose of CLP in barrel and on action. WET! Then I spray CLP on a paper towel and wrap the metal part of the revolver in the paper towel.

The CLP dries out on the towel pretty quick but I've never had any rust or anything else show up on the pistols. Longest stored that way is a bit over a year and a half.

CLP leaves a coating of some type after it dries (which is why the gunsmith I use hates the stuff) so prior to firing I always use something like Butch's Bore Shine or Hoppes #9 to swab out the barrel before firing.

I imagine the same thing could be done with an M1 Carbine. YMMV...

 

[CletusFudd]

Long term protectant

There is a spray you can buy at the tractor supply stores that they use on John Deere tractors when they ship them by sea. I've forgotten the name of it but it forms a shield over the metal to prevent corrosin. You also might want to throw a dessicant package in there also. There's a product called Corrosion-X that's very good.

 

[Telperion]

+1 on Old Fuff's suggestions for Brownell's VCI paper (sold as "Gunwrap" paper) and heat-sealable bags. They're fairly cheap, easy, and no cleanup is required. Don't know why people still bother with grease.

 

[halvey]

I have a few shotguns I want to put away for long term storage. I was looking for something to use on the outside of the barrels. A friend of a friend says he uses synthetic motor oil and wool socks on the inside and outside. But I don't know...

Any suggestions?

 

[ocabj]

Cosmoline

 

[stevelyn]

What Old Fluff said about the VpCIs. Also research a little on Bullfrog products which use VpCIs. I've been experimenting with the lube and rust blocker. So far I've been impressed by the results.
http://www.rustbloc.com/index.shtml

 

[Catshooter]

My father told me a story once of when he found an '86 Winchester in .45-70 in an abandonded house he had been shooting.

It was pretty poor to bad condition on the external surfaces, but the last person to put it away had taken a long strip of sheepskin (with wool still on it) and pulled it into the bore.

The lanolin in the skin had protected the bore, and it was spotless.

I don't have access to any sheep (oh what a straight line) so I use one of those pull through bore cleaners and cut it off just long enough to leave the loop hanging out of the muzzle after soaking it in Mobil 1.

Just my .02.


Cat

 

[vis35]

There is a good product called RustGuardIt, made by Kleen Bore, you can get it at most gun shops. It is an aerosol, you spray it on and it looks like oil but after a few minutes it dries to a tacky waxy grease, give it a second coat for real long term protection. Only drawback is it has to be cleaned off when you want to use the gun. It also might mess up the inside of a case. I put a bunch of guns away in unheated storage for several years with this stuff and they all came thru fine.

 

[BigSlick]

Use a Food Saver vacuum bag.

Spray the carbine down with Corrosion X (inside and out, and under the barrel) wrap in VCI paper and bag it up.

It will stay in the condition stored for eons.

BigSlick

 

[cracked butt]

Cover all of the metal parts with RIG grease or cosmoline.