I just purchased a small safe for keeping my small collection of guns in a safer environment. I have always kept them is zippered rugs, but guns in rugs quickly fill the space. Is there a better way to store them more efficiently? All but the Ruger Single Six are SS.

I keep my handguns in a rack I bought from Cabela's in my vault. I don't like storing guns in rugs or cases because of potential moisture issues.

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- Change it back -

Guns that I do not shoot a lot are stored in gun socks. Midway sells (amoung other places) a pistol kit that mounts on the safe door. It will hold 6-10 (or more) handguns depending on the size of the safe.

This is what I use. Amazon.com: Browning Pistol Rack: Sports & Outdoors. The pistols take up minimal space when stored in these racks, compared to storing them in rugs or their boxes. I've got eight of these racks in my pistol safe along with twelve long guns. Just make sure you use some type of dehumidifier or a couple or three large desiccant packs in the safe. The internals of SS guns are not made of SS.

Class III

I keep all my handguns in silicone treated gun socks, in the safe.

Both the gun socks (which I was not aware of) and the dessicant seem like good ideas, and will allow me space for a few more guns. Thanks, guys.

I keep most of mine in the boxes they came in, in my closet. Some wrapped in paper, others in plastic. I play with all of them enough so I can tell if there is a problem. Never has been.

I store most of mine in treated "Bore Store" gun rugs. They work great, and you can stack them without worrying about scratches, dents, or dings. This also allows me to keep my boxes stored without fear of any additional wear & tear from handling them in the safe.

I've also seen a number of guns with finish damage, from long term storage in their original box. Especially Colts in styrofoam box liners, and S&Ws in presentation boxes... Using the vapor paper helps to avoid these problems, but it is something to be aware of... I do keep some of my pistols in the original boxes, but make sure they a good coating of "Rig" gun grease, and the vapor paper.

I also use "Goldenrods" in the safes, seem to work well...

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NRA Life Member

+1 on the Goldenrods, I have been using those in my safes for years with no problems

So many variables. Basically a gun will last a long time with almost no care. Its how some of us have managed to own fair size collections of guns in pristine condition. And back in the past they didn't have witches brews of wonder drugs like we do today.

Basically, for rust to form there must be bare metal, oxygen, and moisture. You can attack all 3 with only minor effort. Go buy some CLP Collectors (it kind of dries to a waxy substance). Clean your gun really well. Use powder solvent and generally make it white glove clean. Then if its a blue gun, slather a little more than usual of the CLP on the exposed surfaces. Keep a small camel hair brush around for fun. Its not made from camels, no camel jockeys, no terrorists. Is Squirrel. But its soft and you can use the brush to smear all the oil into a fairly level coating, and into all the cracks like the barrel frame seam, etc.

When you're happy with it, bag the thing. Go to your local supermarket and buy the thick, high quality bags like ZipLock brand (the idea is not to buy the economy bags that are so thin they come with holes.) Place the gun in the bag and kind of crush the bag to exhaust as much air as you can, as you close the seal. On nickel guns the same thing works, except you might be better off waxing it.

Now take the gun and just put the bag in a box. The original one works well because its sized right. Or one for a similar gun. Dant here on the forum usually sells dozens of them. The box prevents other guns from bashing together while still taking up little extra space.

Air and moisture can't get to the guns, and the boxes prevent abrasions. You've got life made.

Properly cleaned and lubed guns don't need a goldenrod if bagged. The air can't enter the bag and bring moisture along with it. Every so often you can reapply the oil if it makes you feel better. But its not necessary.

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Dick Burg

That $30 brownell gun rack must have cost almost .75 cents to build! I have kept all my handguns in old holy wore out socks forever untill recently I broke down and bought some of those treated gun socks. Never did have a gun rust but then I live in dryer country. I was more concerned about the cushion of the socks so the guns dont nick each other.

i have my handguns wiped clean and then in my safe. then i ran out of room. i had to lay double folded shop rags on some and then the next gun on top. i only do this on my stainless rugers. lol

i also run an electric dehumidifier inside my safe and several individual packs of dessicant tossed in for good measure. rifles are in the slots. rifles with exceptionally nice wood or old family long guns that dont get shot are well oiled and wiped down and stored inside the treated rifle sock

Advice from experience.

Buy a nice quality safe, clean the guns after use and put them locked inside the safe with a few packs of silica tossed around.

I have a friend that kept his guns under the bed in boxes. His home was in a gated community. One day he came home and no longer owned a single gun since someone broke in and took many itmes.

A man (lawyer) renting from me, and he is a friend as well, had a nice collection and living in a home with burglar bars came home and found the bars on the rear of the home had been pulled off with a come-a-long. Entry was made and both his gun and coin collection was gone.

A very good friend is over Property Crimes for an area PD. He told me of a case where a home owner had a converted closet filled with a display of nice guns. The home was entered and the guns taken.

Worry more about keeping the guns instead of preserving them. It is more likely the guns will be either lost or stolen than getting rusty. Those taking the guns generally will know you and are often family members. They know your hours when the house is empty. They know your guns, where they are kept and they will sell them on the streets.

Mine are all still in old cotton socks and stacked on the shelf of the safe. The socks are just to keep them from scratching one another.

About all I do to prevent rust is wipe them down from time to time with silicon spray. I've been doing it for twenty-five years or so, and never had a problem.

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John 3:16 .

I keep mine in gun socks or lightly oiled old regular socks.

I agree with Rburg's comment on the "witches brew". :-)

IMO, regular inspection, say every 6-12 months with a wipe down and cleaning is sufficient. If you were in a high humidity area, perhaps this is different and I cannot speak to it. Metal needs oil.

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Rather be outdoors

Hard to beat old military OD wool socks as 'storage containers'.

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Incoming fire has right of way

Me too......