Damage from improper storage

[stock]

Every so often I seen an advertisement for a used gun that mentions something like "some pitting due to improper vault storage by previous owner".
What sort of improper vault storage can damage handguns.
I keep mine in a gun room with the humidity less than 60% at about 72 degrees. They are in drawers that allow some air circulation laying on their sides on an outdoor type of carpet. I keep them well lubed and rubbed down with "EDs Red".
Could the underside of the gun become corroded where it lays on the carpet.
Any advice or tips from you folks with years of experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[another41]

Could the underside of the gun become corroded where it lays on the carpet.

My pistols lay on a carpet in a (non-fire) safe. There are lightly oiled. Lately some are covered with a gun sock. Never an issue after all these years.
If they are not protectively coated and in a moisture area they could corrode.

 

[DCWilson]

Corrosion can definitely start at points of contact with a damp or acidic surface. Guns with asymmetric finish damage seem to testify to the fact that contact points corrode first and perhaps most seriously. A gun stored in a leather holster or in a cardboard box without an oil-paper barrier will corrode under the affects of dampness and the acids in the contact material.

In general, if you keep the surfaces well oiled, or if you clean a gun off and wipe it down with a silicone cloth and then store it in a silicone-impregnated gunsock, you should be safe. If you live in a high humidity climate, a dehumidifier in your safe would be a very good idea. I'd think the carpeted interiors of any modern safe or lockbox would be safe to rest a gun on unless they held moisture. But I would also take stored items out and give them a regular inspection just to make sure nothing was starting without my knowledge.

 

[m1gunner]

I have a blued gun that was stored for years in a cloth lined case. There is a spot on the receiver where the blueing is totally gone, it is where the gun rested on a raised area of the case.

Properly protected by grease or oil, it would have been fine, but this gun wasn't protected.

Also, my SS mini-14 stayed in a custom wood box that was felt lined at the contact points. The barrel pitted badly at one of those contact points in 2 years stored in a closet.

 

[Camster]

I think there is something about the adhesive used for the felt that encourages corrosion.

 

[Arisin Wind]

I have each of my handguns wrapped in that VCI paper that inhibits rust. Each one is in it's factory box.

 

[s&wchad]

A few guns that I've seen that were damaged by improper care/storage, where I know the story. None of them were mine and the owners all deserve to be severely pummeled.

- A collection of Winchester commemoratives purchased new (not smart to begin with) that were stored in an attic (hidden from children), in the boxes, for about 10 years. The guns developed heavy rust in spots and the boxes were destroyed. I don't know if they had a roof leak or poor ventilation, but Michigan can range from 105F down to -20, so that's not a safe place.

- A Ruger Super Blackhawk stored in the trunk of an older car, in a pistol rug, for close to a year. It looks like a leper (spotty pitting) and it didn't sell at a recent show priced at $150 OBO.

- A Mossberg shotgun that was taken home after a hard weekend duck hunting and left in the case for an admitted "few weeks" before cleaning. It's now camo spray painted with Rustoleum!

 

[aterry33]

Gun safe + dehumidifier = you should be fine.

For valuable or sentimental firearms, of course, you keep them in "sack ups." These are great and keep moisture off the firearm.

Most guns I have seen damaged as described above were thrown into a sock drawer or stored in some type of foam/felt box that retains moisture.

As much as I love/admire/worship the bluing on my old Smiths, it sure is nice to know I can do virtually anything to my Glocks and they don't really care!