When you aren't shooting, fondling or otherwise handling your gun; what it is best way to keep them looking good. Is keeping the gun in a holster a bad idea? How about keeping them in gun socks? I keep my M37 in a mini crown royal bag

Keeping it in a holster isn't a good idea because the leather is treated with chemicals that over time can damage the finish.

I keep mine wrapped in a cloth that's been sprayed with CLP. Then, I place it in a pistol rug and zip it up until the time it needs to come out. Works A-OK.

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With S&W, you're holding history in your hand

Back years ago, when I had one handgun, I started using an old, white, cotton sock to protect it.

I've never really seen any reason to change.

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John 3:16 .

silicone socks in my safe

I use these in my safe. They are from Midway.

Sack-ups are about the best thing going.

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Aaron Terry

i got the same material from the safe factory and made alot of shelves for

my safe.I keep them clean and waxed up with ren wax and just lay them

in there.The boxes are stacked on a shelf .Seems to work pretty good for

the last few years.I like the easy access to the guns.I figure the safe can hold up to 70 revolver-semi's that way.

I store them in clean cotton socks stacked in the safe.

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S&W Accumulator

All my revolvers and semi autos before putting up have a cleaning patch with oil run through the barrels, then their sprayed with Super QCG and wiped with a clean cotton T-shirt. Then stored in Doskocil foam lined plastic cases or zip up pistol rugs.
All rifles and shotguns are cleaned the same way but stored uncovered and racked.




Ernie

I keep mine stacked in the safe in Bore-Stores.

After cleaning, all my handguns snooze comfortably in their Bore-Store snuggies in my warm and cozy heated safe.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Bore Stores

I store guns in their boxes if they have one or in padded gun rugs. In either case they get wiped down with a silicone treated cloth after handling before they get put away.

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"Shall not be infringed"

I like the storage racks because you have easy access. They fit in the safe, two per shelf. They're perfect for revolvers.

I have them hanging on hooks in the gun safe. Keeping a gun in a holster is a worst case scenario because the leather has chemicals that attack the finish and in humid areas they attract moisture that cause finish problems.

My Grandfather kept a Colt Police Positive for 15 years in a leather holster and my uncle had to have it refinished because it was a mess.

Most replies are correct and good methods listed, Ensure before long term storage, and shooting that your Smith is properly cleaned and lightly oiled. I like the idea of placing them in white clean cotton wraps and storeing in their boxes if they exist. Periodically checking for problems that may occur in the future and anytime you handle them, wipe down completly before storeing again. Never had a problem in 35 years. Never store in a holster for reasons already listed.

Me too! You can also buy inside the door racks. They work great and saves nicking your handguns up from bringing them in and out of the safe! I lighly cosmoline to the inside of barrels of the guns I shoot very infrequently. Apply Militec-1 to the ones I shoot often. The outside of my weapons gets a coat of wax for long term storage, Militec-1 to my regular shooters. Buy yourself a Golden Rod for the safe to remove all moisture and you'll have no worries from corrosion.

Been doing this for years and only one rusted model 57 in the safe. From salt spray hitting it while boating to our camp site 34 miles away in a skiff up in Kodiak, Alaska. By the time we got our campsite up and our bear detection system set up it was pitch black and went straight to the tent and sleeping bags as it was -10 degrees. Just suffered some light speckling but both I and my all time best friend, Dave A. Glamamn (Ak. State Trooper, RIP) were both bummed the next morning as his 57 also had some rust like mine. Live and learn I guess.

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V/R
Roger / SG

Another Bore Stores user here..........

EEZOX is everyone's friend.

I use this


[source nra.com]

and this


[source stack-on.com]

So far no issues

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Jorge

I store mine right beside the bed on top of the latest issue of National Rifleman. It never gets a chance to get any dust on it because I polish it at least once a day. After seeing some of the pics for holders I guess I will have to go out to the workshop and see what I can dream up. I love these make work projects.....cheers

In Bore Store gun socks, they protect the guns from impact damage and let me stack them up in the safe.

I give mine a good cleaning, a wipe down with RIG, then into soft side cases, then hung in the safe

Pelican cases work very well, they keep them both protected and organized by type weapon. They also stack very well in the safes.

I love bore stores both for the long and shorts.

Most of mine are stored in their boxes if they have one. Others are in their presentation boxes, gun rugs, or on the safe door in a Liberty safe accessory. The long guns are, of course, stored the usual way.

I store my revolvers in a Champion Medalist 22 safe.



I use Bore Stores on a couple of antiques. The rest are Versatile Racks, which hold 10, 8 or 6 weapons of various sizes, unwrapped. Several of the non-shooters or Safe Queens have been coated with Renaissance Micro-crystalline Wax Polish.

I have a Remington Mini-dehumidifier Model 365 and an Acurite Humidity Monitor installed. The modern stuff that gets carried or a range trip or two gets cleaned with Rem Oil, CLP, or Ballistol. About every 6 months they all get hauled out and wiped down.

I also keep my cameras, and all historical and financial information related to my collection In the safe.

For many years I used to keep various revolvers stored in socks. But as the collection continued to grow I had to look at other options.

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Semper Paratus

All of my guns are stored in a silicone sock and stored in a zip up gun rug. Or the original box it came in.

I long term store mine clean, mil oil lube and with a wax on hangers in my climate controlled safe. The info given above about chemicals on the holster is correct from what I understand and would not store one long term in a holster. I am certain any oil on the pistol would interact with the tanned leather, plastic holsters I wouldn't know. I just run a patch through them and wipe them off when heading out to shoot. I clean everything in the safe at least 2 times a year plus after shooting.

How do those safe door hangers attach?

I have had problems with humidity in the past when I lived in the East; in AZ it’s not much of a problem. Prior to getting a humidity controlled safe I kept some guns in socks in drawers. When I took the grips off one of my of my revolvers, there was surface rust on the mainspring.

I have read about some of the new gun socks that features vapor corrosion inhibitor technology. I don’t have any definitive knowledge to offer a recommendation on these socks.

To be sure, I now treat the internals with Weapon Shield, an excellent CLP. I also periodically inspect the firearms to ensure no rust/corrosion is occurring.

I just rearranged my safe and took dozens of revolvers that were in racks...and stored them in their original box or any S&W box that would work. Found I was able to free up a lot of space and fit more handguns IN rather than out of the safe.

Also took some no stick painters tape, and my label maker and gave all of them a number by frame size that matches their number on my master list of make, model, serial# , etc. Stuck the label to the tape, trimmed with scissors, then lightly press the tape onto the box. Been doing this for some time and have never had an issue with the tape sticking to any box. Doubt if I'd risk it with a Reg Mag box though.

Some guns are Ren waxed and in bore-stor's.

FN in MT

i use ren.wax on quite a few...others simply clean and into racks which are in the safe

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

All my firearms are wiped with a pink shop towel dabbed with RIG before they are put away. The handguns are all stored in zippered bags, either the type made for the purpose or else mostly bank deposit bags.

The bags aid in snug packing of handguns together and protect from bumps and dings.

Mine are in racks with ren wax for protection.

Each and every handgun has it's own soft case, inside the safe, though I do keep a few out for daily carry or home security usage.

Fleecy gun rugs. Blued finish guns get a silicone gun sock or BoreStore. Stainless & Park'd just go right in the rug.

I keep the Smith revolvers in their blue cardboard boxes after a good waxing. These in the safe. The "other" guns get a similar treatment.

I recently came by a near-endless supply of Crown Royale bags. Turn'em inside-out, spray heavily with silicone spray. Then right-side out, silicone spray again. Let dry. Then store handguns and fishing reels in them.
Works great.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

EEZOX and Bore Stores......works

I just put them in ZipLock bags, douch'em down good with WD-40, burp out the air, and seal'em up. Doesn't hurt the grips at all.

don't have a safe yet just my closet. i store my handguns in a small plano hard cases, a little bit of clp, & those silicone treated gun socks with the midway logo. seems to be working well. no rust.

Here is what I did.




I got the idea from a post similar to this, made some measurements and this is what happend. The vertical parts of the rack fold down when the pistols are removed and I'm alble to keep my snubbies there. I also would like to point out that I am aware there is a rubber duckie in the picture.

Ah, yeah, 10-4, Prof Frink, for sure, for sure.

Nice work and arsenal!

Pretty nice way to store them

I do a lot of gun rugs and quite a few Crown Royal bags also
Hank

This all looks good. Old Corp - I like the crown royal bags and hope to pick up some on New Years Eve! I haven't tried it yet but a lot of gun shows show their guns displayed vertically supported by wooden dowels. The barrel of the gun goes over the dowel. This could be a worthwhile option.
I'm also thinking about using some rare earth magnets attached to the side of my cabinet. The ones that have a hole in the middle and can be attached with screws. I'll use this to hang my flat pistols like Glocks and CZ's. But someone asked me if the magnetic field would magnetize the gun I don't know..........about that.. any takers?

Gotta agree. I have most of my finer pistols and revolvers in Sack-Ups , then inside of butterfly cases. I respray them , heavily, once a year with a good grade of silicone spray. Have some milk-type crates stacked in one safe. 1/2in foam sheets between layers of guns that are only in Sacks. And my safes all have Goldenrods.

I keep mine in boxes if they came with them, loose guns are stored in treated gun socks. I envy you who have such neat and orderly safes. I have a walk-in safe that limits me on the room since I can't add another, and things are starting to get a mite crowded in there. I usually keep the loose guns in the socks stacked in milk crates which do stack very nicely.

I keep mine in their original boxes wrapped in the original rust preventative
paper. Once in a while I will replace the paper if it gets too raggy. The original cardboard boxes don't take up much room and I like the idea of having the box the gun came in. Since they are all labeled it helps me keep things organized and makes a specific gun I am searching for easier to find.

Since all my Smiths are older guns, I do not have any in the big plastic boxes that would take up way too much room.

Chief38

Logictox, those cases look like a good way to organize and protect your revolvers from damage, but I caution you on the potential for corrosion. The foam cushioning in those types of containers tend to attract and retain moisture/humidity, and can do some nasty things to your nice guns.

I notice that the open case that you show has all stainless guns, so it may not be as big of a deal with SS guns, but I thought I'd thow this out there. One time, during a move, I had a couple of hunting rifles stored in a similar case, and after a few months, I has some light surface rust. I was glad I caught it early!

I store most of my guns in Bore Store sleeves, in my safes, in a locked closet, in a locked room, with Golden Rods in the safe. I even use the Bore Stores for my rifles, as this eliminates the "safe dings" that are bound to happen when you have long guns next to each other in a safe.

The guns that I don't shoot get Ren waxed, or wiped with Rigs grease. The guns that I shoot often are wiped with an oily rag. I have some handguns stacked, some in their original boxes, and some in a rack. This is all based on shooters vs non-shooter/collectors, and how that works organizationally.

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NRA Life Member