Is there any secret formula for preserving your firearms?

[Onomea]

Thanks, TwoPound and BattleCry. That sounds good.

Now, for a guy who doesn't normally have nitrogen or butane or other inert -- whatever that means for gas; I do understand the term in reference to my dog -- gases lying about the house, are there pressurized containers of this stuff that one can commonly buy off the shelf in a hardware store, slip a rubber tube over the nozzle stem, and there you are?

I was thinking of butane lighter fuel as something comparatively easy to find, but is there something else commonly available that you'd recommend?

 

[TwoPoundPull]

Most refrigeration and A/C service guys will have dry nitrogen for integrity tests.
Welders will usually have argon.
Helium is also a pretty common non-reactive gas.
Don't use Co2, contains and retains moisture.

 

[battlecry]

Onomea, I use butane for lighters. Easy to buy and I need it for other uses.

 

[29-1]

Remove the stocks and store separately. Immerse the firearm in Marvel Mystery Oil and do the Ziplock bag thing Burg always talks about. Check it every couple-three years just to make sure someone hasn't stolen it. Your grand kids will be able to one day take out a gun in the exact same condition it was in when you put it in the bag.
Chuck

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by riptrack44:
I'm talking about long term storage. Aside from regular oiling and cleaning (if that's impossible), what would you recommend to fend off rust and other meanies attacking the fine finish and metal of your firearms? We all know moisture is a killer for sure. Most of the moisture solutions I've seen only last for a short time then they need to be rejuvinated. I suppose there's always cosmoline (sp?). Any suggestions?

Coat heavily with RIG grease or Break Free CLP and then seal in a vacuum seal bag after sucking out all the air. Those ones you can buy to preserve food in the freezer work pretty good.

I helped a friend store a Model 459 in an ordinary zip lock bag after heavily coating the pistol with Break Free CLP and after pushing out the air as much as possible while sealing it up. I was there when he put it in shi safety deposit box.

The pistol did not rust in any way after 20 years (I was there when he took it back out of the safety deposit box). The pistol was still "wet" with oil and after wiping off, we took it to the range and it worked flawlessly.