Best long term gun storage solution?

[ss]

1. Cortec synthetic cloth zippered VPI gun pad
2. KleenBore plastic VPI bag
3. Bore-Store breathable synthetic cloth silicone lined gun pad
4. Vacum packed food saver method

If using any of the above, would you still use VPI paper and would you still oil the gun?

Also they don't make Bianchi blue bags anymore.

There seems to two schools of thought. Letting a gun breath by allowing moisture to evaporate and the gasses to escape.

To vacum sealing it, but do those food saver machines really do that good of a job in sucking air out and really sealing it shut for a long period of time and having air trapped inside means the moisture can't evaporate.

I'm not interested in using dessicant packets because they only work in air tight environments because as it absorbs moisture from the air it will be attracted just as fast because there isn't an air tight seal.

How does the military store firearms for long term? They don't use air tight containers do they? Just use some heavy grease and wrap in VPI paper or bags and store in a cool dry envinronment?

I'd like to do it simply and inexpensively yet safely. The food saver method is expensive because the machine costs $130 and I don't even know if it really works for the long term.

How about wrapping it in a VPI plastic bag and then putting that into a Cortec VPI cloth gun pad? I read that it's not recommended to use Bore-Store with plastic bags because it won't be able to breath.

With people who suck out air with straws or vacum cleaners, isn't it just a futile attempt as the seal probably isn't air tight and surely there is still ample air left inside the bag.

 

[JohnBT]

I have a couple of questions...

How long is long-term? Six months, a year, 5 years?

Where will the guns be stored after they are greased, oiled or bagged? A closet, a safe, the basement or buried in the backyard?

I'll check back.

John...I worry a lot about rust. It's 8:40 a.m. and beautiful. Only 77*F and 91% humidity.

 

[ss]

For 3-5 years before I'd take it out to inspect, clean, and lubricate again.

It'll be stored in a non temperature or humidity controlled safe but the safe itself will be in an air conditioned environment.

Also, are wood grips, plastic grips and aluminum frames safe in those VPI bags?

Would they also be safe in a silicone lined Bore-Store?

Brownells sells some rust inhibitor paper but it says that it shouldn't be used with aluminum frames but the product makes no mention of VPI.

 

[JohnBT]

I'd take the wood off the guns and coat them inside and out with RIG(Rust Inhibiting Grease) Grease or cosmoline. Then I'd put a GoldenRod in the bottom of the safe, plug it in and forget it.

Actually, I use RIG on the guns that aren't shot regularly and Sheath or Breakfree on the rest. It's very, very, very damp in my unairconditioned basement. Just to be on the safe side I have 2 GoldenRods in the safe. I don't wrap many guns in plastic anymore - no more Blue Bags.

I use the little vapor tab thingies in tool boxes and such, but they're only good for a year IIRC. Heck, the Blue Bags were only good for a year or two, weren't they?

In conclusion, I vote for greasing them and forgetting them.

John...the humidity is down to 61% outside. I think I'll air out the basement and the safe for awhile and then go to the range.

 

[CWL]

If you are storing in a safe, strongly recommend you purchasing an electric goldenrod dehumidification device for the insides. More reliable than any chemical/mechanical dehumidifiers and it circulates the air.

This and a coat of RIG on insides & outs of gun.

 

[jacketch]

Send them to me

 

[martin]

The VPI bags from Kleenbore last two years. The old Bianchi Blue Bags were rated for three years. I still have guns in the Bianchi bags after 8 years and they still work like a champ. The Kleenbore bags haven't been on the market but around two years or so. I have several guns in the Kleenbore bags that have been in them for around two years with no problems at all (I looked at them the other night for the first time in over a year).

I also use the Rust Blox tabs from Brownells and I have had them in bags and toolboxes now for two+ years and they are still working just fine. Also, I have a few toys in Brownells mylar bags with Rust Blox inside them - I evacuated the air with a vacuum cleaner and then taped them closed with packing tape. Works fine and has done so for years.

Regardless of what you select, insure you lubricate the firearms well prior to storage with a product that will not evaporate over time. Rig works well for this.

 

[SRYnidan]

The military (Air Force) stores weapons in heat sealed plastic/foil with a disicant (sp) no vacume sealing is used just most of the air squeased out by hand. The quit using the cosmoline method for almost everything as it takes to much time and work to get it functional when you need them.

P.S. I was storing upwards of 4K M16 that needed to be ready to issue on less than 48 hours notice.

 

[Newton]

Just pack it grease, it will still be as good as new a hundred years from now.

Takes a while to clean it off, but that's not usually a concern.

Then again if you're burying a SHTF package out in the woods (surprisingly popular), protecting your ammo may need more attention since you can't exactly dip those in grease.

 

[Tropical Z]

http://members.aol.com/norustbags/