Effects of changing temperature on guns?

[indoorsoccerfrea]

I keep a blued large-frame revolver in my truck, which is outside most of the time. Should I be detail stripping it on a regular basis in order to prevent rust on the internals? What precautions can I take to prevent corrosion? Keeping it in my truck is a must.

 

[Cosmoline]

The big problems will come with humidity in the summer and the effect of cab heat in the winter. I would just keep it in a soft-sided case or bag with some wicking ability. I've had nightmares from blued guns left in unlined leather for long periods in high-humidity areas. Those lined with a poly fleece did much better.

 

[MutinousDoug]

If you kept the gun in a sealed bag with fresh dessicant or that vapor paper material (who's name escapes me at the moment), you would not have to worry about condensation/corrosion.

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

So putting it in something with wicking fabric and a few dessicant packets would work? I still plan on detailing it every few weeks.

 

[Owen Sparks]

It is not the extremes in temperature that can harm a firearm so much as the sudden changes in temperature. Ever notice how your garage floor can sweat like an ice tea glass if the ambient temperature of the air warms quickly after a cold night? That is why metal tools rust quickly in a storage shed but not in the climate controlled environment of your home. If your pistol sits out in your car all night and gets really cold, then you turn on the heat it will attract tiny beads of moisture that can cause rust. Oil and absorbant fleece can help a lot but the best thing is to take it in when you get home.

 

[Drail]

Keep it oiled well. Don't put it in anything that will absorb water, liquid or vapor. A plastic bag with a dessicant pack in it will help a lot but check it frequently and change out the dssicant with a fresh pack. It's not just the change in temperature that will cause moisture, it's when the temperature and dewpoint meet, moisture will condense from the air and change back into a liquid. If humid air is trapped inside the bag when you seal it the water can condense back out. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Keep it oiled.

 

[7X57chilmau]

Dessicant packs will require a sealed, nearly airtight bag or enclosure. It's the best option for protecting the gun.

The wicking material lined case works without dessicant, but to a lesser degree....

It's gonna be a compromise between easy, quick availability and good gun protection....

J

 

[X-Rap]

In Indiana you will also have snow and slush that will get drug in onto the floormats.
Thats a lot of moisture, in addition do you leave it in the truck all the time or take it from a warm house each day? Keeping it in bags and such kind of defeats the purpose some. Do you have a stainless?

 

[bigalexe]

Don't know if its been posted but if you leave a shotgun in the cold I would check the parts are tight. Recently I was out to the trap range and it was about 35-40F outside, closer to the 35F it felt like. Anyway the first round of 25 went ok because the guns came directly out of the warm car and were put to work, however early in the second round two issues occurred (let the guns sit outside for 10 minutes while we warmed up).

1.) My gun has a plastic/polymer stock and it came loose, I'm assuming this is because the metal receiver shrinks at a different rate than the plastic/polymer and so the gap opened up between the receiver and stock. It didn't open up enough it was going to fall off but I still put it up after 6 shells.

2.) My friend's gun had the barrel come loose, again this is a situation of plastic/metal together. The mag-cap on an 870 is plastic and everything else is metal. He actually shot the entire round and claimed the funny noise was just crappy shells, didn't bother to check out the gun till the end and then he felt real dumb.

 

[wishin]

I too keep my Hi-power in my truck console all the time. It takes about 6 months before there any signs of oxidation on the gun. If I wait that long to check it, I clean off the surface rust, oil it and it's good to go for another 6 months.

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

Sounds to me like a zip-loc bag with a few dessicant packs is the way to go...with the air sucked out of it before closing. Thank you for the input guys!

 

[chuwee81]

didn't mean to hijack thread but what about ammo? I know extreme heat (cab temp in summer) will have an effect, but are ammo susceptible to condensation; from cold outdoor, back to room temp inside the house?