How do you store your pump guns?

[Milkmaster]

The discussion came up when looking at my newly aquired BPS. The BPS receiver assembly rarely gets taken apart. The manual says to spray cleaner and lubricant in the receiver to clean it rather than disassembly. Just to settle an argument here I had with brother on how the pump gun should be stored. He emphasizes to store your long guns muzzle down to keep any excess oil from ruining the stock wood. While understanding his point, I don't use so much oil that I think that would happen. Out of curiosity I wondered how do you guys/gals do it. Particularly I am speaking of those shotguns that are not loaded and would be in a safe or cabinet for weeks at a time.

 

[ArmedBear]

How much oil seeps out depends on the gun and its design, as well as how much you use, etc. I don't know what the back of a BPS receiver looks like, so I can't comment on the BPS specifically.

I have noticed something, though. With an O/U, if I wipe a thin rust-preventative, like Rem-Oil or Bullfrog Rusthunter, in the barrels, it flows down. I've found the chamber faces and receiver wet with oil. Now, after applying one of these products for rust prevention, I stuff a paper towel wad in the chamber and push it through the barrel before storage. I believe this leaves a thin residue of rust-preventative, but not enough to flow down the polished bores in any noticeable amount.

 

[confed sailor]

Well just dont go Exxon Valdez on your gun, oil is like byrl creme, a lil dab'il do yah.

 

[Hawk]

I've got a couple in lockable steel racks and those things only work with the muzzle up.

The "muzzle down due to oil" advice goes back a long time and seems plausible to me. I only ignore it because of my storage situation. That, and there's not much oil to go anywhere.

And there is the matter that wood stocks seem to be more rare all the time. Even O/Us are coming with polymer stocks. I'd suppose the "muzzle down" rationale doesn't much apply to plastic.

 

[rcmodel]

seems plausible to me.

Just look at any 100 year old shotgun, or pump or lever-action rifle, and you will see the effects of oil draining out of the action and soaking into the stock.

I do a lot of work on old Winchesters, and it is rare to find one without oil soaked wood in the buttstock.

But part of the problem is that folks used way too much oil in the first place.

Myself, I use oil & grease, including spray cans, as approiate in the action, then use a 120 PSI air hose to blow everything out before putting the wood back on.

The thin film of oil or grease remaining is all that is needed, or desirable to lubricate the moving parts.

rcmodel

 

[Hawk]

Giving away my age here but I had an uncle back in the '50s that stored a model 94 liberally slathered with oil and petroleum jelly. The model 94 was then wrapped 100% with aluminum foil and placed on a gravy tin in the closet.

Muzzle up or down, the wood on that thing was doomed.
Never rusted, though.

I'm sure that amount of oil was extreme even for the middle part of the 20th century but folks back then did seem to over lube firearms. Perhaps because many were broken out only once a year and they were performing "preservation" more than "lubrication" (?). Safes were rare and dessicant was unheard of.

 

[ArmedBear]

Note also that climate-controlled houses were rare in the mid 20th century, too. If it was hot and humid outside, it was hot and humid inside.

 

[Hawk]

If it was hot and humid outside, it was hot and humid inside.

Very true and not one of my more pleasant memories of the time.

Also, it seemed the tendency was to use whatever 3-in-1 or sewing machine oil was handy - low viscosity and not exactly controlled delivery out of one of those "cans that defy description".

 

[Virginian]

Well, my 1963 vintage 1100 doesn't have oil soaked wood, and it's been stored muzzle up for lo these 45 years. I always used the spray it down and wipe it off technique. Still do in fact.

 

[jakemccoy]

muzzle down, action closed, magazine loaded, hammer down on empty chamber, safety on

That works best for me on my 870P. With the setup I described, the part of the butt stock I need to grab is there up top. If I need the shotgun, I pump the forend and turn off the safety. My scheme is quick and part of my muscle memory. None of my shotguns are in the safe unloaded.

 

[Fred Fuller]

If not horizontal, then muzzle down- not because of oil but because when the gun is picked up in the muzzle down orientation, it comes easily and safely to the 'low ready' position.

lpl/nc

 

[ARTiger]

The BPS has a one piece machined steel reciever that's almost impossible to get into. I have one that's 12 years old which sees a lot of use during duck season. My cleaning tactic is to spray in breakfree with the extension tube on the can, then stuff a rag in the action and stand up muzzle down for a day or so. Amazing how much comes out on the rag. Mine also has walnut stocks, which I don't want to get infused with breakfree so long term storage is also muzzle down.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Horizontal next to the bed with three in the tube, chamber empty, hammer down. About twenty rounds of 00 and slugs in the drawer next to it.

 

[rcmodel]

whatever 3-in-1 or sewing machine oil was handy

+1

Even the Outers shotgun cleaning kits from the Western Auto or Gamble's store gun department came with a 3 oz metal squirt-can full of very light "gun oil"!

And after that was gone in a year or so, the 4 oz can of 3 in 1 oil replaced it!

Before long, you got a pint of water-thin oil running through the action and out the back into the stock wood.

rcmodel

 

[tinygnat219]

It's also in a Gunsock.

 

[swordsman2000]

muzzle up / action closed / magazine loaded / hammer down / safety off

pick it up...hit the tact light...cock and kill

safeties on pump shotguns are nothing more then ugly red ornaments...imowir

 

[Virginian]

Do you people really "store" your guns loaded? To me, a loaded gun propped in the corner or closet, isn't stored. Stuff in the safe, on in a case under the sofa is stored. The 44 in the bedside stand ain't.

 

[Hawk]

My shotguns don't serve a HD role, hence are stored empty.

However, for those that might need to use them, they're likely to be stored loaded if not necessarily chambered.

I've seen the phrase "stored cruiser ready".
What would be your preferred substitute for the word "stored" in that context?

 

[jakemccoy]

The reason I use the safety is for kids. The safety provides one last bit of hope in the small chance that my nephew happens to pick up the gun somehow and pump the forend. His parents are anti-gun (i.e., I can't teach him) and his knowledge of guns comes from movies and video games. The real world affects how I must handle guns. Also, the safety doesn't add anything to my readiness time.

Do you people really "store" your guns loaded? To me, a loaded gun propped in the corner or closet, isn't stored. Stuff in the safe, on in a case under the sofa is stored. The 44 in the bedside stand ain't.

In the corner or in the safe, my shotguns sit as indicated in Post #10.

 

[556A2]

Muzzle Up & Cruiser Ready

 

[M2 Carbine]

My shotguns are backup HD guns, so are just "stored" loaded, leaning against the wall near the doors.

 

[Thernlund]

My shotty (Winchester 1300 Defender) is in the safe, muzzle up and chamber closed.

It's lubed, but very minimally. Seeping isn't an issue.


-T.

 

[Virginian]

Many years ago, I used to keep one long gun behind the door, loaded, including the chamber. I did not consider that gun stored, but ready for action. All my other guns were unloaded, probably with snap caps in them with the action not cocked, under a sofa or whatever in the likely vain hope that a burglar might miss them.
Now days, everything but one 44 is in the safe, empty, uncocked, muzzle up for the long guns. The 44 I do not consider stored, but ready to go.
My intention was just to point out that I think we are using different nomenclature. If someone wants to have an M-60, cocked and locked with a full magazine box, stored on the coffee table that is fine with me.