how to store safe queens?

[opr1945]

I have a couple of guns that I will not shoot. e.g. Colt SAA, German WW2 Mausers.

Currently I just have them laying on a shelf in my safe with a dehumidifier. Is there a better way to store them?

I also have a new gun I have never shot, but intend to, still in it S&W blue plastic box on foam inside the box, with the box in the bottom of the safe, good idea?

thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

Foam, in the S&W box??
For long term storage??

NO!

I have some of the first S&W plastic boxes where the factory packing oil dried out in the foam, hardened, and it is coming apart in ugly dust particles now.
Thank goodness a gun wasn't in them when it happened!!

They are much better off out in open air where humidity will not be held in contact with them.

Wipe them down with RIG or something, and hang them up by the trigger guard were dry air and even heat can circulate around them.

rc

 

[HammsBeer]

Perhaps one of those rubber coated pistol racks so the air can circulate freely around them, instead of one side laying on felt/foam/whatever. And spray some birchwood barricade on a soft gun cloth and wipe them down periodically and everytime you handle them. Field strip them once a year to clean off old oil and reoil/regrease any wear spots and the bore.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have more than would fit on my safe's shelves laying or racked. I keep mine in pistol rugs with the gun wrapped in an oily cotton cloth. I stack 'em like cord wood.

 

[oneounceload]

I use those silicone socks on every gun in the safe- helps with rust prevention as well as preventing little nicks when getting guns in and out of the safe

 

[Nomad]

For the guns you never plan to shoot, as already been suggested maybe an application of Rig or simular paroduct. A Golden Rod in the safe is nice if you live in a high humidity area. I live in the desert and I just wipe em down every few months and use a dehumidifier block which I have to dry about ever five years. To me much depends on how humid it is where they are stored.

 

[TestPilot]

In a VCI bag.

 

[bigfatdave]

I use those silicone socks on every gun in the safe- helps with rust prevention as well as preventing little nicks when getting guns in and out of the safe

I've recently started storing my less-shot guns in (designed for guns) socks. Rifles, shotguns, and handguns.

Does anyone know a reason NOT to do that? I'm likeing the concept for the same reasons as 1oz - protect them from dings in my overcrowded lockup and hopefully reduce corrosion.

I use rechargeable dessicant cans rather than a heat source, if that matters.

 

[hso]

Take off the stocks and apply Renaissance Wax after a good degreasing cleaning. If you want to put them in a box, which I don't recommend, use an archival acid free cardstock box. I put a zrust capsule in my safe on the same shelf as the safe queens.

 

[SC Shooter]

Two issues to protect from. Bumps & bangs and moisture. I store my high value long guns in quilted fabric sleeves or cases, with moisture absorbing packets. I also take them out on a routine basis, wipe them down and then put on a light coat of gun oil, either Rem Oil or Hoppes. Foam will protect from the bumps and bangs, but will also attract moisture. If store in foam, you will eventually see signs of rust. Almost guarenteed.

 

[GBExpat]

If I wished to periodically take out these firearms for display or use, I would simply store them in the gunsafe like I do the rest.

If I wanted to "park" them, long-term, I would probably store them in VCI bags (I currently have 7 M1s in such storage ... bagged for several years, now).

--------

In the late '60s, my dad acquired two pistols (.22RF & .38/.357). In those days zipper cases lined with silicone-coated artificial sheepskin were popular ... silicone was a new, borderline-miraculous substance.

Dad got two of those cases for storing his pistols.

I don't think that he had removed them for many years when I opened them in ~1990. Both pistols are deeply pitted in places. Because of that I will never use close fitting fabric or foam, no matter what borderline-miraculous substance in which it is coated, for longterm storage of firearms.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Foam will protect from the bumps and bangs, but will also attract moisture. If store in foam, you will eventually see signs of rust. Almost guarenteed.

Not likely with closed cell foam.

 

[22250Rem]

I have a 3 ring binder that is my shooting/cleaning logbook. Each gun in the safe has its own page. Anytime a gun is fired; the date and number of rounds are recorded and the gun is cleaned. The few that I never fire get taken out and checked and/or cleaned every 6 months and the date is recorded. So about once a month I page through this log book and know exactly how long its been since a gun has had any attention paid to it. If it hasn't been fired in 6 months or just been sitting in the safe for 6 months it's due for a routine check and cleaning. I had 5 that were due in December, got 3 done with 2 to go. Already have my January list made; 4 are due next month. Unless I go to the range and fire a few more. Nice thing about this is no gun goes more than 6 months maximum without getting at least a good check. I've heard too many stories of pitted or rusted guns because they were stored for long periods of time and nobody checked on them. Both my safes are in a dry, heated basement but I can sleep better at night KNOWING those guns are doing O.K.

 

[BCRider]

For genuine collectables that will not be shot if they do not come with a presentation/display box I think I'd make one. That way the guns can be easily brought out to look at without a lot of unwrapping or handling. Either a clear lid to allow the gun to be seen but not touched or a solid top that is easily opened but secure enough against accidental opening to protect the gun within.

For such cases I'd suggest instead of foam that thin baffles be used that are cut to fit the gun so they hold the gun securely in position but allow free air movement around the gun. The edges in contact with the gun would be felt or some sort of soft material that does not give off any sort of nasty chemicals or vapours.

I'd also stick a patch of VCI paper in the case with the gun.

 

[herrwalther]

I keep my safe queen in the plastic manufacturing box it came in with its own small silica dehumidifier.

 

[rodinal220]

Zerust bags:

http://www.zerustproducts.com/firearms-weapons/?zenid=18353e8376d05d21ffbd83a048511b33