REM OIL, again!

[CherokeeScot]

REM OIL RUINED MY GUNS!
Seven years ago I cleaned and lubricated my guns with Rem Oil. Two collector grade semi auto rifles, one 50 year old collector grade Colt .45 with presentation box and a cylinder that had never been turned! Two new never fired .40 cal stainless semi auto pistols, What didnt get ruined, my Ruger stainless SAA in .45 Colt There are a few more that I wont mention.
Your article mentions 'wiping down' after oiling/cleaning. I do that but you should be smart enough to know you cant wipe down the inside of a gun which is a very important place to get lubed! The guns were each placed in gun cases or a similar protective covering and two that got ruined were in air tight gun containers. They were each placed in black leaf bags and all the air was sucked out of the bags. Then a light spray of Rem Oil into the bags and the bags were thoroughly sealed. Seven years later I remove the guns. The actions on the two collector grade rifles are stuck, seemingly talking to gunsmiths, no way to get them unstuck. The collector .45 Colt has rust all over it. The stainless .40's, identical, have frozen actions and other components. On those, they were put up in the leather holsters and evidently the Rem Oil reacted with the leather and has deposited goo on all the 'controls' so they are immovable! There is more of the same on others. What would I figure my total loss is? Over $25,000.00.
I had been hearing bad stuff about Rem Oil for the last several years and that is why I took them out of the safe for inspection. I still have the two cans of Rem Oil I used on the guns. Spray. I used 3 in one for over 50 years and never had a damn problem and then people were saying it wasnt the best thing to use. BullSh**! I never had any problems in the past with 3 in one! Im not sure where Im going with this but Im not taking it sitting down. Somebody is going to pay! I am 77 years old and its way too late for me to start over.

 

[CherokeeScot]

I would hope this comment does not get canned. It would be a disservice to many gun owners.

 

[edwardware]

The guns were each placed in gun cases or a similar protective covering and two that got ruined were in air tight gun containers. They were each placed in black leaf bags and all the air was sucked out of the bags. . . The actions on the two collector grade rifles are stuck, seemingly talking to gunsmiths, no way to get them unstuck. The collector .45 Colt has rust all over it.

First, I'm sorry.

The storage you describe is highly irregular. Generally if you want something better than shortage in a humidity-controlled safe, you'd use a proven system (VCI Paper, a spray designed for storage, hot cosmoline dip) instead of inventing something. Also, never, ever, ever store a gun in a leather holster or untreated gun rug, ever.

Regarding the seized rifles, I spent 3 hours Saturday cleaning a friend's Ithica 37 (1970 vintage). When it came in it was completely inoperative; none of the controls worked. 3 hours with a toothbrush and ATF, and it's like new. . . my diagnosis is a healthy soaking of WD40 sometime in the 90s or earlier turned into hard varnish. You might check that; heat and/or brakeclean might make a start to unsticking.

 

[1KPerDay]

What article are you talking about? Who is this post addressing?

 

[1KPerDay]

They were each placed in black leaf bags and all the air was sucked out of the bags. Then a light spray of Rem Oil into the bags and the bags were thoroughly sealed.

curious how you spray rem oil into a bag that has all the air sucked out of it.

 

[.38 Special]

Yeah, bit of a strange one. I feel bad for the OP, but I'm not sure this should be laid entirely at the feet of RemOil. For me, long-term storage includes grease (something like RIG) and yearly inspection. If I wanted to put something away for a LONG time without inspection, I guess I would soak it in Cosmoline and then wrap it up to keep the bugs from sticking to it. I wouldn't trust any sort of light oil to do the job either way.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Seven years without doing an eyeball examination of your heirloom firearms?

 

[1942bull]

I have been using RemOil for over a decade, and I have ever read anything about problems with it. Of course it is not meant to be a protective grease. It is thin and dries out quickly. But I just can’t imagine it causing actions to freeze. Maybe it is a lack of understanding on my part, but I just do not see RemOil as the culprit.

 

[troy fairweather]

I don't use rem oil, but have used it. It's works fine used like it's ment for.

All these bad story's about rem oil always seem to end the same way, " I checked my guns and there rusted up, they were only sitting for one or two decades "

 

[George P]

Wrapping them in plastic is most likely the cause of your issue, allowing moisture still trapped inside to cause rusting. That isn't the fault of RemOil. RemOil was never designed for 7 years protection, Cosmoline was. Renaissance Wax would have been a good choice for interim periods. Sorry, but you should have been checking on them every so often since you didn't use any of those VCI papers to wrap them in or desiccants.

 

[reddog81]

What article are you talking about? Who is this post addressing?

That's what I was wondering.... Seems like a copy and paste from somewhere.

Who spends $25,000 on guns and then thinks storing them in black plastic leaf bags with the air sucked out is the best option available? Rem oil didn't ruin the guns. Improper storage ruined the guns.

 

[Dibbs]

First, my apologies, for your loss. That is a horrible way to lose such nice firearms, which you stored with the best of intentions.

Second, perhaps it's a little unfair to lay this situation entirely at the feet of Rem Oil. Even long-term stored firearms bear occasional inspection, say every six months to a year, or so.

Third, now is the time for patience, and WD40 SPECIALIST, Hoppes, CLP, or perhaps some Clenzoil, to free up frozen mechanisms, and clean off the rust and gwee. Approach each issue separately, take you time, and slowly and very carefully salvage what you can. Gentle tapping, rubber mallets, proper application of elbow grease, perhaps the assistance of a gunsmith, or a friend who has a little more experience in firearms maintenance.

 

[magyars4]

Odd story. Seriously doubt Rem oil is at fault.
I've been using Remoil for a dozen years or so with no issues that are attributed to the oil.

 

[Frulk]

I’ve used Rem Oil for general lubrication of internals after cleaning for maybe two decades. Never had an issue. Also use Ballistol. Guns go in safe afterwards. I live in a low humidity climate. Currently 24%. The OP lists his location as a “Swamp in Georgia”. Not sure under those climatic conditions I’d be putting high dollar shooting irons in sealed plastic for almost a decade without at least checking in annually or more frequently.

 

[Hrbie22]

This

 

[Arkansas Paul]

It sucks that someone finds their firearms damaged, possibly beyond repair.
However, the culprit here is improper storage. Storage that I've never heard of in my entire life.
Now, when something like this happens, there needs to be a scapegoat. Must be the oil that was used. Can't possibly be the implementation of a very unorthodox and frankly pointless method of long term storage.

I don't make any claims that Remington gun oil is the best thing out there, and I think there are products out there at least as good if not better.
However, after using it for 20 years and never having a single problem, you're not going to convince me that it caused an entire collection of firearms to seize up.

 

[George P]

I’ve used Rem Oil for general lubrication of internals after cleaning for maybe two decades. Never had an issue. Also use Ballistol. Guns go in safe afterwards. I live in a low humidity climate. Currently 24%. The OP lists his location as a “Swamp in Georgia”. Not sure under those climatic conditions I’d be putting high dollar shooting irons in sealed plastic for almost a decade without at least checking in annually or more frequently.

I live North Florida region close to GA; we have had temps in the 90s and humidity running 90%+ for the last few weeks. There is no way in Hell I would be storing valuable guns in plastic bags and not in silicone socks in my safe with a golden rod and three big desiccant boxes; and even then I'd be checking on them periodically.

 

[JDeere]

Rem Oil had nothing to do with it. The way they were stored does. Gun safe or vault with a Golden Rod type apparatus and you won't even need a coating of oil. Wipe all finger prints off and good to go. There is a reason ammo bunkers and arms storage rooms in the military had light bulbs burning 24/7...

 

[bdickens]

It's not Rem Oil. It's the plastic bags.

 

[Dibbs]

I live in N. Central Florida, high humidity, pretty much year round. There's a good reason I avoid blued firearms. As a person who doesn't collect
and store firearms, for value, I don't generally run into these problems, but I did find a deep-storage revolver a while back, a pistol which had been "forgotten"
for over 40 years. Very tight freeze-up. A lot of patience, light oil, and tapping brought it back.

Brown Vinegar may help, with the rust issues.

 

[AlexanderA]

Rem Oil is fine when it's used as intended, as a working lubricant and short-term preservative. If you want long-term rust prevention, use something like RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease), Cosmoline, or paste wax.

 

[nofendertom]

Sounds like operator error---storing guns in leather, plastic bags and not checking them for 7 years---maybe you should have consulted with somebody as to the
proper storage procedures.

 

[Howland937]

Shoulda filled the bags with rice or oatmeal instead of Rem-oil.
Any type of quick search online would offer multiple ways to store firearms, none of which would include what the OP describes. Not trying to cast stones...and it would suck for sure. But these guns deserved a better fate.

 

[Robert]

Placing collector grade guns in trash bags for seven year? That's not Rem Oils fault...

 

[.455_Hunter]

Given his rate of posting, we will have to wait a couple of years for a response or update from the OP.