Storing my Loading Equipment for Awhile

[Airgead]

Short and sweet question - how would you pack up all your loading equipment to be stored for a few months in a storage facility that may not be climate-controlled?

We're going to be be putting our house on the market here soon and as part of our prep and declutter I am packing up the "man side" of the finished basement. So all my gun, archery, hunting, and loading stuff* needs to get boxed up and stored for a few months until we can move into the new place.

I'm looking at getting a plastic bin with gaskets to store my press (Hornady LNL-AP), die sets, bullets, cases, other tools, etc. Going to wrap everything in clean packing paper and toss in a handful of very large desiccant packets. I've thought about some of that Ferro-pack material or something similar but it either comes in (expensive) small sheets or (really expensive) 200ft rolls and seems unreasonable for the costs. Anyone have better thoughts?

*Note: By "stuff" I don't mean the guns, powder, or primers... I'm not going to store any of that in a storage locker.

 

[Otto]

Wrap your stuff in craft butcher paper and store it in a card board box....I've had a press stored this way for 18 years and no rust. The important thing is to avoid plastics which actually traps moisture. Also, make sure you don't leave your corrosive fingerprints on anything that's metal.

 

[frankenstein406]

I would use rig grease to cover metal parts.

 

[SwaneeSR]

I think your original plan is a good one.

Your plastic containers with seals should be fine for a few months.

We went through this back in the Summer of 2001. We decluttered the house and understandably, the reloading equipment is best packed up and readied for the move. We ended up renting three 10x20 storage spaces and putting our stuff in there. Pallets keeping the boxes off the floor. Storage facility was secure but not climate controlled.

I would think if you cleaned and lightly rubbed your gear down with oil and wrapped, before placing into the container would work fine.

A bigger concern is stuff tends to be broke when piled in a heap. Your gear isn't cheap. Piling things 20 high tends to bust the containers.

Also, hunting season is upon us, don't you need some of your gear?

Good luck.

 

[thump_rrr]

A can of Boeshield T-9.
You can find it in Sears in the tool section or in many gun shops.

 

[Reloadron]

For a few months? Likely just spray a light coat of oil on things, exposed metal, and box it up. Long as the stuff is in a cool dry location it should be fine.

Ron

 

[Airgead]

Also, hunting season is upon us, don't you need some of your gear?

Well, unfortunately for my hunting time it's not just a new house; I've taken a new job in another state. So if I make it out at all, it's going to be a lightweight event.

 

[joem1945]

If you can find some big military ammo cans cheap that might work well. 20 and 40 mm size cans hold lots of things.

 

[W.E.G.]

Anything that can rust - hose it with Break Free.

 

[Average Joe]

For a couple months, I wouldn't worry about it...

 

[savagemann]

I agree with Average Joe.
I wouldn't get hung up on lubing and such, but would focus more on making sure it is properly packed.
Many moons ago, I stopped shooting/reloading.
Carefully packed all my gear up into about 8 of those plastic bins with the split/interlocking tops and put it in my storage unit, which in NOT climate controlled.
Fast forward about 15 years.
I pull it all out, wipe off the minimal dust and lube everything.
No rust, no issues and everything was set about how I left it.
I am in Cali with little humidity, but even if you were in a high humidity area, I wouldn't worry if it was only to be put away for a few months.

 

[Sport45]

Pack it in rubbermaid (or equivalent) bins and toss in several sheets of VCI paper. It's not expensive...

VCI Paper on Amazon.com

 

[Airgead]

You mean literally toss it in rather than wrap the press in it? I thought that VCI paper and other equivalent things had to tightly wrap everything.

 

[Sport45]

I just toss the stuff in. The protection is in vapor phase coming off the paper. This only works in an enclosed space. I store the extra VCI paper in ziplock bags so it stays good. YMMV