Protecting FIREARMS From DETERIORATION
Protecting FIREARMS From DETERIORATION
PART 5 (OF 5 PARTS)
RALPH VAN BUREN (45B40-95B40)
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NOTE: Go to Storage of Lee Enfields / Milsurps if you’re interested in my four (4) previous posts ( PARTS 1 THROUGH 4 ) on Protecting FIREARMS From DETERIORATION (the very last posts in the Storage of Lee Enfields / Milsurps thread of 09/15/10)
Over the past forty-five (45) to fifty (50) years, I’ve accumulated a wide variety of tools – measuring, woodworking, machinist’s, automotive – along with a wide variety of firearms – six (6) semiautomatic pistols, two (2) shotguns, five (5) commercial rifles, and more than twenty-five (25) military rifles. In the early 1980’s, when my wife and I had two small children, when I was the sole wage earner for our family of four, and when I had very little time to spend with any of my firearms, I decided to put all of my tools and all of my firearms into long term storage.
First, I disassembled each tool/firearm and thoroughly cleaned it. Then, I lightly coated each tool/firearm with 3-In-1 Oil ® before I put it inside of a new (or part of a new) 1966 U. S. Military marvellum No. 30 VPI ® (Vapor Phase Inhibitor) lined plastic and cloth firearms storage bag. Next, I completely covered that bag or part of a bag with a new (or part of a new) 1944 U. S. Military VISKING ® COVER, WATERPROOF, RIFLE – CARBINE polyethylene plastic bag, expelled all of the air that I could, and then sealed each double-bag protected firearm/tool with new rubber bands. Finally, I placed all of the protected tools in a variety of corrugated cardboard boxes, and I placed each protected firearm in an almost brand new 1951 U. S. Military M1950 CASE INDIVIDUAL WEAPON PARACHUTIST padded canvas case. All of those boxes of tools and all of those weapons cases were stored under waterproof plastic tarps in our unheated (but insulated) attic, and – honestly – I never did anything at all with any of those boxes or with any of those cases for the next twenty plus years!!
I finally started taking my tools and my firearms out of storage a few years ago. Having been trained by the United States Army as a Small Arms Repairman at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1970, I’d learned very well how to properly prepare firearms for long term storage, so I was not all surprised – but many people would have been very surprised – to find that all of my tools and all of my firearms had survived their more than twenty years of unintentional – but necessary – “neglect” without any ill effects at all. Each cardboard box and each weapon case was covered with a layer of dust, all of the rubber bands and all of the polyethylene plastic bags were rather hard and stiff, some of the marvellum VPI ® powder had flaked off onto the surfaces of the tools and the surfaces of the firearms, and all of the 3-In-1 Oil ® on all of the surfaces of the tools and all of the surfaces of the firearms had “gummed-up” as a very desirable result of its aging.
Over the past several years, I’ve sold off some of my accumulation of tools and my entire accumulation of firearms. Naturally, I’ve accumulated some more tools and several more firearms – a new semiautomatic pistol [which I don’t intend to shoot], a new commercial rifle [which I don’t intend to shoot], and three (3) new LEE-ENFIELD 1955 FAZAKERLEY No 4 MK 2 rifles [one (1) of which I intend to shoot]. Of course, I wanted to put all of those tools and all of those firearms into long term storage also, but, to the best of my knowledge, U. S. Military marvellum No. 30 VPI ® lined plastic and cloth firearms storage bags are no longer generally available commercially. Fortunately, I’ve found equally excellent or perhaps even better firearms storage bags: Zerust ® VCI (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor) Weapons Protection Bags (Rust Protection, Corrosion Prevention & Rust Control Products - Zerust). (see http://www.zerustproducts.com/PDF/Fi...onBrochure.pdf)
PLEASE NOTE : I HAVE NO FINANCIAL NOR ANY OTHER INTERESTS IN ANY COMPANY/COMPANIES NOR ANY PERSON/PERSONS WHO ARE IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY ZERUST ® PRODUCT/PRODUCTS .
I have been using Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bags to store all of my recently accumulated firearms, bayonets, firearms parts, firearms accessories, and tools for a little over a year now, and I’m 100% satisfied with their effectiveness, their quality, and their ease of use. Zerust ® also manufactures VCI Capsules (see http://www.zerustproducts.com/PDF/Ze...UserManual.pdf) for use in confined areas (such as firearms safes).
Photographs of a LEE-ENFIELD 1955 FAZAKERLEY COCOONED NO. 4 MK 2 RIFLE that I’m currently storing in a Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bag can be seen in my “WEBSHOTS” photograph album (CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK).
LEE-ENFIELD COCOONED NO. 4 MK 2 RIFLE pictures from hobbies & interests photos on webshots
Photographs of a box of LEE-ENFIELD CHARGERS (MANUFACTURED IN 1945 BY GIOLLO & MARTINELLI) that I’m also currently storing in a part of a Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bag can be seen in my “WEBSHOTS” photograph album (CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK).
LEE-ENFIELD CHARGERS GIOLLO & MARTINELLI 1945 pictures from hobbies & interests photos on webshots
Not surprisingly, there are many other companies who manufacture a variety of similar VCI products that can be used to protect firearms from deterioration. One of those companies, Heritage Packaging, manufactures a variety of ZCORR ® products (see Vapor Barrier Anti-Corrosion Firearm Storage & Preservation Bags - ZCORR Products). Please note that I’ve never used any ZCORR ® products of any kind, and I know nothing about them or their manufacturer (Heritage Packaging), even though I live only about ninety (90) miles from where their manufacturer is located.
SURPMIL: THANKS. And because you asked . . .
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RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
My training as a Small Arms Repairman at Aberdeen Proving Ground was more than forty years ago, but I can say with absolute honesty that my eight-week experience there was absolutely fantastic.
[Just prior to my enlistment in the United States Army in April of 1970, I completed four (4) years of college undergraduate training and received a Bachelor Of Science Degree in Industrial Arts Education – I was trained to be a Shop (Industrial Arts / Manual Training) teacher. Shortly after I completed my three (3) years of active duty in the United States Army in April of 1973, I began my career as a Shop teacher. I was extraordinarily fortunate because I taught seventh grade boys and girls in the same school district, in the same school building, and in the same Shop classroom for thirty-one (31) years.]
All of the instructors who taught at the Small Arms Repair School – many of whom were not United States Military personnel, but civilians – were as good as or better than the very best of all of the Shop instructors who taught at the college I attended. All of the instructional material used at that School was a perfect combination of a sufficient amount of theoretical work and a lot of hands-on work. During the eight-week Small Arms Repair Course, each student was trained how to inspect, test, disassemble, repair, reassemble, and retest the hand weapons (M1911A1 .45 caliber Pistol), the shoulder weapons (M16A1 5.56mm Rifle and its M203 40mm Grenade Launcher, M14 7.62mm Rifle, M14A1 7.62mm Rifle, M77E 12 gauge Shotgun, M79 40mm Grenade Launcher, M72 66mm Light Anti-Tank Weapon, M20A1 3.5 inch Rocket Launcher), the machineguns (M3A1 .45 caliber Sub-Machinegun, M60 7.62mm Machinegun, M73 7.62mm Machinegun, M2HB .50 caliber Machinegun, M85 .50 caliber Machinegun, M139 20mm Automatic Gun), the recoilless weapons (M67 90mm Recoilless Rifle, M40A1 106mm Recoilless Rifle and its M8C .50 caliber Spotting Gun), and the mortars (M252 81mm Mortar, M2 4.2 inch Mortar) that were officially used by the United States Army at that time (1970).
After the training on each weapon was completed, each student was given a written test on that weapon and a performance test on the “smaller” weapons (M1911A1 .45 caliber Pistol, M16A1 5.56mm Rifle and its M203 40mm Grenade Launcher, M14 7.62mm Rifle, M14A1 7.62mm Rifle, M77E 12 gauge Shotgun, M79 40mm Grenade Launcher, M3A1 .45 caliber Sub-Machinegun, M60 7.62mm Machinegun, and M73 7.62mm Machinegun). For each performance test, each student was given a malfunctioning weapon which had several defective parts and perhaps also had some type of deficiency/deficiencies that would prevent the weapon from firing. Each student had to inspect the weapon, replace its defective parts, correct any of its deficiency/deficiencies, and test fire it – as many times as was necessary – until the weapon functioned correctly.
I was the top student in my Small Arms Repair Course – I never had to inspect, replace its defective parts, correct its deficiency/deficiencies, or test fire any weapon more than once; and I earned a perfect “100” grade on the performance tests for the M14 rifle and for the M14A1 rifle.
After I completed my Small Arms Repairman (M. O. S. – Military Occupational Specialty – 45B20) training at Aberdeen Proving Ground in September of 1970, I used up one (1) week of my leave time, and then I was flown over to the Federal Republic Of Germany (then commonly known as West Germany). At that time, there was a severe shortage of Military Policemen over there, so I received three (3) days of concentrated training and became an “instant MP” (M. O. S. – Military Occupational Specialty – 95B20). I was assigned to the 100TH Military Police Detachment, attained the rank of Sergeant E-5 (45B40-95B40) in November of 1971, and completed my active duty in May of 1973.
During my thirty (30) months of service in the Federal Republic Of Germany, I only had the opportunity to use my Small Arms Repairman training a few times, when I assisted our unit’s armorer while he inspected and repaired some of our unit’s M1911A1 pistols and M14 rifles. Much more importantly, during that time, I gained a tremendous amount of respect and a tremendous amount of appreciation for all law enforcement personnel everywhere. And I was extraordinarily fortunate because serving the United States Of America for thirty (30) months as a Military Policeman in the Federal Republic Of Germany was as rewarding as teaching seventh graders for thirty-one (31) years as a Shop teacher.
Edward Horton: Thanks! And . . .
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RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
I wasn’t smart enough to enlist in the United States Air Force, and I never before realized that the information I was taught during my two (2) hours of “PROCESSING AND PACKAGING OF SMALL ARMS FOR STORAGE” training was only “Level A” preservation for short term storage and shipment of small arms. Interestingly, during my entire three (3) years of active duty in the United States Army – including my eight (8) weeks of Small Arms Repairman training – I never encountered any cosmoline of any kind nor any small arms of any kind that were treated with any cosmoline of any kind!
Nevertheless, following my “PROCESSING AND PACKAGING OF SMALL ARMS FOR STORAGE” Small Arms Repairman training, I was able to successfully store six (6) semiautomatic pistols, two (2) shotguns, five (5) commercial rifles, and more than twenty-five (25) military rifles in the early 1980’s in an unheated (but insulated) New York State attic for more than twenty 20) years with no adverse effects at all!! All of the U. S. Military marvellum No. 30 VPI ® lined plastic and cloth firearms storage bags that I’ve used from 1973 through 2009 were either purchased at various New York State “Gun” Shows or purchased from Sherwood Distributors (which is now Sherwood International Export Corporation) in California when they advertised quite a few years ago in the “old” (pre-internet) Shotgun News ©.
Even though the U. S. Military marvellum No. 30 VPI ® lined plastic and cloth firearms storage bags that I used successfully for more than thirty-six (36) years are no longer generally available commercially, there are some equally excellent or perhaps even better firearms storage bags (for example, Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bags) that are widely available at the present time.
Surpmil: Thanks again. And . . .
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RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
I learned very, very early in my thirty-one (31) year career as a Shop teacher that “thoroughness” and “attention to detail” are two (2) of the most important fundamentals necessary for successfully teaching seventh grade boys and girls.
TO ELABORATE ON EDWARD HORTON’S EXPLANATION:
I’m not very knowledgeable about the current United States Army Military Occupational Specialty (M. O. S.) classifications, but when I enlisted for three (3) years of Active Duty [plus three (3) years of Reserve Duty] in 1970, an “armorer” was a Small Arms Repairman (M. O. S. 45B20 and 45B40). I never got the opportunity to be a Small Arms Repairman (“armorer”) because, in the Federal Republic Of Germany (then commonly known as West Germany), the United States Army really needed as many Military Policemen as it could get and didn’t really need Small Arms Repairmen. And because I also had a National Agency Check (N. A. C.) Military Secret Clearance, I was much more “useful” to the United States Army as a Military Policeman who could transfer “DDP’s” (Dishonorably Discharged Prisoners) and perform Traffic Control and Security duties on Nuclear Weapons Convoys than I’d have been as a Small Arms Repairman whose Company only had M1911A1 Pistols, M14 Rifles, and M77E Shotguns that were much carried but little used and seldom needed any repairs. The Small Arms Repairman in our Company was actually a Military Policeman who had no military small arms training at all, but he was not very “useful” to our Company as a Military Policeman because he’d been denied a National Agency Check (N. A. C.) Military Secret Clearance!
(Off Topic) Surpmil: Judging only by your spelling of the word armourer, I’m guessing that you’re British. I spent sixty (60) enjoyable days of leave time in 1971-1972 traveling around Great Britain on my 1971 Yamaha R5B 350cc motorcycle, and I spent most of that time on the Isle Of Man. Being an American who normally only communicated in American English, I had to learn how to communicate in British English – aluminium, colour, moustache, tyre; chemist, ices, paraffin oil, spanner. I really enjoyed my leave time in Great Britain, and I regret that I wasn’t able to spend a lot more time there.
Edward Horton: Thanks . . .
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RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
Thanks for your excellent explanation of how United States Military Personnel were, are, and probably always will be assigned duties based primarily upon the specific needs of the United States Military.
You would’ve been an excellent Shop teacher, if for no other reason than you have your own personal copy (which you’ve undoubtedly read) of the Shop Teacher’s “Bible” – ABC’s OF HAND TOOLS © 1945.
Edward Horton: Thanks for sharing more of your vast expertise! And . . .
ABC’s OF HAND TOOLS (the movie, Part 1)
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ABC’s OF HAND TOOLS (the movie, Part 2)
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RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
I was born and lived for twenty-two (22) years in Buffalo, New York – which is about one hundred fifty (150) miles northwest of the New Cumberland Army Depot. I completed my eight (8) weeks of Basic Combat Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey – which is about one hundred (100) miles east of the New Cumberland Army Depot. I completed my eight (8) weeks of Advanced Individual Training at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland – which is about sixty (60) miles southeast of the New Cumberland Army Depot. And, ever since 1973, I’ve lived in Watkins Glen, New York – which is about one hundred twenty-five (125) miles north of the New Cumberland Army Depot.
Thanks for explaining why I never encountered any cosmoline of any kind nor any small arms of any kind that were treated with any cosmoline of any kind during my service in the United States Army. Obviously, I never received any training at all – United States Military or other – on long term storage of small arms. If I remember correctly, as a Small Arms Repairman, I was trained to only perform “Organizational” Maintenance – the lowest level of military maintenance. So, the long term storage of small arms must be either be “Direct Support” Maintenance, “General Support” Maintenance, or “Depot” Maintenance.
Undoubtedly, the most important fundamental I learned during my eight (8) weeks of Small Arms Repairman training was: EVERY SMALL ARMS WEAPON I REPAIRED MUST FUNCTION WITH 100% RELIABILITY. I was required to sign the Department Of The Army Maintenance Document as the “Repairman” for every small arms weapon I repaired, and my supervisor – as you very well know – was required to sign the same Document as the “Inspector” of my repair work.
What you say about Military Technical Publications – “Army TMs (Technical Manuals) were written to an 8th grade level. And Air Force TOs (Technical Orders) were written to a 12th grade level” – is absolutely 100% correct. Unfortunately, as you probably know, many Americans have a difficult time reading those TMs and TOs because, in most American “Public” Schools, students receive far too little instruction on the fundamentals of reading technical materials. The ABC’s OF HAND TOOLS (which was copyrighted in 1945) was written on a sixth grade level, but the overwhelming majority of the more than three thousand (3000) seventh grade students whom I taught had a very difficult time reading it. Sadly, in most New York State “Public” Schools – and probably in most “Public” Schools in the rest of the United States, all too many students never really learn the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics.
Since every unprotected (unplated, unpainted, etc.) surface of any ferrous item that the average seventh grade boy/girl handles will rust overnight, I successfully used 3-In-1 Oil ® exclusively to protect all of the otherwise unprotected surfaces of all of the ferrous equipment, machines, and tools in my Seventh Grade Shop.
ARMY STRONG
ARMY OF ONE
BE ALL YOU CAN BE
TODAY'S ARMY WANTS TO JOIN YOU
UNITED STATES ARMY
2 Attachment(s)
Edward Horton: Thanks again, and . . .
RALPH VAN BUREN
(45B40-95B40)
Attachment 16174Attachment 16173
I’ve never personally used nor even examined any Zcorr ® M16 Rifle Bag, but it appears to me to be the modern-day PIERCE-ARROW of firearms protection bags. [The PIERCE-ARROW MOTOR CAR COMPANY undoubtedly manufactured the very highest quality automobiles that were ever manufactured in The United States. The PIERCE-ARROW MOTOR CAR COMPANY was located in Buffalo, New York (my hometown), it only manufactured “luxury” automobiles, and it was in business from 1901 through 1938.] Unfortunately, I’ve never been, I’m not now, and I’ll never be affluent enough to be able to own any PIERCE-ARROW automobile or even any of the very highest quality PIERCE bicycles or PIERCE motorcycles manufactured by the PIERCE CYCLE COMPANY [The PIERCE CYCLE COMPANY was the forerunner to the PIERCE-ARROW MOTOR CAR COMPANY.]
According to its website, Zcorr ® Products (Heritage Packaging) also manufactures several other less-expensive (ranging in price from $14.99 to $7.99) firearms (longgun and handgun) and firearms ammunition protection bags
Vapor Barrier Anti-Corrosion Firearm Storage & Preservation Bags - ZCORR Products
Please note that I’ve never used any ZCORR ® products of any kind, and I know nothing about them or their manufacturer (Heritage Packaging), even though I live only about ninety (90) miles from where their manufacturer is located.
It’s extremely important to note the most important factor regarding protecting firearms (and other items) with VPI/VCI/VpCI treated storage bags (according to the Zcorr ® Products website):
“The limiting factor on how long a ZCORR FSP Bag™ will provide anti-corrosion protection is how long the bag is able to keep the VpCI chemistry locked in. Because the foil barrier layer does not let any VpCI chemistry permeate it, the only way for it to escape is when the bag is opened and closed. Bags that are repeatedly opened and closed will maintain their protective qualities for approximately 5 years. Bags that are not opened frequently can maintain their protective qualities for up to 20 years.”
Like you, I’d be interested in knowing if the United States Military is currently using any Zcorr ® Products firearms protection bags.
For the record, the Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bags that I use are ten (10) inches wide by fifty-four (54) inches long by four thousandths (.004) of an inch thick and cost me $2.50 each [ordered directly from the manufacturer]. Judging from my personal experiences using 1966 U. S. Military marvellum No. 30 VPI ® lined plastic and cloth firearms storage bags since the early 1980’s, I’m confident that the Zerust ® VCI Weapons Protection Bags that I use now will maintain their protective qualities for twenty (20) years or more.
I just recently purchased a bottle of EEZOX ® Synthetic Premium Gun Care, and I plan to try it out when I finally shoot one (1) of my new LEE-ENFIELD 1955 FAZAKERLEY NO. 4 MK 2 RIFLES. I’ll follow your suggestion and purchase a bottle of BREAK-FREE ® COLLECTOR Liquid and try it out on that rifle also. But I’ll never stop using good old 3-In-1 Oil ® on my firearms and my tools because, not only does it work especially well, but only good old VICKS VapoRub ® smells better!!
