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I have a few 03/03A3s and M1 rifles that I haven't shot and don't plan to. What do you use to protect the bores and nonparked metal surfaces? How often do you remove them from your safe and freshen them up? If you keep them in cases or the DCM boxes, do you clean them more or less often? Does anybody do anything to the stocks? I want to keep them in as good a condition as what they were when I obtained them.
Thanks
RLO the stocks occassionally and RIG the metal.
Jim
Raw Linseed Oil is photo-chemically reactive. RLO-treated stocks will eventually turn black if exposed to light. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Tarleton
I concur with using RIG on metal. :thup:
J.B. :)
i oil them up, drip some Remington oil down the bore, and slide in a cured gunsock,
Brownells, Bass Pro, ect, sell them for about 7.00 each. they are cured with an oil. that works well.
i only use them for safe storage, and not for transport ect.
scoped rifles should have lens covers as well.
an old bike tube cut into strips works well.
Museums often use a high quality wax.
I've used Hoppes No. 9 gun grease.
I saw a S&W 52 looked like new until I took it out of the original box. The other side was horribly pitted. Contact points between a firearm and container collect moisture. Moisture bad.
Hey Jim,
What is RIG? I like Break Free Collector for metal.
Robert
Go here for photos and a rundown of the results of different products
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Gun...?p=0&t=1&i=503
RIG Grease NO longer going to be available. This off another forum.
” The manufacture is evidently dropping this product from their line up. The company was bought out and operations transfered overseas from what I can deduce. Midway is out and will not accept any more orders, Brownell’s for the time being is accepting orders for back order. The lady I spoke with said they should be getting around 440 units in by late September and then they show no more. Two other distributors told me they cannot get any more deliveries as well. “
1) A dehumidifier rod ect in the safe.
2) Breakfree collector's preservative on the metal and the bore.
3) Lemon oil on the wood.
4) I completely clean any rifle three days in a row before storage, and if long term storage is a reality, I try to inspect them at least every six months, with a cleaning session annually... usually in the winter months.
Before I switched to BF Collector's oil, I had really good luck with LSA medium weight. Just a pain in the backside when it came to cleaning up for use.
"RIG" is an acronym that stands for "Rust-Inhibiting Grease." And as CapnJohn pointed out, it's available from Brownell's.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancebear
The problem with most protectorants is that they are volatile. Most oils, for example, slowly evaporate and leave metal unprotected. With no protection to seal out oxygen and moisture in the atmosphere, blued rifles will slowly turn brown. :thdown:
I have not observed any volatility with RIG. Once applied, it stays there. :thup:
Good Luck!
J.B. :wave:
p.s.,
Be sure and wear chemically-protecting gloves when applying RIG. RIG leaves an annoying waxy feel on hands that does not readily wash off.
Thanks J.B.,
RIG is certainly some serious stuff, a little too much for my use. My small collection doesn't know anything about long term storage. Two months for any given piece here would be the longest term storage. I'll stick with BF, has been working well for ten years. You can also shoot with a light coating in the bore without wiping it out. Read that somewhere....
Rig sounds like a combination of cosmo and toilet ring wax, boy is that stuff a mess to get off your hands. Had that experience Saturday:).
Death to bad guys,
Robert/LB
I still read good things about WD40, so with less than frequent cleaning, and wiping down the metal and irrigation of the bore, action and such, have never seen a problem on my more than 40 long and short fierarms. Duggaboy
Alas I know they are yours you paid for them and you can do what you want but it makes me:crying: cry to hear safe queens. They are battle rifles and they were built to be shot ,:thup:often. Would you dare put a young Liz Taylor in a glass case :yikes:or chase her around the kitchen table.:dancingbanana:Quote:
Originally Posted by vp146b4
Just my humble opinion
When injustice becomes law
Rebellion becomes duty
Thomas Paine
Liz Taylor???not me...Ann Marget is a bit more my style.. WD40 not needed..
Kano Labs makes the best, oil on the market hands down. love Kroil
[QUOTE=TDH;49237]Alas I know they are yours you paid for them and you can do what you want but it makes me:crying: cry to hear safe queens. They are battle rifles and they were built to be shot ,:thup:often. Would you dare put a young Liz Taylor in a glass case :yikes:or chase her around the kitchen table.:dancingbanana:
TDH, I'm sorry I'm making you cry, but, I have so many 03/03A3s and M1s, that I can't possibly shoot all of them, so I was looking for advise on maintaining the ones that are in the best condition, so they stay in tip-top shape. Yes, I would probably put Liz Taylor in a glass case, because I'm all tuckered out chasing Ann Margret, Raquel Welsh, Sophia Loren and Halle Berry around the kitchen table. I had to pick the older stars, cuzz, I couldn't possibly keep up with the younger ones. I also take my old war horses out and give them a good exercise at the range.
Seriously, I'm seeking out advise for keeping the rifle in my safe fresh. I worry that the cal-rod may dry out the wood, though, and I use Break-Free CLP on the metal surfaces.
Thanks
Subj: Penetrating Oils Compared
I'm not going to verify or endorse this. Draw your own conclusions.
Happy knuckle busting !
Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.
They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.
*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch
and we all now use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.
I lived in Florida for years and used RIG to ward of corrosion from guns and reloading equipment. It's almost like a thinned cosmoline.
I'm currently using Aeroshell 22, a synthetic grease with corrosion/oxidation inhibitors in it. Seems to be working well and relatively easy to clean up, doesn't break down over time like mineral based lubes. Use it on exterior metal and bores. AeroKroil in actions. Clean and re-lube annually.
If there was an extra square inch in my safe, I'd install a dehumidifier rod. That's probably one of the best things you can do to protect your valuable firearms.
Mine end up being unused for a couple years just because of a busy life/muliple children/multiple jobs, so I started applying long-term storage techniques about 8 years ago.
VCI bag
The curators at the Springfield Armory Museum advise that wood does not require any oil, even for long term storage.
As for the metal, moisture is your enemy. Moisture in the air, as well as changes in the ambient temperature, will ruin any gun. I find that a can of silica keeps my safe interior dry, but some folks need a Goldenrod. Try to find a place where the temperature is relatively constant, as changes may cause moisture in the air to precipitate on the gun metal.
I've been using DampRid hanging moisture absorber bags - seems to keep the humidity inside the safe around 50% (the safe is in the house, so the temp remains relatively constant). Is there a preferred/recommended humidity level to shoot for?
Unless a safe is sealed air tight, dehumidifiers cease working after a very short period of time, perhaps just a few days. Moisture will penetrate the cracks and quickly saturate the dehumidifier at the outside ambient humidity level.
Dehumidifiers do help level-out fluctuations in humidity level, such as those caused by temperature cycling. But, something like an old towel inside the safe (or anything that absorbs moisture) will do that.
Long-term storage requires that the metal surface be sealed from both moisture and oxygen and that the sealant not be volatile.
J.B.
Chuck and VP I have to agree on Ann-Margret:thup: and I think she looks better today than she did when she was young. Alas Natalie Wood died too young:crying:. And VP can I swap out Sophia for Nicole Kidman?:beerchug:
TDH,
Yes, I'll give you Nicole for Sophia anyday. Sophia was a little before my time, and she didn't have as much competion as they have today.
Bach to protecting my rifles, if I just continue to use breakfree for the bore, is taking them out every year to re-clean enough, or, should I do it every 6 months?
Bill
I would say it depends on what kind of humidity you have. Or you could just pull out a couple every week and fondle them a bit and run a patch thru them just for S**ts and giggles.
Thanks Capn - An interesting and informative post.Quote:
Originally Posted by CapnJohn
Regards,
Jim
Anyone found anyplace that still has RIG in stock. I can't find it anywhere including Brownell's. PM me if you prefer.
Thanks!
JLK
Nope! RIG is a very light grease. Not at all like cosmoline. It can be used as a presevative but its also intended for working parts where you want a little more than what oil provides.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancebear
Regards,
Jim
RIG was out of production for a while.
Birchwood Casey bought the rights to it and is starting up production now and shops should have it again this summer. This is per a rep at the NRA convention last week. They bought the whole product line.
The best presevative that I have found for medium to long-term storage is LPS-3. It is available in aerosol cans or in gallon cans. Current price for a gallon from McMaster-Carr is 48$. A gallon would last an average collector a very long time. The aerosol cans do make it easier to apply though - when sprayed onto a surface it foams up to a large volume for good coverage, then it dries to a waxy film similar to Cosmoline. It cleans up easier than cosmo (at room temperature) and it smells a whole lot better.
I spray it on the bottom of barreled actions and let them dry before assembling to the stock, this way I have a protective film under the barrel and I don't have to worry about the wood getting soaked with oil. When I take one out to shoot, I just swab the bore out and wipe off the excess.
The last thing I would ever use for storing an antique rifle is a penetrating oil. The superior creep properties of CLP and Kroil allow them to migrate across surfaces and penetrate wood stocks no matter where they are applied. That's great for an AR-15, but it's not good for a rifle with a nice walnut stock.
From the McMaster-Carr website:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#1370k78/=27eds0
LPS #3 Heavy Duty Rust Inhibitor— Oil based, this inhibitor produces a self-healing waxy film that dries slightly tacky and protects for 2 years indoors; 3-6 months outdoors. Maximum temperature is 175° F. Color is amber. Remove with mineral spirits or a cleaner/degreaser. Meets MIL-C-16173D, Grade 2.
On the subject of moisture, if you live in a humid area a permanent dehumidifier is always worth the investment. I got a Haier from Target a few years ago for my basement. They are seasonal items, usually stocked in the summer months. Mine cost about 150$, and it works great. It has a humidistat control, and I ran a PVC drain through the same hole as my AC drain. I leave it running year-round and I never noticed the impact on my power bill.
The golden rod does not remove any moisture, it just raises the temperature inside the safe by a few degrees to prevent condensation on cold surfaces. I never bothered getting one.
I think it is always a good idea to have a bucket of Damp-Rid inside the safe. It can provide back up protection against moisture if you have a reasonably good seal on the door.
HEY GUYS: TRY PLANO V.C.I. INHIBITOR PLUGS !!!:thup:THIS ONE PRODUCT CHANGED ONLY ONCE A YEAR ALONG WITH A ROOM DEHUMIDIFIER IS ALL YOU NEED! 13 YEARS AND THEYR'E ALL I'VE USED AND NOT A BIT OF RUST ON MY GUNS IN MY SAFES. I'M AMAZED NOONE HAS MENTIONED THE V.C.I. INHIBITOR PLUGS SOONER. P.S. I ONLY USE ONE 12 GA. PLUG PER SAFE...NOT ONE PER GUN! TRY IT, IT WORKS. JERRY
Who carries these VCI Inhibitor plugs and how do they work? What affect does it have on the wood? Would they work just as well if a gun is stored in a rifle case? Do they provide protection for the exterior parts as well as the bore?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alvin Linden
Thanks,
AVAILABLE FROM MANY VENDORS and DIRECTLY FROM PLANO'S WEBSITE BUT THE BEST PRICE IS AT Gamaliel Shooting Supply WEBSITE. NO EFFECT ON WOOD AT ALL...YES TO BOTH OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS!!! AS WE SAY IN THE DEEP SOUTH...THESE THINGS ARE THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD! Warmest Regards Jerry
I should also mention this VCI technology is available in gun oil ,wiping cloths,mylar bags,gun cases,storage chips and sheets to be cut to size. Good Luck Jerry