Protecting Safe Queens

[Jim Tarleton]

RLO the stocks occassionally and RIG the metal.

Jim

Information

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[John Beard]

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.

I concur with using RIG on metal.

J.B.

[Lancebear]

Hey Jim,

What is RIG? I like Break Free Collector for metal.

Robert

[CapnJohn]

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. “

[John Beard]

Hey Jim,

What is RIG? I like Break Free Collector for metal.

Robert

"RIG" is an acronym that stands for "Rust-Inhibiting Grease." And as CapnJohn pointed out, it's available from Brownell's.

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.

I have not observed any volatility with RIG. Once applied, it stays there.

Good Luck!

J.B.

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.

[Lancebear]

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

[JGaynor]

Thanks J.B.,

{snip}
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

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.

Regards,

Jim

[ralfus]

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.

[Coal Burner]

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.