Protecting FIREARMS From DETERIORATION

[45B40-95B40]

Protecting FIREARMS From DETERIORATION
PART 5 (OF 5 PARTS)

RALPH VAN BUREN (45B40-95B40)











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.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Surpmil]

Good information and tell us about your time at Aberdeen if you care to...

[45B40-95B40]

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]

45B40-95B40

I believe the level of preservation you are describing was Level A for short term storage and shipment. If I remember correctly long term storage items were smothered in cosmoline and packaged. The problem is the majority of people in this forum do not have access to this level of military preservation material. In some cases dry air or nitrogen were often used after the bags were purged of out side air.

COSIS = Care of Supplies in Storage

[Surpmil]

Very interesting and if I may say so, a certain thoroughness and attention to detail comes through in your posts!

I assume you were not offered training as an armourer due to your shorter enlistment?

[Edward Horton]

Very interesting and if I may say so, a certain thoroughness and attention to detail comes through in your posts!

I assume you were not offered training as an armourer due to your shorter enlistment?

Surpmil

This was the way the U.S. Army operated during the Viet Nam war and to a lesser extent even today. You could be trained and schooled in one career field and be assigned to another completely different career field "with out any schooling". A cook could be assigned as an amourer, an aircraft mechanic could be assigned to the infantry.

This was "normal" for the U.S.Army and why the word FUBAR was invented.

At our Army aircraft overhaul depot we had had a UH-1 Huey and and a C-47 Gooney Bird assigned to our flight testing base operations section, an Army clerk typist was assigned as our new "crew chief" maintenance specialist to work on the Huey and Gooney Bird. The clerk typist was kept in the office filing flight forms and a civilian aircraft mechanic was made the new base crew chief.

My cousin who was in the Army was trained on "wired" communication devices, (field phones) he was sent to Germany where he wasn't needed and from there sent to Italy to work on "wireless" radio equipment in a field he wasn't trained for.

[45B40-95B40]

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.

[45B40-95B40]

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.

[45B40-95B40]

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]

45B40-95B40 Thank You

I believe the training, schooling and practical experience I received after working over 38 years at the New Cumberland Army depot as a Quality Control Inspector makes me qualified to make the statements I have made about the level of packaging military equipment received.

My Inspectors stamp was on the items sent to our servicemen state side and overseas and since my Inspectors stamp and backside was on the line anything that had my Inspectors stamp on it was 110%.

You never saw any cosmoline or long term preservation because it was removed and re-preserved and packaged for shipment before you laid your eyes on it. There are basically three levels of military preservation and what you are describing is the lowest level of preservation use for short term storage vs long term storage.

As far as the differences between the Army and Air Force I can tell you this, Army TMs (Technical Manuals) were written to an 8th grade level. And Air Force TOs (Technical Orders) were written to a 12th grade level and we were taught not to move our lips when we read them.

Aim High, Air Force



P.S. Quality Control Inspectors make sure the maintenance personnel are using the correct tools and know how to use them.



NOTE: Weapons that are on display for years in a Museum do not have ANY type oil on them. These weapons are given a coat of neutral PH wax that prevents the air and moisture from getting to the surface of the metal which can cause corrosion.

During the American Civil War the U.S. military used the triple mix of 1/3 raw linseed oil, 1/3 beeswax and 1/3 turpentine as a pre petroleum age cosmoline for preservation.