Growing up on a farm all of our guns were used for hunting, recently I inherited some quality collector Winchester 94's and I've also added a few that I've purchased. These guns will never be fired and I want to properly prepare them for storage. I have a large quality gun safe but need to know what I should use for both the metal and the wood to ensure they look the same 20 years from now as they do today.

Please give me your suggestions.

Joe

Growing up on a farm all of our guns were used for hunting, recently I inherited some quality collector Winchester 94's and I've also added a few that I've purchased. These guns will never be fired and I want to properly prepare them for storage. I have a large quality gun safe but need to know what I should use for both the metal and the wood to ensure they look the same 20 years from now as they do today.

Please give me your suggestions.

Joe
Brownell's (Gunsmith supplies) has several products that are designed just for this...but their web-site is doen for service right now so can't lnk to the products.

Are some firearms type museums thatmight be able to answer through direct experience...NRA...VMI...etc.

It's not the exposed metal that's hard to preserve, it's the wood and the hidden survaces of meatl that are difficult.

I have a large quality gun safe but need to know what I should use for both the metal and the wood to ensure they look the same 20 years from now as they do today.
Please give me your suggestions.
Joe
A warm, dry atmosphere and a high quality light grease for the metal will go a long way in protecting your collector rifles. Would suggest you store in a safe equipped with a low intensity heating device and dessicant packs placed evenly throughout the safe. Have had good success with a gun grease called RIG (rust inhibiting grease) which has provided excellent protection for my guns and is light enough to wipe off easily. There should be other comparable products which will perform the same function if RIG is not available. Believe there are also specially treated gun bags which will repel moisture as well as dust. Finally, before storing your rifles, make sure all metal parts have been given a good wipedown with some form of protection to ensure that no fingerprints have been left on the metal. You don't want to see those fingerprints in the form of rust 20 years from now. Hope this helps.

A warm, dry atmosphere and a high quality light grease for the metal will go a long way in protecting your collector rifles. Would suggest you store in a safe equipped with a low intensity heating device and dessicant packs placed evenly throughout the safe. Have had good success with a gun grease called RIG (rust inhibiting grease) which has provided excellent protection for my guns and is light enough to wipe off easily. There should be other comparable products which will perform the same function if RIG is not available. Believe there are also specially treated gun bags which will repel moisture as well as dust. Finally, before storing your rifles, make sure all metal parts have been given a good wipedown with some form of protection to ensure that no fingerprints have been left on the metal. You don't want to see those fingerprints in the form of rust 20 years from now. Hope this helps.

Thank-you. I will use your advice.

Brownell's (Gunsmith supplies) has several products that are designed just for this...but their web-site is doen for service right now so can't lnk to the products.

Are some firearms type museums thatmight be able to answer through direct experience...NRA...VMI...etc.

It's not the exposed metal that's hard to preserve, it's the wood and the hidden survaces of meatl that are difficult.

I appreciate your response, the idea of contacting museums is very good as they should know best.

Thanks!

Is VPI paper or crystal (Vapor Phase Inhibitor, if I remember correctly) still in vogue? The theory was that it displaced moisture and kept it from condensing on or in a firearm.

I remember when Ruger revolvers came in cardboard boxes they were wrapped in VPI paper.

Is VPI stuff still available, and does it work as it was thought to twenty years ago?

Thanks,

The Old Guy