How do you properly preserve a firearm?
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Well, I don't know much about the actual preservation of firearms. But I'm guessing that coating the entire thing in cosmoline would do the trick. Of course that makes it tough to shoot. If you actually shoot your collectible firearms and just want to take care of them to prevent rust, corrosion, pitting, and wood decay, I would suggest regular cleanings and a light coat of oil and avoid using corrosive ammo. Shooting corrosive ammo in itself is not bad if you clean the weapons thoroughly. But I avoid it just to be safe. On the wood you could use something like BLO. If you handle them, always wipe them down again before you put them away to remove the acids left by your hands. You could also get very geeky and buy yourself some of those white inspector gloves to use when you handle your firearms.
This is just my opinion, but these firearms, collectible or otherwise, are tools. They were designed as tools and they were designed to be shot. Take care of them, research them, and show them off. But when you're at the range, shoot the things until the barrel smokes!
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What on the bullet makes it corrosive?Comment
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Hi Josh, it is not the bullet, but the type of propelent used.
Cheers, Ade.Comment
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Thank you, Adrian.
What type of propellants are corrosive, because I am going to start reloading my ammunition and I would prefer to stay away from the corrosive stuff.Comment
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It's not the propellant. Smokeless powder in itself is not corrosive.
The problem lies with the mercuric primer that the US military used until 1955 or so. Many militaries used mercuric primers early on in self contained ammo because these primers withstood long periods of storage without degrading.
The salts present in this type of primer will be blown down the barrel upon firing and will attract moisture and cause rusting fairly quickly if not properly cleaned out. Likewise these corrosive primers play havoc with the integrity of brass cases. Be very careful not to using old cases that may have been fired with mercuric primers if you are going to reload. Unless they were washed out soon after being shot with corrosive primers the brass will become brittle and loose it's elasticity and be prone to cracking.
If you need any other help please pm me.
TonyAn opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.
"First ponder, then dare." von MoltkeComment
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Hi Josh,
Tony had a great explanation of corrosive ammo. If you are reloading you should not have any problem if you are buying your supplies from modern sources.
Foreign surplus ammo has a better chance of being corrosive. For example, I buy .30-06 surplus ammo for my Garands at gun shows. Much of this can be found coming out of Korea. Some of it is corrosive, and some is not. Garand collectors collaborate and compare notes and make lists of which lot numbers are corrosive and which are not.
Again, corrosive ammo in itself is not harmful, as long as you clean your firearms throroughly immediately after you shoot.
Best,
BlairComment
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storing a firearm
The best thing to do if you want to store a firearm is
first on the list is SAFETY- make sure the firearm is unloaded
second get a good gun oil
third clean the firearm
fourth lightly oil the metal parts and the wood furniture
fifth store the firearm in a secure dust free secure cabinet or case with trigger locks and any other locking requirements of your location according to regulations of where you live
I always clean my k98 before I fire it and as soon as possible after I fire it. Some ask why clean it before firing if you cleaned it when you put it away ... well you never know something may have gotten into the barrel since you stored it so it's better to be safe than sorryComment
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What is actualy the worst case scenario if you fire a rusty weapon? Does any one have any real stories to share? People losing hands or eyes maybe?
JLComment
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I once shot a 1917 luger that had been reblued, and it apeard as it once had a bad case of rust or myabe it was not cleaned, as the rifling was totaly gone, yet it fiered, but not in a very acurate way.
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Rusty firearms are dangerous, but so are worn out firearms, like the guns used by the terrorists in Iraq, some of them have the bolts slip out of them and the magazines wont go in anymore.Comment
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