Long Term Gun Storage
- Thread starter Bryan8
- Start date
The Famous Grouse
New member
I think you'd be better off to get secure storage outside of New York. If it isn't within the state lines, your New York gun grabbers are hosed.
Rust is a chemical reaction and there is no absolute way to stop it. All you can do is slow it down. Any way you can name that would seal the gun away from moisture, also has the potential to seal moisture inside where it can attack the gun.
Grease and oil coatings will dry over time and create a huge mess AND they could slowly lose the ability to protect the metal.
I think you'd be far better off to find someone outside of New York to store your guns. Even if you have to buy a safe, it's better and cheaper than finding out the hard way that your methods of preventing rust didn't work.
Grouse
Rust is a chemical reaction and there is no absolute way to stop it. All you can do is slow it down. Any way you can name that would seal the gun away from moisture, also has the potential to seal moisture inside where it can attack the gun.
Grease and oil coatings will dry over time and create a huge mess AND they could slowly lose the ability to protect the metal.
I think you'd be far better off to find someone outside of New York to store your guns. Even if you have to buy a safe, it's better and cheaper than finding out the hard way that your methods of preventing rust didn't work.
Grouse
OldTurtle
Moderator - Deceased
Air, moisture, and temperature changes are your big challenge to protecting metal for long term storage...Plastics and wood present other challenges...
If I were contemplating something along those lines, I would take a tip from an old coin collector with which I used to work...He would buy rolls of newly minted coins, and leaving them in the original wrappers, store them in bottles filled with Mineral Oil, and then stored in a safe in the corner of his basement...
An alternative would be to spray the item down with hot cosmoline after making it as pristine clean as possible and placing it in a vacuum sealed container....
I know that both methods are good for 40+ years.....
If I were contemplating something along those lines, I would take a tip from an old coin collector with which I used to work...He would buy rolls of newly minted coins, and leaving them in the original wrappers, store them in bottles filled with Mineral Oil, and then stored in a safe in the corner of his basement...
An alternative would be to spray the item down with hot cosmoline after making it as pristine clean as possible and placing it in a vacuum sealed container....
I know that both methods are good for 40+ years.....
centerfire_223
New member
How would one of those vacum sealers like you package meat in work? That stuff comes in big rolls so you could make it to fit what ever you wanted.
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
CatShooter
New member
Originally Posted By: Bryan8If/When something happens with these crazy laws.... What is the best way for a longterm gun storage.
I was thinking along the lines of heavy coat of motor oil or similar and wraped tight with plastic. Then placed in PVC and taken care of.
Any input?
Bryan
Motor oils are not designed for long term storage. I have to change the oil in my Lycoming aircraft engine every few months, or I will loose the camshaft to rust.
If I had a firearm that I got 30 or more years ago - like an M-1 Carbine with a 3 speed transmission S-F-A (Stop, Fast, Awful fast), which of course, I would never own... and I wanted to keep it packed away safely, I would spray it heavily with a high quality gun old until it was drenched, including the stock. Then seal it in an airtight container, with packets of desiccant.
These days, the vacuum food sealers that someone else mentioned, would be my first choice - put the firearm in the bag with desiccant packets, and vacuum it and close it. Then it is suitable for burial or putting in the attic, under the flooring.
If it is state laws, vote with your feet - if it is federal laws, bury it and wait for times to change.
.
I was thinking along the lines of heavy coat of motor oil or similar and wraped tight with plastic. Then placed in PVC and taken care of.
Any input?
Bryan
Motor oils are not designed for long term storage. I have to change the oil in my Lycoming aircraft engine every few months, or I will loose the camshaft to rust.
If I had a firearm that I got 30 or more years ago - like an M-1 Carbine with a 3 speed transmission S-F-A (Stop, Fast, Awful fast), which of course, I would never own... and I wanted to keep it packed away safely, I would spray it heavily with a high quality gun old until it was drenched, including the stock. Then seal it in an airtight container, with packets of desiccant.
These days, the vacuum food sealers that someone else mentioned, would be my first choice - put the firearm in the bag with desiccant packets, and vacuum it and close it. Then it is suitable for burial or putting in the attic, under the flooring.
If it is state laws, vote with your feet - if it is federal laws, bury it and wait for times to change.
.
The Famous Grouse
New member
Originally Posted By: centerfire_223How would one of those vacum sealers like you package meat in work? That stuff comes in big rolls so you could make it to fit what ever you wanted.
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
I agree that vacuum sealing would offer some protection, but keep in mind plastic has a finite lifespan before it breaks down. Ozone and light exposure are the two main culprits, but also any chemicals that are on the gun like oil will start to degrade plastic right away.
All it takes is one pinhole to break the seal and now you have a firearm exposed to air and moisture carried by that air.
It's not that it wouldn't work, it's just that one would want to carefully monitor things. Personally, I still thing getting secure storage is the better answer.
Grouse
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
I agree that vacuum sealing would offer some protection, but keep in mind plastic has a finite lifespan before it breaks down. Ozone and light exposure are the two main culprits, but also any chemicals that are on the gun like oil will start to degrade plastic right away.
All it takes is one pinhole to break the seal and now you have a firearm exposed to air and moisture carried by that air.
It's not that it wouldn't work, it's just that one would want to carefully monitor things. Personally, I still thing getting secure storage is the better answer.
Grouse
Coyotejunki
Well-known member
The military used cosmoline. Could be better stuff now, I'd bet.
K-22hornet.
New member
Any Canadians want to share what they did before firearms registration became law?
I had heard there was a run on large diameter PVC pipe up North, shortly before the registration law became effective, but, that's just what I heard.
As for me, I sold all my guns a few years ago. I don't remember who bought them.
I had heard there was a run on large diameter PVC pipe up North, shortly before the registration law became effective, but, that's just what I heard.
As for me, I sold all my guns a few years ago. I don't remember who bought them.
The Famous Grouse
New member
It's a raw deal what's already happend in New Yack and is likely to happen in other states.
The problem is that I doubt many people are going to want to risk a felony conviction for having an illegal weapon. What good does it do to have it buried in your back yard and be unable to use it?
Personally, I'd get more satisfaction from keeping the guns and having them stored out of state where the POS government can't touch them. Then I'd send a Christmas card every year to the governor showing me, the guns I still have, and the part of my personhood that the governor can kiss.
I feel bad for the citizens of these pinko states, but sadly it's no surprise that liberal Meccas like MA and NY are going even more anti gun than they already were.
Grouse
The problem is that I doubt many people are going to want to risk a felony conviction for having an illegal weapon. What good does it do to have it buried in your back yard and be unable to use it?
Personally, I'd get more satisfaction from keeping the guns and having them stored out of state where the POS government can't touch them. Then I'd send a Christmas card every year to the governor showing me, the guns I still have, and the part of my personhood that the governor can kiss.
I feel bad for the citizens of these pinko states, but sadly it's no surprise that liberal Meccas like MA and NY are going even more anti gun than they already were.
Grouse
jbuck
New member
bigsky_songdogs
Active member
NY state has no authority on what is or is not possesed in a different state, they can only dictate what is possesed in NY.
Varminterror
New member
Originally Posted By: centerfire_223How would one of those vacum sealers like you package meat in work? That stuff comes in big rolls so you could make it to fit what ever you wanted.
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
All I know is that if a vacuum sealing unit sucks in oil, your day is ruined. Had a bad experience/screw up with using one of these to preserve pasta in olive oil. Talk about a pain...
You have to have moisture and oxygen to make metal rust. If all of that was sucked out, would it preserve it?
All I know is that if a vacuum sealing unit sucks in oil, your day is ruined. Had a bad experience/screw up with using one of these to preserve pasta in olive oil. Talk about a pain...
The Famous Grouse
New member
Originally Posted By: Bryan8Would it be legal for a NY resident to store said "banned guns" on a propety in PA where they are legal?
Bryan
The only hitch I can see is if the law in New York somehow mandates that owners of registered and now-illegal guns provide proof that they divested themselves of the weapons.
How this would be workable, I have no idea, because in theory you could have driven your guns to somewhere like Wyoming, sold them privately, and therefore you are in compliance with all New York laws because you no longer even own the gun.
I not a lawyer, but I can't see any way that New York can forbid its citizens from owning an asset that is outside of the juristicion of the state as long as that asset is legal where it is physically located.
Grouse
Bryan
The only hitch I can see is if the law in New York somehow mandates that owners of registered and now-illegal guns provide proof that they divested themselves of the weapons.
How this would be workable, I have no idea, because in theory you could have driven your guns to somewhere like Wyoming, sold them privately, and therefore you are in compliance with all New York laws because you no longer even own the gun.
I not a lawyer, but I can't see any way that New York can forbid its citizens from owning an asset that is outside of the juristicion of the state as long as that asset is legal where it is physically located.
Grouse
Varminterror
New member
Would be a fancy dance to use physical location as a loophole, I don't think it would hold water unless the letter of the law is NOT about ownership, but is specified as "possession".
Frankly, the "burying my guns" idea is a bit excessive. For what it's worth, it has the same effect as giving the guns up to the gestapo, ultimately, the guns aren't in your hands anymore.
In the event that my guns were ever banned, I'd be going to "speak-easy" route, rather than burying them where nobody could access them. Hidden and accessible is just as effective as hidden and inaccessible.
This would eliminate the need to have them stored long-term. Bury a shipping container in the back 40 or under the shed out back and you can access the weapons for use, maintenance, whatever you want at any time.
If they find the bunker, they'd have found a buried weapons cache, and frankly, we all know how effective our government is at finding hidden weapons stores...
EDIT: I realize that talking about a bunker seems like I'm some whackjob "prepper", but I think any of us that are talking about burying guns and stockpiling ammunition have a little level-headed "prepper" in us anyway. The big reason I favor a hidden storage room, aka 'bunker' over burying them is accessibility. Wouldn't necessarily need to be even a buried bunker, a false wall in a closet, hidden compartments under your floorboards(floating laminate hardwood floors made this WAY too easy to hide these days), etc etc, all are options... Better than burying them where nobody can get to them at all...
Frankly, the "burying my guns" idea is a bit excessive. For what it's worth, it has the same effect as giving the guns up to the gestapo, ultimately, the guns aren't in your hands anymore.
In the event that my guns were ever banned, I'd be going to "speak-easy" route, rather than burying them where nobody could access them. Hidden and accessible is just as effective as hidden and inaccessible.
This would eliminate the need to have them stored long-term. Bury a shipping container in the back 40 or under the shed out back and you can access the weapons for use, maintenance, whatever you want at any time.
If they find the bunker, they'd have found a buried weapons cache, and frankly, we all know how effective our government is at finding hidden weapons stores...
EDIT: I realize that talking about a bunker seems like I'm some whackjob "prepper", but I think any of us that are talking about burying guns and stockpiling ammunition have a little level-headed "prepper" in us anyway. The big reason I favor a hidden storage room, aka 'bunker' over burying them is accessibility. Wouldn't necessarily need to be even a buried bunker, a false wall in a closet, hidden compartments under your floorboards(floating laminate hardwood floors made this WAY too easy to hide these days), etc etc, all are options... Better than burying them where nobody can get to them at all...
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