Many of you you have asked how safely store what we'll call "the modern sporting rifle" for the long term. Particularly let's focus on storage in what we'll euphemistically call "environmentally exposed" locations.
The typical answer has been to liberally coat the firearm in some sort of viscous grease (last generally sold in the Korean War era) that can take an hour to get off if the firearm is needed/desired for use, and place all the parts in various bags inside a large diameter PVC Schedule 40 or better pipe, with threaded caps.
Well, that'll certainly do the trick.
But let me suggest a simpler method, one that works for pistols as well: The 11" wide roll of Food Saver bags (ON THE 14' ROLL) and some silica gel packs. Clean and oil your firearm, place them in a proper length of Food Saver roll (having already sealed one end) add a liberal supply of silica gel packs and O2 absorbent if you have it, and then vacuum seal the bag. Then vacuum seal THAT gun-bag inside a second custom-length Food Saver bag. Be careful to not over-vacuum the bag or sharpish edges of your firearm can puncture the bag.
For an AR-platform rifle, you need to separate the upper and lower, and create two sealed bag-units. Double bag the upper, and separately double-bag the lower. Your bagged and protected firearm (long or short gun) is now ready for storage 'wherever'. Sure it'd be better to place the bagged unit in a PVC tube if you planned to bury it, but you may not be able to or need to bury items for your storage needs.
The upside of this method is that (a) it's cheap if you already have a vacuum sealer food storage system (like Food Saver) (b) you can store any modern sporting firearm or pistol - often dissembled, (c) ammo boxes (not the cans - be reasonable- also handle this really well, and (d) your firearm is ready to use in a couple minutes from removing it out of the bags - versus MANY minutes to get all that grease off a firearm.
It's especially easy to store a grab-and-go pistol kit: the pistol, extra mags 80% loaded for spring durability, and a box of 50 or 100 rounds.
Note well, the bags are not designed to handle friction from rubbing/moving. They're pretty tough, but if you have a bagged unit bouncing around in the bottom our your pick-up's tool box, it'll be torn in a month. Wrap it appropriately if you HAVE to store the unit where friction may come into play, and inspect frequently.
This may help you if you are considering ways to safely store 'items' for a while.
That should work.
When Beta comes to collect your firearms with an inventory list provided by the BATFE, how do you explain the missing inventory?
Serious question.
I’ve used foodsaver bags in this manner. Had some stored for about 8 years now and they are doing fine. They are stored above ground. I have had a couple over the years lose their seal. Those foodsaver rolls are not the most robust thing in the world. But if they hold for a week, they usually hold forever if the plastic isn’t damaged.
**The typical answer has been to liberally coat the firearm in some sort of viscous grease (last generally sold in the Korean War era)***
Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, or equivalent will work just fine.
If you think you need to bury your weapons it’s time to use them.
What a good idea...
Clever idea.
If you decide to use cosmoline to preserve your metal sporting object, wrap it with gunny sacks soaked in more cosmoline before burying.
The VC used that same technique to cache their gifts from the Waraw Pact along the river banks and when we did find them, we’d wash them in half-55 gallon drums with gasoline (outdoors), using brushes to scrub the sticky stuff off and voila - like new!
Then we’d casually carry them one at a time when we went to the Danang PX and be “persuaded” to part with our souvenir for big bucks from some rear-area commando. I’m sure some of those guys have some really heroic war stories to go with them now!
My belief is that anyone who keeps a rifle (or gun) for any reason other than display should be staying proficient in its use and their ability and keep it sighted in by getting out and practicing from time to time.
A good gun safe with a dehumidifier or two I get no issues.
You should clean them up annually anyway. Just some play time.
Don’t forget to vacuum seal a few boxes of corresponding ammo as well. Same with extra matching mags...
If it unsafe to have them then it is time to use them.
We’ve been doing food storage bags for years but, we don’t break down AR’s.
I have my M1A kitted up.
10 mags, 10 stripper clips
AR’s same setup
I created “Battle Packs” of my preferred 75gr match load by putting them on stripper clips in bandoliers and food saver bagging them.
Beta will offer you a sack of groceries for your lead dispenser. Your starving trembling hands will reach for the food.
If you’re not prepared to use it, might as well turn it in now for your $25 Walmart or Target gift card. Because if you’re planning to bury it, you’re committed to never using it.
Burying such a tool does not seem conducive to its purpose.
I won’t give names or location, but a friend did an experiment several years back along this line. Here’s what he did:
He vacuum packed (same food saver bags) an older handgun plus some ammo (9mm, if I remember correctly), then sunk it in the cove near his old cabin.
After a year, he fished out the bag, cut bags open, and loaded the handgun - and it went bang as it should have. I don’t believe he put any silica in, though not a bad idea if it might be buried longer.
I’ve seen ammo stored in various versions of military ammo cans with varying success - usually, the genuine mil-surp cans held up the best to being buried. I would imagine vacuum sealing a handgun and ammo, putting in such a box, and buring might work well (though easily found via metal detector).
Another alternative for Long Term Storage for valuables which might be subject to corrosion.
Previously, storage in oil or cosmoline seemed to be the only way to prevent rust and corrosion.
Cosmoline is a heavy petroleum product that after exposure to air, forms a waxy like brown substance which protects metal parts.
Now , this is a new method of offering protection, much cheaper than storage in a vault, or PVC tube.
How to safely store what we'll call "the modern sporting rifle" for the long term. Particularly let's focus on storage in what we'll euphemistically call "environmentally exposed" locations;
that is to say socially and climatically areas of risk to corrosion of metals and valuables.
Much cheaper than a vault or a PVC tube which can be done 'on the fly', as a few of the products may already appear in conventional household,
with just a few amendments and add-ons.
Bkmk.