I have several older rifles I don't shoot a whole lot and wanted to "put them away" to the back of the safe for, say a year. I assume a few of you guys may have this problem too.

So how do you store them? Coat the metal with oil or grease?

An old timer tells me to use synthetic motor oil, or if storing longer than 6 months, a linotype (?) grease will work also. Says it will keep rust off the metal and cleans up way easier than cosmoline. I'm not interested in cosmoline.

Any tips?

I use a product in the safe called DampRid. It keeps the air dry and is relative easy to use. Other products can spill. I check the guns ever several months, store barrells down with Galazan Muzzle stopper (lightly oiled) to keep them off the bottom of the safe,(metal or other contact)and oil carefully, keeping gun oil off the wood. I like Johnson's paste wax on the wood but that is my hang up.

I have guns in my safe that are often not used for more than a year at a time. I don't treat them any differently than the others. Put them away clean and wiped down with a silicone or other rust preventing rag of your choice. If you are in a particularly humid place a Goldenrod in the safe would be a good idea.

Jim,
I do not like the electricy on in the house when we are gone. Another one of my hang ups.
jas

I have finally got my gunroom built. When I moved my guns here in October 2003 I wiped my guns down with Eesox and put each gun in a Sack-up gun sock (I bought a case of them from Cabelas). I then stacked them in the safe muzzle down, starting with the 32-inch barrel guns in the back right corner. When I unpacked them from the safe in November 2006, so the safe movers could move the safes into the gun room they were all just fine.

After a good cleaning, wipe the whole gun down with wax. I have never had any problem with Johnson's Paste Floor Wax, but have switched to Renesance Wax (what museums use a lot of and reported to be acid free) recently (it is a lot more expensive, so must be better, right?). Wax is a solid and will not run or wipe off. It is also a good metal and wood protectant for normal use; just shine 'er up when you finally pull 'er outta the safe.

I've had very good luck (NO rust, ever) with Researcher's method exactly, except using RIG from a rag with a bit of oil mixed in. I'd certainly be comfortable with Rocketman's procedure also.

While in humid FL, I had the early beginnings of rust spots form within 24 hours on a newly-acquired gun's bbls, which I'd wiped thoroughly with a silicone rag (the seller's), prior to flying home (with gun in luggage, declared).

My gun safe has always lived in an air-conditioned house and has no Goldenrod. I just wipe guns down with a silicone rag and place in the safe. Never had the slightest problem with rust.

Now, bear in mind that some unfortunate souls have a skin chemistry that promotes rust. I have seen them referred to as "rust carriers" in the machinist trade. Those people have to take great care to wipe off all finger-prints. I believe that's one reason why there is such a wide variability in the recommendations for safe storage besides just being anal about gun care in general.

OB

Jas, you said you don't like the electricity on when you are gone. Do you mean for a few hours, a week, a month, or months. I thought maybe a GFI would put your mind at ease.

OB, you are right some people have a certain chemistry in their skin that they can not touch metal without staining it.

I go along with what Jim Legg, I probably have not handled a few guns put away for 4 years now. That is when we moved, and they don't look any different from the ones I handle regularly. No special treatment to them, just wipe them down with a silicone cloth, but they were cleaned before put away.

Also I have read on a few sites and here, about guns being stored upside down (barrels down) I think that is ridiculous, if you put that much oil on your firearm, shame on you. And if the previous owner did the same, shame on them. The gun should have been taken apart and cleaned of all that excess oil when you bought it, or you should have seen the telltale signs of it and not bought it. Besides doesn't that look nice in a cabinet, or safe.

Just because you don't do it doesn't mean it's ridiculous, just means you don't like it.

I store mine barrel down, keeps any wayward oil, dirt and debris from migrating down to the works, including triggers. It's the way I prefer, no one sees them in my storage area except me, I don't have a recessed lit gun cabinet. I also find them easier to remove and replace without knocking into each other barrel down.

I take no chances.
Golden rod in the cabinet,and a dehumidifier running constantly keeping the room at 50% RH.
No problems with rust whatsoever.
I am told 50% is what museums keep mixed collections in, don't go too dry with timber.
Dehumidifiers are reasonably inexpensive to buy/run and are well worth while for peace of mind.
I do use Ren Wax as well but that's more for when I have them out and about.

I'm with you and the others, Rob, on upside down storage. Mine are also in a safe and not displayed, so who cares? If all those otherwise great guns with oil-soaked stock-heads had always been stored muzzle-down by their owners, that particular problem would not have occurred. Nothing ridiculous about that. TT

I agree with Jim Legg. Just put them in the safe and take them out periodically (about once a month) to check them and give them a rubbing of light oil and they should be OK..... Who doesn't like to have their electricity on when they leave the house? So, do you unplug the fridge? I am paranoid, too, but that sure beats me. As far as storing a gun upside down- some of mine are up and some are upside down. Some people worry about the pad getting crushed, too. Good luck.