Yearly maintaince on firearms

[T-TAC]

In my 25 years of shooting, Collecting, and tinkering on guns, the thing I see the most is that the guns are "DRY". little to no oil on the gun or moving parts.
Oil evaporates and gets used up in firing the gun and if the gun is being stored. Oil can disappear in less than a year of storage.
What I like to do is around this time of year, when I have some spare time on my hands, I take 4 or 5 guns out of my vault. The barrels get a swab of Breakfree oil and any moving parts that look dry ( Slide rails, Hammers,etc.)
then a quick mist of Birchwood Casey Sheath on the outside to keep the rust at bay. Sometimes I have my kids help me. This gives them a chance to ask alot of questions and hopefully learn a thing or two.
You will also find things out with this vault cleaning. Last year I had two sets of rubber grips " Melting" because they didn't get along with a brand of oil.
I have found one thumbs safety that decided not to hold the hammer on a 1911 (It worked fine when it went into the vault).
This year I found some cracks in my wifes Redhawk revolver grips.
When was the last time you got some oil under the grips on your guns?
yes, a Big rust starting place under the grips.
Oil is cheap. You don't have to use the brands I have mentioned.
But get them out and oil them. You will be suprised what you find!

[Hunter]

Good advice, I will check out my collection monthly. Most of my guns will not go a year without being shot so they get cleaned and reoiled pretty regular. I will get them out and lay them on the bed and eyeball everything oil the up as needed and wipe them down with a silicone cloth. That will give me a chance to check them all out and put my silica bag in the oven to dry it out.

[Unclenick]

Good thoughts. I've noticed before that all wood and paper attracts enough moisture to initiate rust. If I don't expect to get a gun out for a spell, I not only hit it with oil, but I remove the grips and/or stock and wrap the metal thing up in plastic wrap. Never had a rust spot using that approach.

Nick

[warmrain]

I do much the same as you T-Tac, with the same products. I also have had melted rubber and once had rust start under the rubber grip on a stainless pistol. This is a good thing to do at least once a year. I do it quarterly as I live on the ocean.

[Unclenick]

Warmrain,

If you are near salt water, you might want to consider somewhat more industrial strength rust prevention? McMaster-Carr, on page 1951 of the current on-line catalog has an LPS product with 3-year rating as a heavy duty rust inhibitor. It sells only by the gallon, and at sixty-five dollars plus shipping, is probably the kind of thing you would want to split with friends.

Nick

[warmrain]

Unclenick,

I am familiar with some LPS products as I use them on my boat and aircraft to prevent rust and corrosion. I'll check it out.

In the mean time what I've been doing is regular cleaning and lubing. I shoot a almost every w/e. If one of the guns doesn't get used for say a few (~3) months it gets cleaned and lubed anyway. All are some combination or polymer, stainless and protected alloy, so there is some resistance. I run a CLP's bore mop down the bbl.s about once a month...