Storage of Firearms And Preserving their Blueing

[captrakshitsharma]

Hi All,
I want us all to share their recommendations and experts to give opinions on storage and preserving the Blueing of firearms. What oils or products do they use and how to best keep our pride and joys rustfree and finish blueing untainted.
I for most part use WD 40 generously coated on my and my family's weapons and wrap them in plastic bags. Some people have said this may lead to Metal Sweating... and getting rust.... i have however till date seen no problem with his method. I am however not sure if WD 40 spoils blueing. shed some light on this pls. Any suggestions on a better product.. i am almost avoiding oils as they are hygroscopic(water absorbing) .Correct me if im wrong . I am also substituting WD 40 as a lubricant .Is it safe ...??

Also should one occasionally coat and apply a Few touch ups of Cold Blueing products like BIRCHWOOD CASEYS for example. to maintain the finish and aesthetics of Guns/Pistols?? I do not personally believe in the Indian Theory of not blueing a weapon and let it rust and loose its blueing just to say its in original condition....Please enlighten me how a blued gun is not as good as a uncared or rusting or a gun which has lost its blueing. Does blueing damage the weapon if so how.... And is the damage done just by hot blueing or even cold blueing.

Thanks
Rakshit

[TwoRivers]

Rakshit: While WD40 is not considered a lubricant, it works surprisingly well on guns as a bore cleaner and lubricant. It does not affect bluing as some other household oils will. Nor will it gum things up. Wipe the gun with a rag sprayed with WD40 after use and cleaning, to remove finger prints, which will cause rusting in high humidity.
It should not come into contact with your ammo, especially the primers. Heavy lubricating oils really have no place in a gun, especially the lock work, unless for long time preservation.
Of course, climate plays a big role. Hot and humid?, WD40 probably won't do much to prevent rust, unless the gun is put in a sealed plastic sleeve. These sleeves are available here, but I do not know how well they would work if repeatedly opened and re-closed. I just "unearthed" a bunch of rifle actions I had sprayed well with WD40 before wrapping in newspaper and taping for shipment. After close to forty years in a storage shed, in temperatures from 90+ degrees to -60 degrees F, they emerged without a bit of rust. Cheers.

[MoA]

WD 40 is a Water Displacement compound, and will protect from rusting. Also over time will gum up, in which case spray some more and wipe off.

I use it quite a bit, especially for storing my mild steel BP revolvers.

[xl_target]

WD-40 is not really designed as a lubricant. It is a solvent and water displacer. It only seems to lubricate or fix problems because it cleans (as a solvent would) by stripping old greases, dirt and rust. WD-40 being a thin film eventually evaporates and leaves mostly a dry un-lubricated surface.

1. WD40 shouldn't affect the bluing on a gun.
2. Don't enclose your guns in plastic bags. You could see condensation occur because of that, depending on the temperature variations in your area, unless you use something like this
3. I use CLP on all my guns. I'm not sure what lubricants and rust-protectants are available in India. Some of the local members should be able to help with that.
4. The problem with using a cold blue like Birchwood Casey's is that it is hard to match your old finish. If you just try to fix areas, you will probably end up with a blotchy finish. By the way, I have had good luck with Birchwood Casey's bluing but that was on a complete barrel.
5. The best way to store a firearm is to coat it with a good rust preventative and store it in your gun safe or in the back of your closet (could be a safety issue if you have kids). Leave a thin film inside the barrel too but run a dry patch through it before shooting. Obviously this won't work if there is an excessive amount of moisture in the air.
6. Don't store it in a cloth case either, they can get damp and cause rust.
7. While WD 40 might get powder residue out of your gun and its mechanism, it will not affect copper fouling or leading in your barrel.

Will WD40 work for you? It depends on where you live. If you live in a coastal area, it probably wont. If you have a drier climate, it might.

[ssmickey.32]

Hello,
My dealer says to lubricate the revolver with 2-T oil that is put in scooters along with petrol. Do u think it can be used to lubricate Smith & Wesson Revolvers???

WD-40 should not be used as lubricant. I believe we can clean the barrel & chamber bores along with surface cleaning of Revolvers.

How often WD-40 should be applied for every day carry?
How often it should be lubricated with recommended oil?

Please suggest...

Best regards

ssmickey.32

[MoA]

For daily carry I would not reccomend WD 40 or 2T.

Small amounts of lithium grease should suffice. Just wipe down the gun with a dry clean cloth. You dont want the gun transfering oil/grease/wd 40 to your clothes. The barrels and chamber should be dry and clean. That is about it.

When I do carry, (normally a pistol) the slide has just a trace of gun oil.