Help me. I'm moving to Florida. My poor barrels!

[Lead Nuggets]

What ever oil you use don’t store them in a case or sleeve.

 

[hanshi]

I started off long ago while still a kid using 3 in 1 oil for everything that said "BANG" and it worked. When I started black powder nearly 60 years ago it worked with that too. I was born and bred in Georgia so I know heat and humidity.

Over the decades I used various gun oils and especially liked Barricade and Break Free CLP for rust protection. The interesting thing was that all of them worked! I still use Barricade and CLP and for long term storage I have Rig Grease. I've been out in downpours, fog and mist and the barrels still look fine. And I'll still try most any gun protectant at least once. For the exterior metal and the stock...yes, the stock, I use Type "F" tranny fluid, I latched onto Type F about 25 years ago. One thing I do that may have had an effect on barrel condition is that I'm somewhat OCD. I don't have that many guns and I constantly go over them in rotation so nothing remains neglected very long. Fired or not each one gets a "cleaning-check" once over every few weeks.

 

[kh0456]

Hello! I think you’re over thinking it a bit. I just moved to north Georgia almost 3 years ago…. But before that was born and raised in south Louisiana. I don’t think anyplace gets more humid than there. I never had any rust. After shooting I clean like anyone would… wipe my muzzelloaders down with a light oil…. And put them away. Never had any… never worried about it.

 

[oldwood]

Buy and use a good portable dehumidifier , and Baracade. My stuff lives downstairs , and the room humidity can be kept at nonrusting levels. Buy a cheap plastic thermometer/ humidity gauge . Monitor humidity , empty the dehumidifier water bucket , problem solved.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

R.I.G.

For long term storage in my opinion there is nothing better, been around for years and works.

I agree! RIG is a great light grease. I also use CRC Power lube

 

[hinamanra]

Inherited a bunch of rifles and guns, and I consulted with a gunsmith friend of mine. He swears by renwax. I put renwax on a patch and ran it down every one of the barrels, and each and every one of them is still good with no maintenance whatsoever.

Ive been using barracde on external metal and balistal in the bore for years and never a spec of rust. I read about renwax so i tried it this past deer season on all external surfaces. It works really well especially in the rain, it repells the water and dosent come off from handling like oils. I never tried it down the barrel. Will it make the ball come out faster? lol

 

[M. De Land]

Agree, MD is very humid (live by the Bay). After cleaning, i coat liberally with Break Free CLP and leave on dresser in air conditioned room. No rust.
Also, unless you must keep in a safe, leaving out where air circulates prohibits rust far better than being locked up in a small, no fresh air environment.
View attachment 317559

I'm a Break Free fan as well using it on my guns while hunting on Kodiak Island and running around in an open skiff getting salt spray on them. I also use RIG on the underside of the steel in the stock.
My technique after a day in the side ways rain, salt water spray and air was to rinse them in the creek along side the cannery (rinsing the salt off), wipe them dry and blow them out.
Getting the salt off was important as fresh water doesn't rust them any faster than rain does. The previously applied Break Free and RIG kept them perfectly rust free until I returned home and could break them down for thorough cleaning, drying and re-lubing. That environment is hell on wood stocks though.

 

[flconch53]

I'm a Break Free fan as well using it on my guns while hunting on Kodiak Island and running around in an open skiff getting salt spray on them. I also use RIG on the underside of the steel in the stock.
My technique after a day in the side ways rain, salt water spray and air was to rinse them in the creek along side the cannery (rinsing the salt off), wipe them dry and blow them out.
Getting the salt off was important as fresh water doesn't rust them any faster than rain does. The previously applied Break Free and RIG kept them perfectly rust free until I returned home and could break them down for thorough cleaning, drying and re-lubing. That environment is hell on wood stocks though.

I have lived in Florida since 1953. Shot muzzleloaders since 1986. You may not think so now but you will have your AC most of the time. Any good gun oil and periodic maintenance will solve the probelm. I belong to the Florida Frontiersmen we have our club shoots the 2st Saturday of the month South of Bartow

 

[bpd303]

I started off long ago while still a kid using 3 in 1 oil for everything that said "BANG" and it worked.

Same here my grandfather used it on his 36 cal Ohio Vincent and it's been working for me for 70 or so years. RIG is a good very long term storage grease but it has to be thoroughly cleaned out with alcohol prior to shooting with black powder, same with 3 in 1 or any other petroleum grease or oil because black powder does not play well with petroleum lubes, makes heavy fouling.

 

[Steve Wagner]

I third the Breakfree Clp advice. I grew up with firearms in southern CA, 3 miles from the beach, and until I learned about Breakfree, rust was a constant battle.
Just as important, no matter what you choose, never, ever store your firearms horizontally. There is a reason tradesmen hang tool steel vertically. Don't try to be smarter than that with a horizontal display case etc.
Muzzle down in a cool, dry location with as few temp changes as can be had in your home. Cooler the better. Storing near a wall that gets full sun part of the day is a bad plan. Even if you think your house is well insulated.
And, for whatever reason, if you store muzzle down after blowing Breakfree through the drum, chamber and barrel with compressed air, any overkill will drain off leaving a protective coat. I have shot my rifles many times after storing this way without any clean out or cap wasting and no noticeable difference in fouling. SW

 

[Notchy Bob]

I third the Breakfree Clp advice. I grew up with firearms in southern CA, 3 miles from the beach, and until I learned about Breakfree, rust was a constant battle.
Just as important, no matter what you choose, never, ever store your firearms horizontally. There is a reason tradesmen hang tool steel vertically. Don't try to be smarter than that with a horizontal display case etc.
Muzzle down in a cool, dry location with as few temp changes as can be had in your home. Cooler the better. Storing near a wall that gets full sun part of the day is a bad plan. Even if you think your house is well insulated.
And, for whatever reason, if you store muzzle down after blowing Breakfree through the drum, chamber and barrel with compressed air, any overkill will drain off leaving a protective coat. I have shot my rifles many times after storing this way without any clean out or cap wasting and no noticeable difference in fouling. SW

All good advice, right there.

Notchy Bob

 

[Harry Marinakis]

The most effective anti-rust agent is Fluid Film, available at your local auto parts store. Proven better than all other gun oils.

 

[Caleb Foster]

Frog lube

 

[gnappi]

Get a can of Eezox or Boeshield the're the only thing that works down here.

 

[Tenring]

Agree, MD is very humid (live by the Bay). After cleaning, i coat liberally with Break Free CLP and leave on dresser in air conditioned room. No rust.
Also, unless you must keep in a safe, leaving out where air circulates prohibits rust far better than being locked up in a small, no fresh air environment.
View attachment 317559

My mother and father live in Charlestown, MD right out side of North East off Rt.40 and when I would go down to do a little white tailing I would wipe the rifles down with a little REM Oil inside and out but it does get humid down by the Bay..

 

[Philo]

Agree, MD is very humid (live by the Bay). After cleaning, i coat liberally with Break Free CLP and leave on dresser in air conditioned room. No rust.
Also, unless you must keep in a safe, leaving out where air circulates prohibits rust far better than being locked up in a small, no fresh air environment.
View attachment 317559

Plastic revolver display stands: Hi Captain Vane. Where did you purchase those elegant revolver display stands for Civil War revolvers? Philo

 

[Brazos John]

I live in Arizona............what are you guys talking about.....rust?

We just visited Prescott and Phoenix, and with the humidity at 1 to 2%, I found where I want to move to.
Prescott was consistently 15 to 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix, and I fell in LOVE!
Unfortunately, I retired too soon to be able to afford living in Prescott...

 

[bpd303]

Get a can of Eezox or Boeshield the're the only thing that works down here.

That is strange, I lived half my life till 40 in southern Florida Miami Metro area and 3 in 1 oil worked just fine for me. Then moved to the Arkansas Ozarks and it still works up here for the last 41 years.

 

[wulf1928]

We just visited Prescott and Phoenix, and with the humidity at 1 to 2%, I found where I want to move to.
Prescott was consistently 15 to 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix, and I fell in LOVE!
Unfortunately, I retired too soon to be able to afford living in Prescott...

Yes you are right and the building goes on.....and every new building has two cars. The streets couldn't handle it ten years ago....

 

[longcruise]

The most effective anti-rust agent is Fluid Film, available at your local auto parts store. Proven better than all other gun oils.

I ordered a can to try it. I don't have rust problems and have used a quite a few different anti rust concoctions. Humidity is low here and it's not a problem.

I lived in SW Florida for a year on a professional job. The muzzle loaders spent the entire year in the back corner of a closet. When I was ready to return to colorado they all had minor surface rust on the outside. I have a habit of over oiling bores and they were still pristine.

But, nothing protects from neglect!