Storing Your Muzzleloader

[musketman]

If you ever decide to store a muzzleloader for an extended period of time, what preparations should be made?

Should you oil (inside and out) then plug the barrel to prevent moisture from getting in?

Should you lower the hammer, taking the pressure off the main spring?

If flint, should you remove the flint from the jaws to give the jaw screw threads a rest?

What about the stock, should it be waxed or sprayed with something?

If the barrel is removable, should it be removed before storing?

What can people do to properly store their muzzleloaders?

 

[Rebel]

For LONG term storage to keep it from rusting, Buy one of those vaccum seal a meal things and a large roll of the plastic sealer wrap. Clean and oil gun good, then put it in and vaccum seal it. If no air can get to it then it shouldn't be able to rust. A friend of mine is doing this with some of his guns for long term storage, just in case he needs to bury some if the next Election goes wrong. Just a Thought. :results:

 

[robinghewitt]

Your duck gun, which is only used for a short season, should have the barrels filled with mutton fat.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I wipe the metal, inside and out, with CLP Breakfree, then place the firearm inside a Gunnysock (silicon treated cloth tube).

I wouldn't plug the barrel, as temperature changes could cause condensation.

If you want to be really thorough, you can add a bucket of dessicant into the space the gun(s) will be stored to absorb moisture from the surrounding air.

 

[roundball]

Not sure what is meant by 'long term storage'...I have some centerfire rifles that have laid oiled in their cases for 10-15 years because I haven't shot them and they're fine;

I've got a few percussion muzzleloaders that are now in their 3rd year of laying in their cases, and in checking them every several months, they're still fine too...bores heavily coated with Natural Lube 1000, and exterior wiped with mil spec medium weight weapons oil;

 

[No Powder]

I always read to mine the story about the little engine that could---Oh Oh misread the thread title. Never mind! :what: :sorry: :crackup:

 

[shmrck1]

musketman,
sounds like it might be a combo of all the above!! i only have 7 percussion m/l and they are all shot at least every month or so when at all possible so long term storage is really not a concideration on my part. i do have access to a lot of those silicone packets that help prevent rust and i keep a lot of the around my m/ls :imo: :results:

snake-eyes :thumbsup: eace:

 

[musketman]

I am concerned because I have some old antique guns that are never going to be shot again, but I want to keep them in a stable condition and not add to their decay... (what abuse they got before I bought the gun is enough)

Should the brass be coated with something to prevent oxidation?

 

MM:
Generally brass, aluminum, copper, metals only oxidize to a certain degree and the oxidation itself prevent further oxidation.
If you really, really, wanted to store them to last a hundred years or more them clean them good, spray/wipe with LPS3 and store in the vacuum food bags.
I like Birchwood Casey stock wax to help seal the wood a bit.
But if they are stored in a dry place out of the sunlight they well stay in 'as is' condition indefinately with little care.
I've used Bore Butter to store m/l guns for 3 to 4 years with hardly a look and they were just as they were when put away.
In spite if the apparent fact that some don't care for BB I've found it does a stellar job as a preservative.

 

[2158]

reading everyones post sounds like there doing the right
thing , just a light coat of oil, keep it in a dry place,
the most inportant thing is to keep dust off your guns.
for one dust absorbs moisture and holds it. which can
premote rust etc. "never use wd40 as a protectant" it
evaporates. it's good for washing out water from your
lock and barrel but they still need to be wipped and
oiled.. i use a light machine oil that says lubricating,
rust preventive,and cleans, which most 3 in one oils do. :m2c:

 

[Keith]

You might also want to consider applying oil and wax to the wood to help preserve the original finiash. Not sand it off and refininsh, just try to match the original and freshen it.
There are some good products available that you wipe on to protect wood and metal. Hoppe's makes a gun and rod wipe for example. Some of these use Teflon some use other stuff. I have one that applies a slightly wet coating, but leaves an invisible dry barrier that works well. I live in New York and used to live on Long Island . LI is more humid than upstate even, and I was around salt water all the time and it worked well even under those conditions.