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Posted: 12/5/2009 9:37:08 AM EDT
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So, as I have been accumulating parts, it occurs to me I don't know the best way to store things until I can get them all assembled.
Currently, they are all hanging out together in one of those big plastic boxes in the garage. Some are bubble wrapped, some have newspaper around them, some are in plastic bags. Is there a "best" way to store parts to keep them from rusting/rotting? I'm sure it's different for different parts, so here's what I figure is a decent breakdown: Furniture (mostly plastic) Receivers (or other aluminum/non ferrous metals) Barrels (or other ferrous metals?) Small parts (LPKs, FSBs, BCGs, etc.) |
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Oil them. that'll take care of the rust. And any oxidation of your aluminum.
Won't hurt your plastic either, but unless you are going to wait for 30 years to assemble, they'll probably be OK. I'd probably get everything inside though. That's a lot of money to leave in the Garage. |
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Quoted:
Swivels can rust, so I wouldn't keep them anywhere humidFurniture (mostly plastic) Receivers (or other aluminum/non ferrous metals) Barrels (or other ferrous metals?) Small parts (LPKs, FSBs, BCGs, etc.) I keep almost all my parts in my gunsafe. (safe has humidity control) Different projects are seperated into different small USPS Priority boxes marked with which project they're intended for. (602, 605, 608, 635) I have some 602 handguards that don't fit in the boxes so they're labeled with masking tape identifying they're for my 602 project. I also have an original hole buffer tube for my 608 project that is also marked with masking tape. I have a couple of buttstocks that reside in my closet that are marked as well. All my other small parts that have not been "assigned" to a project yet are kept in small plastic containers used to store fishing lures. I have 1 for upper parts and 1 for lower parts. They have dividers and all parts are in marked spots grouped by part. I can quickly see at a glance how many spare Xs I own. |
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I use some heavy zip lock bags on the large part with labels for what I was building. The small parts would go into smaller bags that were place in the larger bags. Only the barrel did not fit so I tag them the build. Spares go into small part bins from Home Depot. Once the build started to take shape, I would use masking tape to label the incomplete rifle.
GVS PS Thanks Tex, just when I thought I was done. Retro Black Rifle web site corrupted me. I had a Colt CS stock in a bag. The C7 and C8 build on the site convinced me I need to use it. So now I have a complete lower for each done. Just need the barrels and uppers. I feel for UBX. |
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My original plan was to build all the rifles listed at Retro Black Rifle.
I didn't have a real desire to build any carbines. I had all except the 602 completed. Then I added more rifles to RBR! 
I never planned on building a 606 or C7, but now I'm not so sure. Luckily I don't plan on building a GM or H&R M16A1...but now I'm not so sure. Now I've been bitten by the carbine bug. But I only plan on building a 605 and a 608...and a 607...and a 609...and a 619...and a...SonTay...and a... Ahhh, caught in my own evil web. At least partial fault belongs to Capt Richardson. 
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Every once in a while on some of the other forums I'll see a thread with someone asking about descant to help keep thing dry in storage. I know you can by bags of descant which is a great idea to help keep things from rusting but, how would you like to get it for free?. I'll let you in on a little secret....Harley-Davidson motorcycles are shipped on metal skids with cardboard shipping boxes attached to the skid with a couple of descant bags placed inside the box, on top of the skid. These bags of descant are probably a couple of pounds and the just get thrown away when the dealership uncrates the new bikes. Stop by your local Harley dealership with a dozen donuts or a batch of home made cookies and talk to the guys in the service department. They are usually the ones who uncrate the bikes and ask them if they could save you some of the descant bags. They will probably give you as many bags as you want.
Doc |
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Good advice from the guy's above. I'll probably repeat most of it.
Parts storage is a big thing with me. I hate losing stuff and/or finding stuff rusted after several years. To be as brief as possible, for parts soon to be built, I segregate and oil lightly with CLP and stash in 2-4 mil small ziplocks and then put those in larger Ziplock freezer bags, labled with a sharpie. Furniture I'll wrap in tissue paper from the dollar store. The kind ladies use to gift wrap sweaters at Christmas.  It's cheap and protects the furniture from my gorilla-like handling.
All that goes into carboard box. For long term, I'll lightly oil and wrap steel parts like barrels and bolts in VIP Paper from Brownell's, then in a heavy Ziplock, then in ammo cans. Small parts go into the smaller thick ziplocks. I also have large supply of USGI Mil-Wrap material that old parts came in. The cotton coated metal lined fabric that heat seals closed. That stuff is the best for long term stash, like barrels, receivers, etc. I suffer from RBRPD (Retro Black Rifle Parts Disease) 
ETA: For plastic divider boxes, the best I've found are the Plano Waterproof Stowaway boxes. They have 3 latches, one on each side and are the most secure of this type. They don't pop open if you look at them wrong. Drop a box full of of detents and springs and you'll see the difference. 
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Oil, oil, oil, grease, and oil.
I'm in the habit of storing my firearms goodies gobbed in oil and in our basement. It's cool all year round, and thanks to the dehumidifiers is pretty dry. I tend to do the same to complete weapons I don't plan on using any time soon. Just be sure to wipe off the excess and properly lubricate before heading to the range. |
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I keep my completed and partially built rifles (barreled uppers and complete lowers) in silicone-treated gunsocks.
It helps keep them from rusting and getting scratched when pulling them from the safe and putting them back. The safe keeps getting tighter and tighter so they get bumped around more all the time. |
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Suggestion - I have a response to this on another thread. Might be helpful. I referenced Mil-Spec and DoD standards, and went beyond in some cases, as well as deficient in other instances. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=2&t=304917 See the one with the two HUGE replies. Sorry - I'm working on a webpage/website to put all this on so its easier to display, edit, and read the information. plus pictures. I realize you aren't storing them for an ultra-long-term period like I am, but rust happens in hours, and I've seen it happen to pins on front sight gas blocks that are smothered in Breakfree CLP and/or Remington Gun Oil - in about 3-6-9-12 months. If the pins are starting to rust, even when well oiled, then other parts are corroding too. And you really can't store the parts in a liquid bath of Mobil 1 or some other oil - that oil will eventually absorb enough water given enough time, temperature fluctuations, humidity, etc., unless you keep it in a tightly sealed container. For everything, I decided back in 1998 to use a specific Mylar bag, vacuum packaging equipment, specific desiccants and oxygen scavengers, duplicating as much and as close to Mil-Spec Storage & Preservation Methods and MAterials as possible (as $$$ would allow too). Hey, what I'm leaving for my great-grandkids is being stored this way, never mind that they might be using lasers by then. (And chances are that our 2nd Amendment rights (1) won't be cheap by then, or (2) won't be around anymore.) Also, think for a minute... Our U.S. Military maintains large caches of weapons, ammunition, equipment, etc. They've spent decades of research and money to develop storage, preservation, packaging, transportation, and logistics methods & materials to adequately preserve and store equipment & weapons systems for months, years, and even decades, to be ready for immediate deployment. (OK, they're not perfect but the standards do exist.) Anyway, its been a very long time since anyone on this site mentioned Mil-Spec when it comes to storage and preservation. Its all "Mil-Spec" this and that for parts, ammo, sights, equipment, etc. But ZILCH-ZERO-NADA for Mil-Spec/DoD standards for Preservation, Storage, Packaging. I honestly think that clever retail marketing and consumerism is fooling all of us. We've been fooled into the "if you sell it and cleverly market it, they will buy it" by many gun cleaning & storage companies. Mil-Spec/DoD Storage & Preservation isn't cheap. But maybe its because the gun cleaning/storage industry believes it isn't profitable for them to sell it to the general consumer - so as a result, they don't market or sell it, and price never goes down. |
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Quoted:
I use fishing tackle boxes with divided trays to hold small parts for individual weapons/builds. Desiccant packs in the bottom take care of moisture and they're easily stackable for storage wherever. You can also find some tackle boxes like this... THIS that have anti rust agents in them for your small parts... Mike B |
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Quoted: Quoted: I use fishing tackle boxes with divided trays to hold small parts for individual weapons/builds. Desiccant packs in the bottom take care of moisture and they're easily stackable for storage wherever. You can also find some tackle boxes like this... THIS that have anti rust agents in them for your small parts... Mike B Yeah, sounded like a good idea at first. But do you really want a "ZeRust" Polymer coating your small firearms parts? Without knowing more about the chemistry of it, I don't want that on my firearm parts, metal or plastic! Also, those plastic storage boxes with the ZeRust anti-rust agents are meant to keep steel fish hooks, swivels, and leaders from rusting. A couple fish hooks, swivels, and leaders inside a plastic box is not a lot of metal compared to gobs of solid metal parts. The amount of anti-rust agent in these boxes will hardly protect gobs of metal firearms parts. Besides, the boxes aren't sealed, which may mean that the ZeRust can get out and dissipate away. Or it could be Marketing. |
| I had all my long-term storage parts stored in vacuum seal bags with dessicant packets, and the rest of the stuff in safes/racks in my gun room (large closet). This past summer my A/C died for a couple of weeks, and everything rusted/molded. It is amazing how much (mostly reversible) damage can happen in a few weeks. Now I have one of these in the gun room. Works great. |
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For small parts, one of these can be had for $6.00.
Small parts box It even comes with its own rust inhibitor. I have 3 of them and they are great. I'd like to get 3 more for other stuff. John Thomas |
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Years ago when folks were getting their stuff together for Y2K around 1999, I vacuum packed 200 rounds of 9 mm pistol ammo. In the bag with the ammo I placed a descant bag. The descant bag was properly prepared , meaning that it was completely dry. With the ammo and the descant in the bag it was then vacuum sealed. After sealing the the bag, it was inspected for any air leaks, none were detected. The bag was then placed in storage in the garage for a rainy day. Last September 2009, I decided to see how the ammo was doing, to my surprise, the bag was full of water, a result of an air leak in the packaging resulting from the bag of descant absorbing moisture from the air, thus filling the bag with water. The ammo was discolored and wet. I dried the ammo off and removed the discoloration. The only thing that saved that ammo was that the primers were sealed and bullets were crimped. I did shoot the ammo and it performed flawlessly.
Lesson to be learned from this, never trust vacuum packaging with descant bags. Even if you inspect the vacuum packing upon completetion over time a leak may result leading to catastrophic results. |
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Quoted: Years ago when folks were getting their stuff together for Y2K around 1999, I vacuum packed 200 rounds of 9 mm pistol ammo. In the bag with the ammo I placed a descant bag. The descant bag was properly prepared , meaning that it was completely dry. With the ammo and the descant in the bag it was then vacuum sealed. After sealing the the bag, it was inspected for any air leaks, none were detected. The bag was then placed in storage in the garage for a rainy day. Last September 2009, I decided to see how the ammo was doing, to my surprise, the bag was full of water, a result of an air leak in the packaging resulting from the bag of descant absorbing moisture from the air, thus filling the bag with water. The ammo was discolored and wet. I dried the ammo off and removed the discoloration. The only thing that saved that ammo was that the primers were sealed and bullets were crimped. I did shoot the ammo and it performed flawlessly. Lesson to be learned from this, never trust vacuum packaging with descant bags. Even if you inspect the vacuum packing upon completetion over time a leak may result leading to catastrophic results. MONKEY68 - and others - check out my HUGE posts on a similar thread - http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=2&t=304917 I ALMOST did the same thing for Y2K. I vacuum packed complete Bushmaster rifles plus extra uppers (lowers w/buttstocks, complete uppers w/BCG, & mags bagged separately). I intensely researched vacuum packaging bags & Mil-Spec, and I believe I came up with the right formula. Not one bit of rust or evidence of water. The only issue was a coat of Breakfree CLP on everything took twice as much degreaser to clean off when I opened them last year (after 10 years!). 2 rifles have been fired w/no problems. Mags too. The other UNFIRED upper assemblies are now for sale in Classifieds & so far I haven't heard any complaints from buyers. I DID NOT VAC PACK AMMO HOWEVER. I was not sure of plastic & powder compatibility over decades. Instead, I used tightly sealed USGI Ammo cans, ammo on stripped clips, no paper/cardboard, and about 50cc Silica Gel. If you want to be sure it won't pass any water, USGI ammo cans, or a similar waterproof sheet metal container, will do the job. You can still vacuum pack AMMO, using materials & methods I came up with for the rifle components, but I don't still suggest it. POINT IS - YOU CAN TRUST VACUUM PACKAGING, but not for AMMO. However, only specific bag materials and certain methods work. And a good seal is paramount. NOTE THAT ALL BAGS PASS AIR & WATER, but a select few allow 1000 times LESS transfer than 95% of bag material that exists! I used PAKDRY7500 bag material - the specifications help calculate the water & O2 passed. I had terrific success, and the system could have lasted 25 years. I'm now working on a 50 to 100 year solution... |
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