I have just received orders to Germany, and will be departing in the next couple of months.  

My question for you guys (and girls) is how should prepare my weapons for storage for three years.  They will be stored most likely in loicked carrying cases, not in a safe, but what products should I use to protect them from rust.

Thanks for your information.

List of the weapons to be protected.

Glock handguns
.30 Carbine
Savage 10 FP
Ruger 10/22
Dan Wesson .357 blued revolver
Intratec Tec .22
Several complete AR uppers

Take a peek at www.midwayusa.com/online/prodsearch.exe/CategoryPage?PromotionID=0&CategoryID=693&CurrentCategoryID=654+***+&Form=CategorySearch#1000170

From the Midway catalog: "Protect yopur valuable firearms against rust, dirt, and scratches.  Made from a special fabric that will not retain moisture and has been treated with silicone plus a specially formulated rust inhibitor, providing maximum protection for your guns.  Thick pile interior cushions against nicks or scratches.  Bore-Stores offer you worry-free, long-term storage without heavy oils or grease."

Midway also has Cosmoline for sale.  I have never used this product but I have spent many hours cleaning cosmoline out of weapons.  And no I don't work for Midway!

Get a safe too!  My ex-buddy "lost" a Winchester 1200 of mine when I was stationed at Hawaii.

Glockster,

  When I faced the same delima, I ordered a can of RIG from Brownells.  Very similar to cosmoline.  Gave each weapon a good cleaning and covered every inch with RIG, then stored in a silicon treated gun bag for each.  4 yrs later not even a hint of rust.  Some guys use oil, wax paper, then cover in tin foil.  Good luck, Rebel CWO2

you can store them at my house as long as you would like. forever if you'd like. really I don't mind

Make damn sure you don't store them in any sort of gun case with foam inserts. They retain moisture & you'll have a pile of rust when you get back. I assume you've checked on having your guns shipped over there?

As far as I know, you can still ship all your stuff over in your household goods. You used to be able to bring them over in checked baggage also. Only difference now is that they will have to sit in an post Arms Room until you get your German gun license. This can take 2-6 months, and in the end will end up being about $200 when everything is all said and done. Also, you should be able to send over any assault weapons with out any problems. But anything that looks like a military weapon is iillegal, so you probably won't be able to add them to your gun license so you take them to shoot or to your quarters. But you can still keep them in a on post arms room. I left all my POFs at home though as all were pre-ban something or other and I didn't have time to check the serial numbers with customs so I could re-import them when I returned. The plus side about the German market is that one can purchase all the European guns and stuff for less the wholesale price is in the States. For example, my H&K Mk23 was $960 out the door and my TRG-22  rifle was $1950 out the door. That was  with what ammounts to about $1000 worth of accesories in the States. The Rod and Gun club buys all their stuff from German wholesalers, and does not have to turn a profit so ends up charging like 3% over cost. IF you have any other questions let me know, if I dont know the answer I can check with the Rod and Gun club. Where are you headed in Germany?

Where do you live Glockster?

Ah1Z, ummm...I don't think so...but good try.

Bob Cole, thanks for that info, you just saved me a few thousand dollars (was my plan).  But I have to ask, is it acceptable to place them in the foam lined cases if they are inside of a silicone covered gun sock?

Stottman, I have been told to not even try to bring them in to the country, it's just too much of a hastle, and in the end would be too expensive.  If possible I will just get a few new additions while there instead (this I think I can pull off with the wifey).  And I am heading to Spangdahlem AB.

Brouhaha, Right now I live in PRK or California if you prefer, but the guns will be stored at my mothers house in North Western Oregon (near Portland).

I would suggest that you get some absorbant bags to put inside the enclosed area wherever you store them.  They will help to absorb moisture and you can recharge them in the oven if they get too wet.

Cover them in oil and then buy some of those "as seen on TV" space bags that you suck the air out of with a vaccum.

Been there and done that - but my trip was two years to Australia.

I coated mine with a spray silicone based gun preservative - RIG I think. The tip about not storing them in foam pads is true. Mine got put into cardboard boxes and stored under a bed in North Carolina. Two years plus later there wasn't a single bit of rust.

When I went on a six month deployment last year from Washington I left my stuff in a safe with nothing but a Golden Rod in it. I spent many a night worried about all the weapons out in that garage kept safe but again everything was fine.

Don’t forget that you’ll be taking some leave and hopefully coming home to visit.

Good luck and enjoy Germany.

You also need to be aware that if you purchase a weapon in Germany, even if it was manufactured in America and purchased at the Rod and Gun Club you need to apply to the BATF for a permit bring your weapon back into the United States. One section of the permit asks why exactly you want to bring the weapon back to the U.S. Take my word and mark "Sporting Purposes, Target Shooting".

So if you are considering purchasing a weapon in Germany that is of foreign manufacture, make sure that you know it will pass import restrictions. It would be neat to get a Glock .380, but it would suck when they won't give you a permit to get it back to the states.

Good Shooting
RED

The only extra cost I think you would have would be the $15 a weapon cost to register under the American Forces  system. (There is the risk of getting everything stolen by the movers though). The German system would cost you the same. ALso the Rod and Gun club is not supposed to sell any weapon that is non-importable. About the only guns you can buy in Germany that are non-importable(besides surplus) are the post-ban type semi-autos. They dont seem to sell any handguns that would be non-importable. The ATF seems pretty good about approving the import permits. I have even heard of stuff slipping through that is supposed to be not importable. Sometimes they take awhile to come back though.

Would you be a pal and pick up some Glock 21 mags for me while your there? thanks <g>

I replied to your post at TFL,but in case you missed it, here's a product for you to consider:
www.shomer-tec.com/item.cfm?variable=342

All the glock mags I have seen for sale here still have "restricted in usa post 9/94" engraved in them.