I let my dad wipe down all my stuff with silicon last time he was up visiting because he was doing a new civil war musket he had just bought and wanted to keep going, so he did my stuff as well. I put my stuff back in their cases and put 'em in the closet, next time i pulled them out just a couple months later rust had started to form. I don't know for sure because i didn't do the wiping, but i will choose the old fashioned rag and oil. It'd be interesting to hear some other opinions on this.

 

ive tried the silicone cloth....it just seemed like it didnt provide enough protection for me. i also use an old t-shirt and some rem-oil. and i spray the rem-oil teflon based spray inside the reciever...dries real quick.

 

I guess silicon impregnated rags are sold now because they have less liability than an oil or grease impregnated rag...silicon isn't as flammable as the latter two, so it won't be prone to spontaneous combustion. I haven't had as much luck with the silicon, either, I don't believe it protects from corrosion very well, from my experience. Probably the best thing to get would be a RIG rag (RIG = rust inhibiting grease, if you can get one, they just went out of business last year), or a homemade equivalent (could use any kind of grease that is specifically designed for effective corrosion protection, e.g. marine outboard motor grease, TW25B, Birchwood-Casey's SNO or Barricade, etc...I guess it just depends on how much you want to spend). Rem oil is probably fine, Remington makes a grease equivalent that might be better, though. They also make a rag ready to go. http://www.remington.com/products/accessories/gun_care/VCI_technology.asp

 

Breakfree on a rag I keep in a metal container.

 

Hmm, here are a couple interesting articles:

Brownells Gun Cleaning Clinic: Knowing the Limits of Rust Preventatives
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10700/guntechdetail/Gun_Cleaning_Clinic__Knowing_the_Limits_of_Rust_Preventatives

The Gun Zone: Rust Preventatives for Firearms
http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html

No silicon was tested. I'd be willing to bet that it would've done basically nothing.

Edit: it probably depends on what part of the country you live in, how much you care about corrosion protection. I live in the Southeast and often spend time on the coast, so need to worry about it like it's the plague. But even if you live in a dry part of the country, there is always the occasional rain, as well as body sweat and finger prints, which are quite corrosive in themselves.

 

My guns get a healthy cleaning and oiling. I use the silicone cloth for quick touch up and after wet hunts until they can be cleaned and oiled properly. They are great products but aren't meant to replace proper cleaning and oiling.

 

I have a cloth impregnated with Rem Oil. It does a way better job than silicone. I think good old gun oil will do you much better.

 

I use a sheep skin cloth saturated with oil. I wipe down anytime I handle one of my guns.

 

+1 on a rag sprayed with breakfree. Works well for me and no rust on anything treated that way in 20 years.

 

+1 on a rag sprayed with breakfree. Works well for me and no rust on anything treated that way in 20 years.

Same here ...

bjm

 

I use them, but I spray them with Rem oil frequently, as soon as they start looking/feeling dry.

I thought the aerosol Remoil was silicon based?

 

I use a good grade gun oil. The BIL coats his guns in vaseline before putting them in the safe! Anyone ever done that?

 

I don't like silicon or petroleum products on my oil finished stocks. I know that silicon based products aren't good for antique furniture so I dang sure don't put it on my, e.g., 1893 Marlins. Ballistol or Breakfree for metal (Ballistol ok for wood too) and rub the wood down occasionally with Howards Feed N Wax that most antique furniture stores sell. Saw a pretty well replicated test on rust prevention by John Boy over at Cascity & Shiloh Rifle forum. Rem oil was way down the list and WD40 was next to worthless. Best was Eezox, Ballistol, and Breakfree.

 

I use a good grade gun oil. The BIL coats his guns in vaseline before putting them in the safe! Anyone ever done that?

I ain't touchin that one.

 

I always thought the rule of thumb was oil on blued steel and silicon on stainless .

 

I use Remoil spray (now available in a pump bottle) and literally drown everything, then stick my long guns in silicone impregnated gun socks for storage.Seems to work fine, but never ever use Castroil synthetic gun lube on anything- it gums up everything! Cheers--BB

 

Look at all this great information. Since I have had such good luck with the Rem Oil, I think I will just stick with it. There were some interesting test results posted earlier and I may try some Breakfree CLP too.

 

I use Rem oil wipes, just open it up, wipe the gun down, and toss it when finished.

 

I use a good grade gun oil. The BIL coats his guns in vaseline before putting them in the safe! Anyone ever done that?

Whooaa............Too touchy for me too!.......If he likes Vaseline O.K.,...... but there are some nice scented lotions out now that even get warm when applied :-X :-X.......Sorry, I forgot we were talking about taking care of guns when wet : :
Back on Topic...............I like Marvel mystery oil applied with an old tee shirt,(to the rifle,that is....) and have used it for decades.

Tom
NRA LIFE

 

I use the silicone socks

 

I've always heard that silicone will cause rust if there is any moisture on the gun when you apply it. It will lock the moisture under the coating and speed it up.

I have used some silicone stuff on several of my knifes that I put up. But before I coat them I clean them really well with soap and very hot water. Then I make sure they are completely dry and apply the silicone.

I sell AMSOIL (A synthetic Lubricant Company) we have a spray metal protector that works great. Once you spray it on, it will leave a protective barrier. I tell folks it's like WD-40 x 10 but only twice the price. Hahah.

I would stay away from Silicone IMHO.

 

Ballistol works well to penetrate and preserve and it will not evaporate or gum-up anything after years and years.

 

WD40 is not oil it has no oil in it. It was designed for the military to use to remove moisture in distributer caps on stalled vehicle. That's where it got its name the wd is water displacer formula 40. It actually has water in it as a disperser. You can take a gun brand new and wipe it down with a dry cloth and remove all traces of oil from it then spray it with wd 40 and let it sit overnight then wipe it with a white paper towel it will be rusted. I use good oil like break free applied to a cloth baby diper to wipe my guns with. I have been using these for over 40 years with different types of oils and have never had a problem with rust. I don't apply any oil directly to my gun's because excess oil collects dust and grime and builds up in actions. The baby diaper treated with oil leaves a very thin coating of oil that's all that's needed.

 

For the outside metal surfaces wax is another option. Oils eventually soften wood and can ruin it. Wax waterproofs and preserves both wood and metal. Museums wax guns and swords they don't oil them. Renaissance wax is the best but pricey. A small can is a life supply, it seems to last forever.

http://www.bwccompany.com/RenWax200.html

 

For the outside metal surfaces wax is another option. Oils eventually soften wood and can ruin it. Wax waterproofs and preserves both wood and metal. Museums wax guns and swords they don't oil them. Renaissance wax is the best but pricey. A small can is a life supply, it seems to last forever.

http://www.bwccompany.com/RenWax200.html

Interesting, I'm going to have to try that. Have you used it;have good luck with it?