Combat Corrosion with Rust-Fighting Products
Winter is coming and that means cold temps and wet weather. Heck it’s even raining in California this week. When it’s cold and damp out, you need to pro-actively guard against rust and corrosion on your valuable tools and firearms. As temperatures drop, moisture can condense from the air, causing guns to rust, even if they are stored in a safe.
We recommend that you use a proven corrosion inhibitor to protect your firearms during winter storage. We did extensive testing and recommend three products to combat rust: BoeShield T-9, Corrosion-X, and Eezox. These are all excellent products, but this Editor’s first choice is Eezox, because it cleans as well as protects, and because Eezox does not leave a sticky or waxy coating on your arms. Eezox is also ideal for fine, blued firearms. After 2-3 light applications it provides a dry protective finish that allows high polish blueing to shine through.
CLICK HERE for Anti-Corrosion Product Test Results
Eezox is available in small drip bottles, 4-oz. cans, and 4-, 6-, and 18-oz. aerosol spray cans. We typically apply Eezox to a patch from an aerosol can, then wipe down the firearm. Let the Eezox dry, then reapply. This will give you outstanding protection. Just make sure you wipe down ALL the metal surfaces, which may require removing the barreled action from the stock. We’ve seen examples of guns that rusted on the underside of the action because the owner had only bothered to wipe down the barrel and exposed section of the action. You can purchase Eezox from gun stores ($8.99 for 7 oz. can average price), or Warren Custom Outdoor.
Foam Cases Are Rust Magnets — Use Bore Stores
Just about the worst thing you can do in the winter (short of leaving your rifle outside in the rain) is to store firearms in tight, foam-padded cases. The foam in these cases actually collects and retains moisture from the air, acting as the perfect breeding ground for rust.
Those plastic-shelled cases with foam interiors are for transport, not for long-term storage. Don’t repeat the mistake of a wealthy gun collector I know. He stored four valuable Colt Single Action Army (SAA) revolvers in individual foam-padded plastic cases, and locked these away in his gun safe. A year later, every one of his precious SAAs had rusted, some badly.
For storing long guns in your safe, we strongly recommend Bore Stores. These synthetic fleece gun sacks are coated with silicone and corrosion inhibitors. The thick fleece also protects your guns from nicks and scratches. Rifle-size Bore Stores can be purchased for $13.00 – $18.00 from Brownell’s, or MidwayUSA, or direct from the manufacturer Big Spring Enterprises, which can also craft custom sizes on request.
Similar Posts:
- Protect Your Guns with Plush, Corrosion-Fighting Bore-Stores
- Don’t Let Rust and Corrosion Attack Your Guns This Winter
- Winter Gun Storage — Consider Bore-Stores and 3-Layer Bags
- Smart Tip for Winter Storage in Gun Safes — Bag Your Guns
- Consider Bore-Stores for Winter Storage of Fine Firearms
Tags: BoeShield, Bore Store, Corrosion, Eezox, Rust
For $4.99 try http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#gun%20sock____-_1-2-4_8-16-32 I am a collector and I agree with the use of treated gun socks. I always keep my nice guns in a gun sock to even just put into a safe to help prevent dings from the safe or from other guns. If you do this there will be a double thickness between other scocked guns.
Steve,
Thanks for the link to the gun socks. These do have the desired rust-inhibiting properties but they are much thinner than the Bore stores, which are about 3/4″ thick when laid flat. I’ve tried the thinner gun sacks, but eventually acquired bore stores for everything, including handguns.
I would love to buy Eezox in a spray can, but no-one carries it in the UK. Midway UK advertises it but will not sell it. Tried to buy from a few places in the US but they won’t even send it surface mail. I would love the spray because it would be ideal for saltwater fishing reels as well. Can get the drip cans, so may have to put up with that.
If you can’t get the Eezox, try the Corrosion-X. There’s a new forumulation that is claimed to be an improvement over the stuff we tested. You might try marine stores if you can’t find it in hardware centers. Boeshield is excellent as well, but it leaves a light glaze on the metal — fine for storage, but something that affects appearance.
I used Corrosion X on my aircraft for years. Using a mister in the wings and fuselage keeps the aluminum & steel parts totally corrosion free. It’s what’s used by the techs that service the video game electronics on the boardwalk where salt air is a BIG problem. For my money, there’s nothing better.