How do you protect your gun collection?
You know, collectors can go to great lengths to protect their collections from harm. For example, those who collect hockey cards make sure they’re safely in plastic sheets to protect them from moisture and physical harm. Those who collect toys often keep them in their original packaging, both for their protection and to increase their value. Serious gun collectors also go to great lengths to protect their firearms, as they know that anything from moisture to physical damage can drop a gun’s value from priceless to worthless in no time at all.
Let’s take a look at moisture, for example. Even a small amount of moisture can damage your guns, often in ways that you won’t see from the outside. Some people store their guns in damp basements, where moisture can get into their inner workings, causing rust and other kinds of damage. How can you prevent this? Easy, you just need to learn how to store your guns properly!
Here are four tips to ensure your guns are being stored in a way that will keep them in tip-top shape for years to come.
1. Clean them Regularly
Did you know every time you fire a shot from your gun, it leaves carbon and copper residue in the gun’s bore? As time goes on, this residue will gradually reduce the firearm’s accuracy and wear down the metal, significantly decreasing the value and lifespan of your firearm.
To help prolong the life of your guns and maintain their value, you’ll need a firearm cleaning kit to tidy up this residue. A gun cleaning kit should come with solvent, pipe cleaners, gun grease, a cleaning rod, bore light, rod tips, cloths, and some screwdrivers. However, not every cleaning kit is for every kind of gun. The type you need will depend on the specific gauge or calibre of the gun you’re cleaning.
Once you’ve picked the right cleaning kit based on these specifications, be sure to follow the included step-by-step instructions.
Here are a few general guidelines to remember. Always begin the cleaning process with the barrel from the breech end to the muzzle using a cleaning rod with a brush or a patch. Once you’ve cleaned out the initial residue, attach a bore brush with some solvent to the rod and clean the barrel again. Next, add solvent to your patches and clean everything again. When the bore is dry, and your patch comes out clean, your gun is ready to go.
2. Use The Right Oil
When we think “lubricants” for mechanical purposes, we usually think of WD-40. Although WD-40 can be great for displacing water from a wet duck gun, it isn’t the best choice for other firearms. The chemicals in WD-40 oxidize very quickly and will start to turn yellow, staining your gun. Therefore, for long-term storage, WD-40 should always be avoided!
Instead, use a good protecting oil to keep your firearms in top shape. High-quality CLPs (clean, lubricate, protect) are always a good choice of oil when it comes to protecting your firearm.
However, if you disagree with using an all-in-one-type cleaner, you could always use the classic Rem Oil. Used by many firearm professionals, Rem Oil is an outstanding metal protectant when it comes to long-term storage of your gun.
3. Avoid Skin to Metal Contact
You ever notice how hockey card or comic collectors keep their collections in plastic, always being careful to minimize skin contact? This is because oils from your hands can, over time, stain and damage the paper. Believe it or not, it’s the exact same with firearms. You should never grab your gun by the barrel and then place it in your safe.
The oils from your hands can be very damaging to the metal of your gun. In fact, guns can end up having rusty fingerprints all over the metal if you grab them by the barrel to place them in your safe for a period of time. Although this might not damage the functionality of the gun, it will definitely damage the aesthetics, hurting it’s potential value if you ever decide to auction it with GTA Guns Auctions in the future.
To avoid this, be sure to keep a pair of gloves near your safe with a light coat of oil on them. Before handling your gun by the barrel, put these gloves on to prevent the natural oils from your hand getting on the metal. If you do end up with fingerprints all over your firearms, it might be best to get out that Rem Oil again to give the gun a good clean.
4. Store Them Properly
When it comes to ruining your firearms, moisture is the silent enemy. To ensure they’re being stored properly, you’ll need to guarantee they are in a cool, dry environment. This usually means a climate controlled gun safe.
There are many options for safe storage, including trigger locks, gun cases, and proper gun safes. However, all of these options can have downsides such as being too easy to steal, being too expensive, or being too big to fit in your home (even if you have a gun safe, best keep it out of the basement anyway).
So, what’s the best way to make sure your guns stay in tip-top shape?
Storing them at GTA Guns, of course – and all our gun storage clients would agree!
When you store your guns at home, the cost can quickly add up! Plus, even if they are in an expensive safe, your firearms might still not be adequately protected from theft or natural disasters.
But all these issues are easily solved when you store your guns with us.
Our Safe Storage Facility
Not only is our storage facility safe, but it’s also fully insured. In fact, our entire facility is insured, which means that if anything were to happen, your firearms collection would be 100% covered and you won’t have to do any of the complicated paperwork.
Our professional staff and our years of expertise cover all the bases when it comes to gun storage. One of the best parts of storing your guns with us is that we’re equipped to keep your firearms at the optimal level of humidity. No worries about moisture with us as all firearms are kept in a closely regulated environment that will keep them dry and safe. In fact, our gun storage facility is strictly controlled to guarantee optimal environmental conditions, with a constant level of low humidity to prevent damage over time.
Finally, our secure facility is under constant surveillance, so theft is never an issue.
You might be wondering about having access to your guns. Well, that’s not a problem either! To access your firearms, all you have to do is call us to set a time for pick up or drop off. Then you can easily access your firearms at your convenience, whenever you need them!
Our Online Auction
But what if you find that you’ve been storing your guns for years and years, without ever using them? A firearm or a firearm collection can be very valuable, but if you’re not actively using them, they could quickly turn into a liability!
Instead of letting good guns go unused, why not auction them off with GTA Guns Auctions?
Every month, our online gun auctions bring in more than 60,000 gun enthusiasts from all over North America who want to add the perfect piece to their collection. Our bidders know the real value of each gun they want and won’t hesitate to enter into a fierce bidding war to get it. And you know what that means? Even more money in your wallet!
GTA Guns is the best option for selling any unused firearms because we offer our proprietary GUNCHECK™ and CYCLECHECK™ testing methods. These ensure that every gun at auction will be in perfect working order. We even provide one-of-a-kind guarantees to anyone buying a gun through our auctions, which enhances bidder confidence and drives up bids.
All you have to do is bring your unwanted firearms to us, and we handle the rest. If you’re in the GTA, we might even be able to come and pick your firearms up for you, so don’t hesitate to contact us!
We take care of every little detail, and at the end of it all, you get paid! The process is entirely safe and hassle-free. After the sale has ended, you don’t have to do a thing. No paperwork, no hassles, no transporting or shipping the firearm to the new owner. All you have to do is wait six days for the funds to be deposited directly into your bank account. It’s, by far, the most lucrative and effective way to sell your unused guns.
So, if you’re looking for the best way to store your guns so that they last a lifetime and keep their value, or you’re looking to sell some unused firearms, contact us today! We’d be happy to answer any questions you might have and get the process started.