Storing rifles

[Ontario Hunter]

I was always taught to store rifles and shotguns muzzle down to keep gun oil from seeping into end grain of wood at tang or pistol grip area. Gun oil discolors and softens the wood. Most synthetic stocks are impervious so either way doesn't matter.

On this site I'm seeing most everyone stores guns muzzle up. Any thoughts?

 

[krish]

I store mine muzzle down. Apart from the above resons the pad don't get compressed over time.
Krish

 

[Ridge Runner]

I store mine muzzle up mainly because most of the rifles have metal butt plates and those with rubber butt plates I don't worry too much about compressing them.

The key is not using an excessive amount of gun oil regardless of storing firearms or just between shooting them. Too much oil cause an excess amount of carbon to build up which causes other problems.

I am a believer in a thin coat of bore butter to lube the action, season and protect the metal from corrosion. With no worries about discoloration of wood.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Well, KMA. Never crossed my mind to store a rifle muzzle down.

 

[JimP]

I've always stored mine muzzle up inside of a silicon gun sock.

I never have enough oil in the barrel or action to drain anywhere. As for the recoil pad, I've never seen one even start to compress on any of my rifle.

 

[AimSmall]

Alternating every other one saves room in the safes, too.

 

[Red Leg]

Muzzle up, but I also do not use a lot of lubricant on firearms.

 

[Tra3]

Wait, we are supposed to clean firearms?

Muzzle up. Very little oil. My most used firearms live in a pelican case for months as they move to and from hunting locations.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Mine are all muzzle up.

 

[Michael70]

Muzzle down, as I always have a lot of oil on the gun and action (not in the barrel), living in a very humid environment. Too little and you will soon find out with rust being an issue.
Melting, compacted or disintegrating butt pads are a real thing in the tropics. Muzzle down helps with this too.
The floor of the gun safe is covered with an old blanket that has copious amounts of oil ingrained from years of use in the safe floor and this helps keep mould and other nasties at bay.
Muzzle down saves the frown!

 

[KJE81]

Muzzle up, mostly because we are required to keep them in gun safe by law here in Sweden and the gun safe I have does not lend itself very well to storing them the other way.

 

[mark-hunter]

Muzzle up, oiled slightly by brush.

Anybody keeps horizontal?

 

[PCC600]

I was always taught to store rifles and shotguns muzzle down to keep gun oil from seeping into end grain of wood at tang or pistol grip area. Gun oil discolors and softens the wood. Most synthetic stocks are impervious so either way doesn't matter.

On this site I'm seeing most everyone stores guns muzzle up. Any thoughts?

Not me . Always barrels down .

 

[Kalthoff]

Muzzle up, mostly because we are required to keep them in gun safe by law here in Sweden and the gun safe I have does not lend itself very well to storing them the other way.

Same for me and for the same reason.

Sometimes, especially in damp, cold, wet autumn, I will store my shotguns disassembled so I can oil the barrels freely. I do lack a proper fixture in the gunsafe for for this approach, so it is always at the risk of something tumbling and scratching something else.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I’m starting to think I’m doing something wrong.

 

[HankBuck]

I was always taught to store rifles and shotguns muzzle down to keep gun oil from seeping into end grain of wood at tang or pistol grip area. Gun oil discolors and softens the wood. Most synthetic stocks are impervious so either way doesn't matter.

On this site I'm seeing most everyone stores guns muzzle up. Any thoughts?

Ontario, I was informed the opposit and here was the reasoning given for both Shotguns & Rifles: 1). Never have so much oil in the bore that it’s “running/dripping”, if you’ve over oiled then place gun Bore-Down for a few days to allow excess to run out —- then store Bore up or even horizontal if thats how your gun rack is designed. 2). Any gun stored Bore down (assuming bore is resting on a floor, carpeted Safe floor etc.) allows humidity to build up inside the bottom of the bore and contributes to rust. 3). Any long term storage of a firearm should involve use of a special storage ”grease” be used (ie: Hoppee’s Gun Grease etc..) because oil will not last long enough to protect. Anyway - that’s what I’ve been told, and what I follow, I thought I took great care of my firearms but once took a Benelli Montefeltro out of the Safe after several years and the action felt “rough” - took it apart and found the magazine & recoil springs were badly rusted and needed to be replaced. I guess I failed to remove and check them periodically over the 15 years I hunted with that gun….even though I used more oil then Saudi Arabia when cleaning it —- My fault.

 

[HankBuck]

I've always stored mine muzzle up inside of a silicon gun sock.

I never have enough oil in the barrel or action to drain anywhere. As for the recoil pad, I've never seen one even start to compress on any of my rifle.

JimP: I have had very bad “chemical reactions” on two recoil pads - both “KickEase” and they partially “melted” and stuck into the Capet on the bottom of my safe. I believe that my practice of wrapping a loop of black electrical tape around the side of the pad (to keep it smooth and from catching on shirt when mounting gun) was the cause of the chemical interaction. Once started - even removing the tape and cleaning it - it’s still “sticky” and leaves black marks on whatever it touches. I put paper or cardboard under it now to protect the carpet of my safe…..AND stopped using electrical tape around the edges of my recoil pads.

 

[HankBuck]

I was always taught to store rifles and shotguns muzzle down to keep gun oil from seeping into end grain of wood at tang or pistol grip area. Gun oil discolors and softens the wood. Most synthetic stocks are impervious so either way doesn't matter.

On this site I'm seeing most everyone stores guns muzzle up. Any thoughts?

BTW, I have also “Over oiled” some firearms and damaged wood stocks as a result (2 even cracked from it). This was a result of my former “More oil is always better” philosophy —- I tend to Over Do Things….I’m trying to stop that and getting better SLOWLY.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I don't live in a super humid environment though occasionally it does get sweaty during the summers. In fact, during our typically fierce cold winters things get terribly dried out in the house due to furnace running. My guns receive a very light coat of 3-in-1 oil externally to prevent rust. It also protects well in the field even on wet days. It's a bit thick for most internal lubrication. Typically, I don't lubricate internal parts, only clean with solvent. Exception is my A5 shotgun. The barrel spring is lubed with 3-in-1 and action spring with gun grease.

Oil and grease are viscous liqids. They are affected by gravity and will "flow" albeit slowly. Most probably don't know it but regular silicon window glass is also a viscous liquid (lead crystal is a chemical solid). The stained glass windows in European cathedrals have had problems with thinning of upper parts of some sections due to gravity flow. They have to be reset in their lead frames.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have always wondered why gun makers don't apply the same preserving finish to the cut portions of a wood stock as the flat sides. When I refinish a stock I make sure the guts and butt end get at least a coat or two. A word of warning though. If you intend to stain the stock it's best to not get it on end grain. Stain does not seem to absorb into end grain the same as sides of wood, especially soft woods.