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Stash gun? pistol for long term storage

11K views 59 replies 37 participants last post by  Vegasgunhand 
#1 ·
totally hypothetical situation. Let's say I have my carry and HD gear squared away. And I was trying to keep pretty consistent in my gear so I don't have a ton of stuff across a ton of platforms, I'm shooting M&P shields, 2.0 9mms, and 1911s in 45, and I have piles of accessories, holsters, ammo, etc. I am interested in expanding my levels of general preparation, and I am thinking about keeping a pistol in a secure off site location. Not so much for zombies, but like an "oh **** my house burned down" situation. I'm thinking about some cash, maybe PMs, extra car keys, **** like that.

curious what the general consensus on a pistol for longer term storage. The storage location I have in mind is like 3" x 5" x 24", so a bigger handgun would have to be taken apart I think. I would be willing to vacuum seal stuff and keep it oiled. I wouldn't have constant access to it but it's climate controlled.

My thoughts on what to use, as I don't currently have any "extra" stuff in the safe I could use besides a Les Baer. Willing to spend $400ish bucks but obviously the cheaper the better, as I'm pretty sure I will never need it and my kids will find it when I die.

38 special or similar. small and cheap, but weird caliber
Glock 23. can get a police trade in cheap right now, but it would take an 80% frame and conversion barrel before I liked it.
M&P shield or 2.0. already have one of each but I missed the sales and the prices are back up.
budget 1911. don't have one but may be able to find my way to get one.

other suggestions? don't think a long gun will work in any capacity.
 
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#5 ·
Used Glock 19 since you already have 9mm. Get the Grip Force Adapter and put on it. It comes with a smooth and a ribbed one (sounds like condoms :)) and is about $25. Makes the Glock point more like a 1911 angle than a Glock. On all my Glock except my 19X which has a backstrap that works the same for me.

Or, get a clean, used Glock 30S in .45 ACP. Add the GFA. And toss in a couple of G21 mags and ammo. In our shop used Gen 3 Glocks go for around $400 and Gen 4 between $450-490 depending on what the gun has with it.

I run both a SIG P220 full size or a Glock 30S for my .45 carry guns and a SIG P938 for the 9MM. The Glock 19X and my 19C Gen 2 fit my Milt Sparks VMII holster for the 30S. The 30S is about the size of the G19/23.

A basic RIA GI 1911 is a good gun if you are okay with GI sights. Just over $400 at Bud's. Or see if you can find a good deal on a clean, used RIA Tactical. Or up to around $500 for a new one. Just toss in some good mags. The ACT mag that comes with the RIA is generally okay, but some Chip McCormick or a couple of Wilson's are a better choice for a starting over after the house burnt situation.

Personally, I'd go for a good used Glock 30S or 19 since mags and parts are easy and less expensive to come buy if you are having to build up after a life changing loss or if the zombies come.

With so many agencies going to 9MM you could probably get a good deal on a .40 caliber Glock. I can't keep the used (we only sell used) 9MM Glocks in stock, but the .40s and the .45s sit longer. And we have a large LEO population from local, to BP, to US Marshalls here. The selling point for a lot of our .40 chambered pistols is that a lot of these guys already have plenty of ammo in that caliber. Even then a fair number of those carry either 9MM or .45 ACP for personal carry.

Okay, personally I seriously dislike the G23. The G22 I'm fine with, but for me shooting fast strings with the G23 it's a squirmy, snappy little tool without some grip mods over a 50-100 rounds in short order. So I'm prejudiced. I'd rather shoot my G29 in 10MM all day over a G23.

Well, actually, the wife has sort of claimed the G29. She enjoys shooting it. Hated the light framed, Charter Arms Pink Lady, .38 Special revolver. One shot and she handed that back and said, "Hell no!" Really got into the G29 and shoots it pretty well.
 
#6 ·
I think that you answered your own question.

Just get some cheap Tupperware guns (Glocks) wrap them up and put them away. Not sure what you living arrangements are. But around where I live there are abandoned houses and barns all over the place.
 
#16 ·
I agree with Andyk as well. If you already have one platform why switch? And yes you'll need some sort of holster. Considering the long term aspect of this I'd almost suggest a thumb break style leather rig. Less affected by heat over the long run and the thumb break will work even if the leather starts to stretch.
 
#8 ·
I'm with Andy

you like the M&P (I do too)
It's still my favorite poly
(my VP9 came real close and I love it too) but couldn't best the M&P in overall "shootabiity" in my hand

prices?? I bought a full size M&P 9mm gen1 used LNIB a few months ago for $350 OTD


hose it down with oil, vac pac with a bottle of CLP or oil and a rag and stuff it in any hidey-hole you want ...and forget about it
(just don't forget where you buried it) :dope::D:dope:


..L.T.A.
 
#9 ·
I actually used to do that. I kept a couple of things in my bank's security deposit box, and some cash, etc. In fact, I think I still have an AR lower in there...

I stopped since after I realized that I can walk into 4 stores within 20 min drive any day and in 20 min walk out with a perfectly good from-the-box-into-the-holster Glock or HK. I actually think there is more value in storing a holster since good ones will take longer to obtain. Which is why I have a Glock holster in my range bag that lives in my car.
 
#18 ·
I'd bury a used Taurus stainless .357. Slathered in rust preventive and vacuum sealed in a mayonnaise jar with desiccant bags.

If someone found it. No great loss.

It's a revolver. Not much to go wrong over time.
 
#19 ·
Store it in a container filled with oil.

Either that or just cosmoline the heck out of it. This worked well for the military for many decades. Ammo will store just fine if kept dry.
 
#20 ·
Lots of handguns have slept unused for multiple decades in sock drawers with a good coat of preservative oil or grease. Why would your handgun be any different?
I've got boxes of ammo close to 50 years old stored in a cool dry place--- which is too old if you ask me---but they still shoot fine.
 
#21 ·
I don't know how long you're talking about...

But in years past, when I would buy, say, a new Colt 1911... I would buy one to have customized as I saw fit, and buy a second to keep for if/when I wore that one out, to have one just like it made.

All these years later (30+), I still haven't worn out the ones I had customized for carry. And, I still have a few 1911's in their original packaging (from Styrofoam boxes, cardboard boxes, to plastic bags in plastic boxes), with no rust or other issues whatsoever. As well as dozens of rifles, shotguns, & pistols kept around the house, ranch, shop, and trucks, that have had absolutely no care whatsoever for a few decades, and still look pristine (and a lot that have been used hard, don't look very pristine, but aren't rusty; and, many that stay in the safe and haven't been removed for years--pristine). Unless you are taping them inside your septic tank, or burying them in a rag in your backyard, I just don't think you can go wrong.

In addition, concerning ammo... I have recently loaded rifle, pistol, and shotgun ammo with primers (and in some instances, powder) that I had left over from the 1960s. It shoots just fine. And I have a LOT of ammo (factory & reloads) from every decade since the '60s, through 2018. It all shoots just fine, despite having been stored inside the house, in a garage, a shop, in vehicles, the ranch, in old range bags, hunting vests, extreme heat, extreme cold, wherever. I have NEVER had any ammo that became unreliable in 50+ years of storage.

If I never bought or loaded another round of ammunition (God forbid that ever happens), I would probably have enough to last another lifetime. And, I would trust it to function, no matter how it had been stored. I just don't think that, barring submersion or storing outside in the elements, you can go wrong.
 
#24 ·
My very first rifle was a hand-me-down that is nearly 60 years old, it’s never been in a “climate controlled” environment other than my house, and while it hasn’t been fired in about 30 years, I was meticulous about cleaning it after firing it, and now it gets wiped down with a oiled rag 1x/year. It’s in great shape. I’d be very comfortable coating it in a light grease (or heavy oil) and then storing it. Not sure about vacuum sealing it, but placing it in a watertight container (mil ammo box) with a good gasket after it’s lubed up should be just fine for several decades
 
#26 ·
Once I put my handguns in long-term storage, and I soaked them in Break-Free and put them in heavy-duty Zip-Loc bags, then inside pistol rugs. They were still perfectly fine and oiled up a couple of years later.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I shootem up with breakfree or similar, then seal them in those blue vpi bags.

Ammo goes in military ammo cans with some desiccant.
I have 45 ammo from the 40's that is 100% reliable.
When I tried ammo from 1917, 1926, 1929, 1932 they were all duds.:bawling:
 
#29 ·
Flip side:

We had a minor, undetected roof leak a few years ago. A seldom-used closet got a bit damp inside before we discovered it.

The closet held, among other things, a couple of overflow rifles that wouldn't fit in the safe. One will never be pretty again, the other is going to need a new barrel to be safe to shoot.

Therefore, my ideas of unattended long-term storage involve things like those heavy plastic storage bags and dessiccant packs.
 
#30 · (Edited)
^^^

Good point about unexpected sources of water damage.

I begin by thoroughly spraying my LT storage guns with Barricade.
Then place in a Borestores gun sock (treated to combat corrosion).
Next place in watertight and virtually airtight container purchased at Container Store.
Prior to closing the container, I place both an Eva-Dry unit and a standard safe dessicant pack in the container.
Also prior to closing, I place a humidity gauge in the transparent container, with face of guage facing outward (obviously).
Soon after closing, the humidity gauge reading goes below 20%.

I live in Texas. High humidity.

There are obviously multiple good ways to reach the same objective. The above is merely my approach.
 
#31 · (Edited)
If you bury it, literally cover it (encase) in full synthetic motor oil. Most common plastic bags are not good for wrapping as most are biodegradable, you need something like polyethylene, PEX won't degrade when buried. Some type of PEX jug with lid, big enough to hold pistol, fill with oil, silicone on lid threads, put lid on, bury.
 
#32 · (Edited)
Does anyone made long rifle length zip lock bags? That would be pretty neat. Spray on the Breakfree and slip it into a long zip lock bag, etc. Years ago I had bought some long rifle size bags with a rust retardant paper insert. I still have a few of them that I use still. But I haven't located a new source for them.
I ran across these when I searched so far: https://www.amazon.com/ShieldPro-SafeCache-Gun-Storage-Kit/dp/B00EV3VTRA
 
#33 ·
All good ideas. Another option is what the Navy uses, it's available on the commercial market as "Fluidfilm", a key ingredient ids lanolin.

Whatever you choose be sure it is designed for it's intended use whether it's for cleaning, daily care or long term storage. I get a kick out of people using products for cleaning that contain acids and then complain about rust and corrosion!

Chemical product's MSDS information can help find out what's in there!

Smiles,
 
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