Smokegun storage idea...update...
Marty said:
I'd like to know how members store their smokeguns for any length of time during the off-season. Do you
treat" the barrel with something in particular to inhibit rust, or do you simply live with the fact that the barrel will begin to rust or corode over time?
I'm experiementing with a new idea to deal with storage issues associated with barrel blackpowder corrosion. So the data I'm looking for is: How long can your smokegun be stored after you've cleaned it before it begins to show signs of rust/corosion??
2 weeks?? 2 months? etc..
I know many of you own a variety of smokeguns. Any info you can give me would be very helpful.
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Well after 8 months here's the new idea.
Every shooter has their own way of storing their smoke gun. I like to store mine with a clean dry barrel. (By the way clean is about as “clean” as you make it). When I’m ready to shoot it, I like to simply take my smoke gun out of the gun cabinet and head to the range. Once at the range I like to load it up with a charge and bullet without having to do anything as far as prepping that first round. I do however need to keep the barrel as DRY as possible during storage. This is not an easy task here in New England with the damp and humid air. The only dry-air months we really get around here are from November to February. This past year was a good test period because we’ve had a lot a rainfall so far in 2009, more so than usual.
Although I try to do a thorough job of cleaning the barrel, it always seems that there’s a small secluded residue of powder somewhere hidden in the barrel that will eventually attract moisture. I’ve been experimenting with a new but simple method of storing my smoke gun for my particular style of shooting (which also fits my sometimes laziness in cleaning). I’ve gone by the premise that since black powder is hygroscopic(water loving), I would place a competing object for moisture in the barrel that is also hygroscopic. Wood is a very hygroscopic material, and the wooden dowels seem to fit the task well.
I have been optimistic with the test results so far... so I though I might share them with you. I used two of my smokeguns, my .45 cal. CVA Hunterbolt and my .45 cal. CVA Kodiak, for the test. Here’s all the material you need to give it a try:
- RAW WOODEN DOWEL. I use raw Port Orford Cedar Wood arrow shafts because that’s what I happen to have on hand. They have been super dried for premium arrow making.
- 220 GRIT SANDPAPER.
- Piece of HEAVY WEIGHT BROWN PAPER GROCERY BAG.
- SARAN WRAP.
- Small RUBBER BAND.
HOW TO:
1.) You need to first cut the arrow shaft to length, and to do this you will need the breech plug in. Drop the wooden rod down the barrel until it bottoms-out, then cut the other end leaving 1/8 inch sticking beyond the barrel.
2.) Remove from barrel and sand the dowel to open up the pores of the wood.
3.) Take a piece of heavy weight brown paper, wrap it around the wooden shaft, and rub it up and down the arrow shaft until it becomes warm from friction.
4.) Now drop the warm dowel down the barrel, place a square of Saran wrap over the end of the barrel, and secure it with a small rubber band.
THAT’S IT…YOU’RE DONE. Each end of the barrel is now sealed from outside moisture. After months and months of storage your barrel should still look like this on the inside as seen from my smoke guns:
Here are two barrel pics from the Hunterbolt
The next two are from the Kodiak's barrel
I'm hoping the most I need to do is sand the dowel once a year after hunting season to re-open the pores.