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Hello
What`s the best way to lay up a rifle over winter to protect barrel, metalwork and woodwork.
My storage is external with no heating

Certainly not WD40!

I know some that use ACF-50 however I just use a fairly viscous mineral oil inside and out on all metalwork and some Renaissance Wax works well on woodwork.

Xlox.

Ovenpaa wrote:Certainly not WD40!

I know some that use ACF-50 however I just use a fairly viscous mineral oil inside and out on all metalwork and some Renaissance Wax works well on woodwork.

ACF-50 is excellent stuff, works on bikes, cars, garage doors, boats and seems to last well too. Not cheap.

Car wax. Not the “creme” stuff but the stuff that is solid, like boot polish.

Im intrigued as to why you would want to lay them up at all why are you not shooting them. I shoot all my rifles etc every month of the year usually three weekends a month and every night of the week if i wish. I also have access to a 25 metre outdoor range seven days a week from 09:00 until dusk.

Alpha1 wrote:Im intrigued as to why you would want to lay them up at all why are you not shooting them. I shoot all my rifles etc every month of the year usually three weekends a month and every night of the week if i wish. I also have access to a 25 metre outdoor range seven days a week from 09:00 until dusk.

It seems like the act of a heretic but...

Chap has loads of guns and can only use one for certain specific times, seasons or has limited suitable ground access

Chap hates the cold

Chap loves his rifles

Loads of reasons really M My No4 hardly seems the light of day these days but its still there when I need it, whereas my ARs get honking!!

Some people put low output heating elements in their safes

I have always used OX24. It has worked for me down to -16 whilst 'out and about' for weeks at a time in snow, ice etc.

I keep 2 rifles in similar storage conditions and I run OX24 through the barrel and over the metal and then put them in a Tourbon rifle sock. Spotless.

We use dehumidifiers, a tube heater and Napier vapour pad thingies in addition to oiling and waxing and periodically inspect rifles that have not been shot recently.