What To Do With A Wet Luger?

DavidJayUden · 09-02-2017, 11:22 PM

I would be inclined to first submerge dampened guns in WD40 as it is specifically intended for water displacement.
If you ever read Elmer Keith's "Hell, I Was There" he talks about all the guns that were destroyed in a house fire, double rifles, etc. The sad part was that they weren't actually destroyed in the fire, but were caused to corrode due to the fire-retardant used to put the fire out.
dju

gunbugs · 09-03-2017, 02:41 AM

Having cleaned and restored many guns over the years that have been fire and/or water damaged I can say this: If it were me, and I had to protect my guns from water, I would use the foodsaver method. First I would hose them down with my favorite lube, stick them in the bag, and seal it up tight. Then I would stick that bag in another, and seal it up tight. I don't think one bag is sufficient, as it would be very easy for the bag to become compromised and leak. Once water gets in, it won't evaporate, it just stays in the bag. We've all seen guns that have been left in a wet holster or rug, and it is very bad. Zip lock bags will leak. Tupperware will leak. Tape is insufficient to seal against moisture. Much of the damage we see from smoke in fire damaged guns is not from any fire retardant, but is from the corrosive smoke from all the burning plastic in your home, such as the carpet, mixed with the water they spray on the fire, which turns into some kind of acidic steam, that will remove the blue pretty quickly. If your guns actually get exposed to open flame, you are probably out of luck. Some heat and smoke is survivable, but it's hard to protect against. Remember, your safe is fire resistant, not fire PROOF. But a good fire resistant safe may protect your guns long enough for the fire dept. to get there.

09-02-2017, 11:22 PM	#1
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	I would be inclined to first submerge dampened guns in WD40 as it is specifically intended for water displacement. If you ever read Elmer Keith's "Hell, I Was There" he talks about all the guns that were destroyed in a house fire, double rifles, etc. The sad part was that they weren't actually destroyed in the fire, but were caused to corrode due to the fire-retardant used to put the fire out. dju

09-03-2017, 02:41 AM	#2
gunbugs Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska. Home of the best moose. Posts: 672 Thanks: 371 Thanked 1,202 Times in 407 Posts	Having cleaned and restored many guns over the years that have been fire and/or water damaged I can say this: If it were me, and I had to protect my guns from water, I would use the foodsaver method. First I would hose them down with my favorite lube, stick them in the bag, and seal it up tight. Then I would stick that bag in another, and seal it up tight. I don't think one bag is sufficient, as it would be very easy for the bag to become compromised and leak. Once water gets in, it won't evaporate, it just stays in the bag. We've all seen guns that have been left in a wet holster or rug, and it is very bad. Zip lock bags will leak. Tupperware will leak. Tape is insufficient to seal against moisture. Much of the damage we see from smoke in fire damaged guns is not from any fire retardant, but is from the corrosive smoke from all the burning plastic in your home, such as the carpet, mixed with the water they spray on the fire, which turns into some kind of acidic steam, that will remove the blue pretty quickly. If your guns actually get exposed to open flame, you are probably out of luck. Some heat and smoke is survivable, but it's hard to protect against. Remember, your safe is fire resistant, not fire PROOF. But a good fire resistant safe may protect your guns long enough for the fire dept. to get there.