Tips Among Friends

[somd_mustangs]

The other thing to keep in mind when doing inventory spreadsheets and tagging, is making sure you get any spare mags (especially numbered to a gun) and holsters, etc tagged to the gun so they don't get separated.
Bore Store was making a version with one and two mag pouches attached for just that reason.

I imagine many matched mags have been lost over the years due to the heirs not knowing any better...

I haven't done it yet but plan to add that inventory number to a map of the safes so I can actually find stuff.

 

[Abulg1972]

If you walk through airport turnstile sideways, you are going to Bangkok.

 

[Augie]

Buy decent gunsmith screwdriver sets if you are going to work on your guns, nothing turns me off more than a nice vintage gun with buggered screws.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...a-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx

 

[Rregdab]

Fresh Step Crystals Cat Litter
8 lbs of silica desiccant for $14.50

 

[Boom Boom]

Buy decent gunsmith screwdriver sets if you are going to work on your guns, nothing turns me off more than a nice vintage gun with buggered screws.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...a-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx

The large set from Wheeler is also very nice. Has served we well.

 

[240 towles]

Use a one piece rod and you can unscrew it and drive the rest out with a dowel rod.

The receiver blocks access to one side of the bore. I got a cable pull stuck one time so bad it wouldn't hammer out and I had to heat the whole receiver/ barrel in the oven to loosen it.

 

[240 towles]

if you have more than 50 guns, keep a good inventory of serials and work needed.

Don't over tighten screws into polymer. Pre-drill when possible.

Alot of semi autos need break in periods to run smoothly. Working the action alot helps.

Drums are the same way.

 

[rdc]

Save some spent steel cases of various sizes. These have made food hole punches for me when making gaskets. Thick leather is a bit much for them though.

 

[rdc]

As some have already said keep a good inventory of your firearms. I have a basic excel spreadsheet with all the pertinent info. I also take photographs. Keep a copy yourself and if possible keep a copy offsite. I update mine every once in a whole and burn a copy and keep it at my parents.

 

[toolness1]

Buy decent gunsmith screwdriver sets if you are going to work on your guns, nothing turns me off more than a nice vintage gun with buggered screws.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...a-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx

I've been loving this Wheeler 89-piece set, haven't bent or broke a bit yet, and I've had some REALLY nasty/stuck screws.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/43...professional-plus-gunsmithing-screwdriver-set

 

[Machodoc]

I've been loving this Wheeler 89-piece set, haven't bent or broke a bit yet, and I've had some REALLY nasty/stuck screws.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/43...professional-plus-gunsmithing-screwdriver-set

I got the same set and it's excellent.

My dad was a "Depression Kid", so he wouldn't dream of buying more than one screwdriver if he had one that could be made to work at all. As a result, I didn't learn until later in life that having a perfect fit of screwdriver blade to screw slot is really a big deal. Fortunately, most of the hundreds of screws that I butchered were in things like barn hinges and on old cars ... not early guns.

 

[toolness1]

I got the same set and it's excellent.

My dad was a "Depression Kid", so he wouldn't dream of buying more than one screwdriver if he had one that could be made to work at all. As a result, I didn't learn until later in life that having a perfect fit of screwdriver blade to screw slot is really a big deal. Fortunately, most of the hundreds of screws that I butchered were in things like barn hinges and on old cars ... not early guns.

I jacked up a couple (gun) screws working with the tiny Winchester set from Walmart before I got smart and bought this thing.

 

[Machodoc]

Fresh Step Crystals Cat Litter
8 lbs of silica desiccant for $14.50

That's interesting!

 

[toolness1]

That's interesting!

I had no clue either, but he's right:

Fresh Step® Crystals is made from silica gel, a porous substance that quickly traps liquid and then allows it to evaporate, and a fragrance.



I was thinking "No way they would use that for cat litter, it's toxic"

But, it turns out silica gel itself isn't toxic, the reason the stuff we have in the lab is toxic is the color indicator (blue to pink), which is Cobalt II Chloride, and is nasty stuff.

 

[Machodoc]

I had no clue either, but he's right:

Fresh Step® Crystals is made from silica gel, a porous substance that quickly traps liquid and then allows it to evaporate, and a fragrance.



I was thinking "No way they would use that for cat litter, it's toxic"

But, it turns out silica gel itself isn't toxic, the reason the stuff we have in the lab is toxic is the color indicator (blue to pink), which is Cobalt II Chloride, and is nasty stuff.

I'm thinking that you could put some into one of the small jars used for canning jellies, then cover that with a coffee filter and screw on the "ring" that usually holds on a canning lid ... one great big ol' dessicant cannister for a couple of bucks.

 

[toolness1]

I'm thinking that you could put some into one of the small jars used for canning jellies, then cover that with a coffee filter and screw on the "ring" that usually holds on a canning lid ... one great big ol' dessicant cannister for a couple of bucks.

That's a good idea. I also saw people mentioning that they used old socks or nylons and filled them up, tied the end and chuck that in the safe/ammo can.

I've been using plastic bottles with holes drilled in them, but your idea is better because it'll expose more surface area to the air.

Here in the lab we pour the stuff in a shallow 8x10" tray so the majority of it is exposed.

 

[rico903]

I got the same set and it's excellent.

My dad was a "Depression Kid", so he wouldn't dream of buying more than one screwdriver if he had one that could be made to work at all. As a result, I didn't learn until later in life that having a perfect fit of screwdriver blade to screw slot is really a big deal. Fortunately, most of the hundreds of screws that I butchered were in things like barn hinges and on old cars ... not early guns.

And on sale right now for $55 at Midway. May have to get one to replace my $10 WM cheap Winchester.

 

[rico903]

This has made me really wish I knew how to use Excel.

 

[Abulg1972]

That's a good idea. I also saw people mentioning that they used old socks or nylons and filled them up, tied the end and chuck that in the safe/ammo can.



I've been using plastic bottles with holes drilled in them, but your idea is better because it'll expose more surface area to the air.



Here in the lab we pour the stuff in a shallow 8x10" tray so the majority of it is exposed.

I use the plug-in rechargeable type. I like them but I have no idea how well they work.
Eva-dry Renewable E-333 Wireless Mini Dehumidifer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H0XFCS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_QRf0vb1WJ719S

How long does the cat litter last? Not sure how I feel about fragrance being released into a safe.

 

[Ranchero50]

I have two bottles of Hoppes, one for the used stuff and another for the fresh clean stuff. Dump the dirty stuff in the cleaning pan to get the gunk free on the parts, then wash / wipe it with fresh stuff that gets recycled into the used bottle.

Fabric stores also sell wool blend that can be used to wrap custom wooden rifle supports. I wrapped some 1" x 2" sticks to place under the butt to help keep the muzzle into the slot.

Oh yeah, manuals printed from PDF format are easily replaced when they get dirty.