Via Kenny here
“There is a lot of information on the internet about the cleaning, and REMOVAL of cosmoline from military surplus weapons. However, suppose you want to store some of your new or old firearms long-term? Or what if you want to hide your guns from criminals or other snoops? What is the best way to do so? What materials to use? Where to store your guns, and keep them safe and hidden…and so on. Please note carefully: This web page is NOT about how to hide a gun in your home in such a way that your children or their friends won’t find it. THEY WILL FIND IT! Read and obey this guide to children and gun safety by American Derringer. Note also: I would never advise anyone to do anything illegal.”
It’s not so much the steel I’d be worried about but the primers.
1985 we uncovered a well buried 10 year old stash of 7.62 x 51.
No signs of ingress of damp, but about 3-5% (if memory serves me well) just wouldn’t fire.
Pulling them apart, the propellant burned fiercely enough but the primers were useless.
A damp splutter probably the best description.
cartridge boxes showed two manufacturing dates and failures came from both boxes.
Some may say it was stored wrong. OK, maybe, but ammo like petrol has a finite life which is affected over time and temperature extremes. After all isn’t it good doctrine to NOT store ammo in the back of a vehicle in summer as it can cook the primers to death?
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