Storage of an auto pistol for ready use

[Windy Wilson]

The other thread about hiding guns around the house got me to thinking, long term storage generally isn't a problem with revolvers, but what about semi-autos?
I've heard that the spring will take a set and cause bad feeding, or that the spring will press against the bullets which press against and distort the feed lips, which will cause bad feeding.
Do you leave one or two bullets out of the magazine, or are there certain magazine manufacturers to use, or do you just see to it that you exercise all your semi-autos every month or so? (that seems like the best technique, as then you have to, for household security reasons, get to the range at least once a month.)

[308Mike]

There are a couple of things you can do regarding semi-auto and magazine springs. You can get ones which have been cryo-treated, which will help ensure the springs don't take on a "compression memory" (talk to CC about getting any new springs for magazines and/or hammer springs).

My SIG is DA/SA, so I just leave the hammer down, but when I carry my 1911, I keep it cocked, locked, and ready to rock, however, when I stash it for long periods of time, I set the hammer to half-cock 'cause it only takes a fraction of a second to thumb the hammer back. As far as my magazines go, I cycle them so the springs get a break from being compressed for so long. Now if I had some cryo-treated springs, that wouldn't be necessary. One of these days I'm going to get some mag springs from CC for my .45's and my SIG. I hear they work AWESOME!

[Rich]

My choice is a revolver. Not because springs take a set or something, but because it is simple and I'm less likely to have a brain fart in an emergency.

Go with what you feel comfortable with, and you think will do the job.

[Aglifter]

FYI, my great uncle loaded a 1903 Colt for my great aunt, when Dillinger was terrorizing the countryside, and he had to leave on business. It was wiped down, put back in its box, and left alone.

A few years ago, I pulled it out, and it fired all the rounds just fine.

[Kommander]

Don't worry about your mags, just load em up and leave em. The spring set and what not is old "wives tales" BS from a long time ago.

[Evyl Robot]

Although I wouldn't worry about spring memory, I'd periodically run ammo through your equipment just to make sure that the Second Law of Thermodynamics hadn't played a joke on you. I don't ever want to find myself in a position of needing to use a gun that I haven't fired in Lord knows how long. Stuff breaks, gets clogged, and wears out. Make sure your gear is always recently confirmed ready for action.

[Netpackrat]

I had a pair of new magazines that came with my new Glock 22 go bad in '94, and had to replace the springs with Wolffs. Seems to have been confined to those magazines only, but now I download my Glock mags by one, which makes them a lot easier to insert when loaded, as well.

[Rich]

I had a pair of new magazines that came with my new Glock 22 go bad in '94, and had to replace the springs with Wolffs. Seems to have been confined to those magazines only, but now I download my Glock mags by one, which makes them a lot easier to insert when loaded, as well.

I've done that with my G-17 from when I got it. That last round is a mother bear, and my fingers really weren't up to it.

[Cobar]

I would worry more about corrosion, would not take all that much rust to gum up the works.

[308Mike]

I would worry more about corrosion, would not take all that much rust to gum up the works.

Much of that depends on where you live and where the gun is stored. If you're hiding it in a readily accessible place but somewhere not readily visible, it *MAY* have some protection from humidity and such.

When I was living out in Point Loma, the air is heavy with salt-laden moisture, some places to the degree that the windows must be cleaned at least once a week, or the salt grime may scratch the windows when cleaning unless you take extra precautions. When I worked in a dispatch tower overlooking the water, we had to clean the windows EVERY SHIFT, to ensure those times when we couldn't get to them they would still be acceptable and not impede telescopic vision out the boating channel (which closes out during periods of high surf - with waves breaking across the entire channel), which happened about 3x-4x a year.

Metal badges corroded at at accelerated rate and firearms had to be cleaned on a regular basis even though they left their holsters very infrequently. Everyone carrying a firearm on a boat exposed to ocean air had either a stainless firearm or cleaned it every couple of days.

A firearm stuffed under or between cushions should be checked regularly for migration (it might not be where you expect it due to the seating being used) and any corrosion. That also goes for any guns stuff alongside the edge of the couch or even in the middle between the cushions (after all, no one likes to sit on the cushion crack). Conversely, laying on a couch and surreptitiously probing the edges with your fingers and toes will help you identify any stuffed firearms where ever you may be hanging out. Granted you may not feel the ones sitting flat underneath the cushions, but if you push around while sitting up on the couch, you just might feel a hard object underneath the cushions as you get up.

Environment is key to this kind of thing. Obviously, if you live in a high moisture environment, particularly that with salt air, you need to be extra alert for corrosion and take extra care of your firearms to ensure they not only work for you, but also retain their value (unless you don't care about the value if you might need to sell them). Living along the coast has its unique problems and issues, whereas living inland in a high humidity environment also has its own unique problems, like mold and mildew - especially if you're in a high rain environment.

Jeez, if we lived in Portland (avg. 37.5 inches per year), I'd be cleaning my guns all the time until I got a bunch of drying items/agents to put in with my stored firearms, and my stashed pieces would get a weekly Field Day to ensure they were inspected and if necessary cleaned to ensure proper functioning. Now, living in Phoenix would be a different matter entirely with its low humidity and lack of rainfall. I imagine it would be much like living here in east San Diego county, out by Lakeside, where yesterday's temp was 94 and today's reached 97 on our patio, and I think it was something like 13% humidity.

Not too much worry about my guns and corrosion here.