Few questions about handgun, ammo and cleaner storage.

V

Venom1956

New member
Hey all. I have a few quick questions that have been bugging me lately. Where I live I have one room where I must keep everything, myself included.

So I have a dresser drawer set up to store all my used brass, cleaners and ammo and I have my firearms locked away, with the exception of my HD firearm.

I took my HD pistol to the range and when I came home and it was all dirty I got to thinking... Is having to store all these things in this drawer near my bed potentially harmful to my/others health? Used brass mostly are in boxes some are loose, and all my cleaners have their caps on, only fumes you really smell are my rags when you open the drawer. I've put them in a 1gal ziplock now. or a uncleaned gun on the nightstand? (this was the one that started it all, and yes I do intend to clean it...)

I would love to know your opinions, suggestions or anything else.
 
Neither empty brass or an "uncleaned" handgun is going to cause any problems. The cleaning solvent fumes are different but shouldn't be a real health problem unless used in excess. Open a window or turn on a kitchen/bathroom vent fan.
I can't relate to your situation but maybe you could look into some less aromatic cleaning products.
 
DO NOT leave the rags in your drawer or even in your house. Rags with any kind of petroleum products in them can spontaneously ignite and start a fire. Leave them outside or in a garage. If you don't have a garage put them in a metal container with holes punched in it and leave it on your back porch. The rags have to be exposed to air so the fumes can evaporate. People have burned houses and garages to the ground from storing oil soaked rags in a closed container in the house. Leaving them in a bag or a closed container is a slow motion bomb. The fumes are almost certainly a health hazard as well.
 
I like to use Slip 2000 for a CLP. With Slip 2000 you wont have to worry about it. Google it. It's the best cleaner and lubricator I've ever used.

As far as a dirty gun, eh, not really gona hurt you if it's just sitting there, same with the empty brass. But handling the empty brass or dirty gun can get lead onto your hands and that is no good. Just wash your hands after handling those things. I keep my empty brass in zip lock bags. If you have your smelly rags in a zip lock back, thats probably fine. But still, I'd go for a non hazardous cleaner like Slip 2000 for the long run, it will be better for you and your guns as the years add up.
I also use Blue Nitrile gloves when cleaning my guns so I dont get any cleaner soaking into my skin, they work great. Get powder free ones so they dont get your guns full of powder. I also like them better than latex gloves because they dont slip and stretch as much... Plus they seam to hold up better to the cleaners and dont seam to leave prints or a film on the guns like the latex gloves do.
 
DO NOT leave the rags in your drawer or even in your house. Rags with any kind of petroleum products in them can spontaneously ignite and start a fire. Leave them outside or in a garage. If you don't have a garage put them in a metal container with holes punched in it and leave it on your back porch. The rags have to be exposed to air so the fumes can evaporate. People have burned houses and garages to the ground from storing oil soaked rags in a closed container in the house. Leaving them in a bag or a closed container is a slow motion bomb. The fumes are almost certainly a health hazard as well.
Click to expand...

It must be true I read it on the INTERNET. Aerosol cans explode on there own, rags bursting into flames on there own.
Rags have to exposed to air so fumes can evaporate.
Lets see when I had my service station the fire department on inspection told me I, had to have a self closing/sealing lid container to keep all my oiled soiled rags in for fire prevention. Guess they were wrong, huh?

Fumes don't ignite?? Thats confusing. An empty gas tank will explode faster than a full one. Think maybe the FUMES have something to do with that.

In the room where I reload and clean my firearms I have rags with oil, solvents on them and to date some 35 years later no fires. I know I must have special rags and solvents. If your statement were valid why is it the the products used do not burst into flames on there own and spontaneous combusted. In all my years of involvement with cars guns and owning homes I have yet to see rags bursting into flames on there own.
 
I threw some rags soaked with a combination of boiled linseed oil and MEK in a bucket on a job site. They ignited on their own and stunk the place up. It can happen.
As far as cleaning solvents, I leave the rags/cloths laying out to dry before putting them in a trash can.

Steve
 
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