Revolvers and long term storage???

J

Josh17

New member
Okay, so I got a question. What if I wanted to buy a Revolver for home defense, but left it sitting in a gun safe the entire time, possibly years or longer. But say one day that day comes and someone breaks into your home...

Will it still work? Or do Revolvers, even if left loaded, and in storage (and never shot), do they still need cleaning and lube?

I really want a gun that I can just buy, place it in a safe place at home, and forget about it (no need to clean it every month, etc). I would never use this as a range gun, only in an emergency as a home self-defense weapon.

Right now I own a Glock. But I know that Semi-auto pistols, even if not used and just left sitting in storage, should be cleaned/lube at least every couple months or so. Is this the same case with Revolvers?

To sum it all up: Is buying a Revolver the right choice if I want a gun that I can simply buy, load it up with 6 shots, place it in my gun safe, and let it sit for possibly YEARS, and if the day ever comes where I need it for home-self defense, I can go and grab that Revolver out of the safe, and it'll still fire?
 
any handgun, properly cleaned, lubiracted, loaded and then put in a way and checked every now and then for dust/dirt/grime is going to be able to do what you want.
 
Josh

Anything that you plan to trust your life to should be a range gun at first. Also if a tool is meant to do a job why not spend a few hours a year maintaining it to keep it working as well as possible?

Any gun if stored properly should be in working order when removed from storage. Just remember moisture is your enemy.
 
If you are not going to shoot it at least enough to maintain familiarity then IMO it's dangerous to have for potential emergency use. Shooting skill degrades when not used. It's not like riding a bike. Just my opinion.

All that being said leave revolver or semi for decades if you wish and assuming they are not submerged in a saltwater tank they will work fine.
 
How about this: If I have a brand new gun, and only fire just a few test rounds through it, then put it in storage, I then wouldn't ever have to worry about replacing parts, etc, or worse yet the gun "breaking a part" when trying to use it in self-defense, correct? That's my theory at least. And that's why I was thinking of the idea of a "storage back-up only gun". I still will go to the range and fire other guns, so I will still always be refreshed when it comes to using a firearm.

The reason I ask this question is because of all the "complications" i've heard from lubing guns. Whether it's over-lubing them, or under-lubing them, or just lubing them in general. I've heard of how some people say you should put ONLY grease and not oil. Others say ONLY oil not grease. Then some people say that putting on oil/lube on the gun, then letting it sit for a while, can cause it to build up gunk and cause a FTF, etc. So which is true?!

IT'S NOT that I DON'T want to take care of the gun. It's just rather I'm not expercenced AT ALL in cleaning/lubing guns, and I'd probably lube the wrong parts first off. That's the my main concern, lol. So I kinda wanted a gun that I could buy, take it to a gunsmith and have it cleaned/lubed really good, then put it away in storage until needed.
 
Last edited:
IMO it would be silly to take a gun to a gunsmith to have it cleaned when if you watch a 10 minute youtube video and spend $15 on supplies you can do it yourself. i believe what the posters above me are saying is that if you dont practice with the specific gun you will use in an emergency situation, you will not be used to THAT gun should the need to use it ever come about.
 
If I have a brand new gun, and only fire just a few test rounds through it, then put it in storage, I then wouldn't ever have to worry about replacing parts, etc, or worse yet the gun "breaking a part" when trying to use it in self-defense, correct? That's my theory at least... The reason I ask this question is because of all the "complications" i've heard from lubing guns. Whether it's over-lubing them, or under-lubing them, or just lubing them in general.
Click to expand...
If you buy a quality new or used revolver from a top-notch company (e.g. S&W, Ruger, or Colt), there's simply no reason to worry that normal use may break it. It won't. They're stout. :) If it's kept indoors in a clean and dry environment and it isn't abused, it will last for decades, even if you shoot hundreds or even thousands of rounds per year. (One caveat: unusually hot loads, specifically "special" handloads, count as "abuse". I'm talking about firing standard-pressure ammo.)

If in doubt, the lubrication regimen for modern double-action revolvers is very simple: DON'T. :D Most of the complex debates you read online and hear at the LGS counter concern automatics, since many of them DO require careful lubrication to run right, particularly if the shooter wants to shoot large numbers of rounds in one session with the gun very dirty and hot. However, with a DA revolver, IMHO over-lubrication causes roughly 20x more long-term problems than under-lubrication or ZERO-lubrication. ;)

IMHO lack of practice with your SD gun is a far more serious concern than the possibility that it may break.
 
Okay, so I got a question. What if I wanted to buy a Revolver for home defense, but left it sitting in a gun safe the entire time, possibly years or longer. But say one day that day comes and someone breaks into your home...

Will it still work? Or do Revolvers, even if left loaded, and in storage (and never shot), do they still need cleaning and lube?
Click to expand...

Most likely "yes".

I remember a case some years ago, where a basic .38 revolver lay under a guys bed for 30 years, until he needed it one day. Worked fine.
 
Personal experience

Any good quality gun, properly stored, will be good to go for years. However, what constitutes "proper" storage vs merely "acceptable" storage, and "improper" storage varies with the specific gun.

Generally speaking, if not being touched for years, a revolver, stored clean & dry will operate. Lubed? most likely. An auto,clean and dry? Maybe. Lubed? Perhaps, and perhaps not.

Exposure to air (even the tiny bit of air in a case, or drawer is enough, over enough time (years/decades) to allow the volitiles in lubricants to evaporate. Then what you have is not lubrication, but the opposite.

Here is my personal experience. My father passed away in 2003. His health had not been good for some time, and he had not touched his guns in over a dozen years. Unfortunately, I live on the other side of the country, and was not able to ensure his day to day life included care for his guns. And the family members local to him did not do so, either.

His protection gun was a 1911A1, a sweet gun, utterly dependable throughout my entire childhood. Uncared for, sitting for sitting in a dresser drawer for many years. When I picked it up, the weight said "loaded". It was not cocked. I dropped the mag (fully loaded), and racked the slide to check the chamber. Chamber empty. Releasing the slide, it closed almost half way, and stopped. It was gummed up.

By contrast, his revolvers, a S&W .357, and a Ruger .22, stored in a closet, under the same conditions, cycled perfectly when the trigger was pulled.

His Savage 99 rifle, stored with the safety ON had gummed up so badly that I had to use WD-40 to dissolve the old oil enough to get the safety OFF, so I could open the action to check the chamber. Even though all the guns had basically been neglected for the same length of time, under the same condtions, the revolvers were functional, while the others were not.

You could vacuum seal the gun as suggested, but then, in an emergency, you have to cut open the bag to get the gun, and that might just be a real problem, even if a blade is handy.

Much better would be to just pick one day a year, to check the "emergency gun" to make sure its in good working order. It would likely not be necessary to clean and lube it each time, but not checking it just seems to me to be foolish.

IF you are going to load a gun and leave it for who knows how long without any care, I'd choose a good revolver over any other kind.
 
In all probability - the gun you store for yrs ...will be just fine.

However, if its in a really humid area ...can it get corrosion on the rounds in the revolver, or on the gun ...sure ...so it depends.../ it depends on the environment. Brass cases in a revolver over a long time...tend to get some corrosion ...so you might want to load it with rounds that are nickel plated..

I'd make it a habit to at least check it for cleanliness ..and operation ..once a quarter or maybe twice a year ...even in the best of environments.
 
Thanks for all the replies, extremely helpful. :D

Yes, after reading this I would check it from time to time to be sure. But let me ask this to make sure I got the information correct..

If I am going to keep it in long term storage, is it best to simply just clean the Revolver and NOT lube it? Just clean it. Then put it back? That's what it sounded like some of you where saying, just wanted to make sure that was correct :D
 
Revolvers do not need much lubrication. Normal lubrication is only a few drops of oil, and lasts a long time. In fact, most revolvers are "over lubricated" by their owners.

Reality is that for a DA revolver, as long as there is not sufficient gunk in the mechanism to prevent pulling the trigger all the way through, they will work. They will work completely dry. This is something many autos will not do, although many will.

Also, we are not talking about firing a box of shells, only what's loaded. And sitting for years under any conditions (short of rusting solid) my bet is on the revolver for working, 6 times, at least. All it has to do is rotate the cylinder, cock, and drop the hammer. And, your finger provides the energy, except for dropping the hammer. An auto has to do a lot more, even if starting chamber loaded. The size of the slide's metal to metal contact, and the strength of the springs vs whatever resistance there is comes into play.

Extracting and feeding the next round takes more from the auto's mechanism than a second pull of the trigger does in a DA revolver.

Leaving out the whole "covered in mud" thing (combat) under the worst conditions I can imagine, a stored revolver is more likely to fire until empty than an automatic. Not by a lot, but enough to make it my choice, IF I were to need it.

Sitting for years (and it likely would take years) a well lubed revolver could have the lube dryout BUT, this would likely only make the trigger pull stiffer than it is when lubed, and if you have the strength to pull it through, odds are the gun will work.

There are no absolute guarantees, but I'd bet on the revolver, personally, in the situation you are describing.

This is not auto bashing. I like them, and own many. And, if I had to live in the trenches, odds are I'd choose one of my autos, not because they cannot be stopped, but because when dirt, etc(or a malfuction), stops an auto from working, they are easier to get back into action than when it stops up a revolver.

In general, when a revolver malfunctions, they are stopped for good, until you can get tools and clean/repair them. When an auto stops, often simply ejecting the round (failure drill aka Tap, rack, bang) will get them running again. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but true, more often than not.

Go with the revolver. Lube it normally, or leave it dry. Let it lay on the shelf of your safe (or where ever) for a year. Then, once a year (maybe on your brithday?), go to it, pick it up, take the shells OUT, and pull the trigger 6 times. I'd be absolutely amazed if it didn't work properly. Put the shells back in (or put in new ones) and let it go back to "sleep" for another year. Do this for a decade, THEN decide if its trustworthy, or not.:D
I'm betting trustworthy. All mine have proven to be.
 
I would lightly lube - the crane - where the cyclinder opens.../ and the ejector shaft / ...lightly, but I'd still lube it. I'd also run a patch thru the barrel - with some lube on it ....

I'd spray the outside of the gun - with a light oil ...like rem oil and wipe it down .....

and then I'd put the gun away ...making sure that air can circulate around it. I wouldn't pack it inside a plastic bag especially - but not in a box ...or a gun rug either...or anything like that - that may hold moisture.
 
It ought to work just fine but I think it's a poor plan. The guns I depend on for personal protection are the guns I carry and shoot the most.
 
storage and revolvers

I stored my revolver in a basement for 3 months about 3 yrs ago. Long story. When I went to retrieve it from being away on a trip, the cylinder had locked shut with a bit of rust! The basement wasnt even a humid one. The piece was easily cleaned, but had I needed to fire it I would have not been able to.
I dont know who started the whole "leave a rev in a drawer for years" concept, but I think that's a terrible concept to get in someone's head. While a rev COULD be mechanically able fire IF it was neglected for years, I disagree with that concept. If you bought a revolver for home defense, it shouldnt stay in a drawer or safe or bookcase untouched and unhandled for more than... one week. You should handle the firearm every few days, dry fire it, and take it to the range once every three months at least. This is exactly what I do. My gun stays in my nite table but is taken out every few days at the least.
 
I got a actually DIFFERENT question. I am thinking of switching my Carry weapon from a Glock, to a REVOLVER. BUT, only if the answer to my question is "yes".

Okay, so if I carry a Revolver for Self-defense in my Pocket/and/or/Holster, does it REQUIRE lube to properly function? Or does it only REQUIRE that I CLEAN it, say, once a month or so?

The reason I ask is because I don't really like "lubing". Why? Because I suck at it. I have no one too teach me the proper points to lube, cept for the internet, but that's not the same as being shown in real life. Nor do I know what the best kind of lube to use is (since there are COUNTLESS brands it's confusing to a new-comer). Also, being new, I don't want to IMPROPERLY lube it and cause more problems... If possible with Revolvers, I'd rather just clean it and not have to mess with the whole lube part.


I'm sure if I knew EXACTLY how to properly clean and lube a revolver, I wouldn't have this question or concern. But sadly, I have no idea how too. I may just have someone teach me. But, if lube isn't required for proper Revolver function, than I'd rather stick to the easier part for a "Noob" like me - just cleaning the Revolver. =p
 
Go to a gun shop, go on the Internet, go to a friend, or local gun club and talk to people. You will find some folks who seem to think guns need to be virtually dripping with lube to work, and some who feel...differently.

Read an owner's manual for the revolver you are thinking of, and see what the MAKER says is proper lubrication. You can't go far wrong doing what the maker recommends.

For me, a couple of drops of oil, is all it takes, and will last a long, long time under normal conditions. Cleaning is needed after shooting, and during that process some of the lube gets removed, but if you are not using one of the dunk or flush type cleaners, the oil in the lockwork normally doesn't go anywhere.

Carry a revolver in a holster. Even (especially) if its inside your procket. They make some nice soft ones just for that (and inside the waistband, too).

I've been shooting over 40 years, and have yet to run into a revolver that would not "run" dry, provided there was no foreign material jamming it up (thats where the holster comes in). Just my opinion, and worth what you pay for it. It seems clear that you have no personal expieriance with rovolvers. Go find a friend (or make a friend) that does. Ask them to show you and odds are, they will.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top