Firearm Care During Hurricane Season
By Kelsey Doleo, Gunsmiths Inc.
Happy October to our Members and Guests here at JCTS. Given recent hurricane damage to our region we would like to review what to do in case of water damage to your firearms. We have had several calls about this and it is good to know beforehand in the case of a damaging flood.
Before the Hurricane or Water Damage:
Heavily oil the firearms and place them in a protective bag (the vacuum sealed “space bags” are great for long guns if you can find the large size), placing as many of them as you can in a higher spot in the house if you are not able to take them with you. This will stop most water from penetrating and damaging the wood and metal.
Make sure you have an inventory and keep that with you while traveling away from the storm. Each firearm owner should have a detailed inventory of the models and serial numbers of his or her firearm inventory for safety and peace of mind.
After the Hurricane or Water Damage:
In the event of serious hurricanes such as Irma, many people came home to find much of their firearm collection partially or totally submerged. In this case is paramount to immediately oil as much of the internal compartments and the external parts as you can. If you can, remove the stock. It should sit in a cool and dry place. Wood expands significantly and the swelling can take a very long time to come back down. For safety purposes, it is prudent to have a gunsmith inspect the firearm for internal damage before subsequent use.
Fall Season at JCTS
We are looking forward to a very busy season at JCTS, and we are excited to celebrate the 81st birthday of JCTS with you next weekend. Gunsmiths Inc. will participate in gun cleaning demos, and we have donated many nice raffle packages to the JCTS Member raffle.
Make sure your firearms are ready for the season. Call Gunsmiths Inc. for a servicing appointment or stop in to see us at the shop.
Kelsey Doleo
Gunsmiths Inc.
904-410-2206