Essential Guidelines For Maintaining Your Antique Guns

If you have acquired an antique gun through inheritance or purchase from dealers and auctions, you should know how to care for it. In general, historic firearms are durable and resilient. But, if you handle a gun carelessly, you could compromise its value as a classic piece. In addition, it is possible that the firearm could deteriorate and fail to function. If you are unfamiliar with antique gun care, consider these simple guidelines for proper protection and maintenance.

Avoid handling the firearm with bare hands

Like other historical artifacts, you should not handle antique guns without protective gloves. In general, bare hands will compromise the protective coatings applied to the components because of sweat, dirt, and other contaminants.

Ideally, you should use nitrile gloves when cleaning antique guns. These are disposable gloves suitable for cleaning or coating the surfaces of old firearms. If you aren’t cleaning your firearm, you can use cotton gloves.

Only use ideal cleaning practices

It is essential to keep your antique firearms clean for long-term durability, performance, and aesthetics. If the surface of your gun accumulates dust, the dirt will promote the absorption and retention of moisture. As a result, it will be more vulnerable to corrosion. Corrosion deposits will affect the appearance of the gun, and if the internal parts are corroded, it will not work as designed.

Cleaning an antique gun is not a complicated process. You will only need a soft cloth with a light spray of water. Do not use a dry cloth because it will not pick up the dirt efficiently. You should also avoid using commercial dust cloths, as they often contain oils that will attract more dust. Do not replace the water with alcohol or mineral oil. Alcohol could strip the coatings and mineral oil will promote more dust accumulation.

Regulate the relative humidity

Humidity is defined as the amount of water vapor in the air. The relative humidity of the environment in which you store antique guns could affect their durability and appearance. If the humidity is too high, the wooden components of the gun will absorb moisture and expand. On the other hand, if the environment is too dry, the wood will be more prone to cracking. It is also important to note that metal parts will rust in high humidity.

You can avoid these problems by keeping the relative humidity in your storage area average and consistent. The ideal humidity should be about 40% to 50%. However, if you cannot keep the humidity at a precise point, you must at least ensure that there are no sudden or significant fluctuations. In most cases, antique firearms are most affected by rapid shifts. Constant expansion and contraction of the components will cause extensive damage.

Display antique guns with care

If you are interested in displaying your firearms, it is best to buy the appropriate display fixtures for them. It is not uncommon for people to use hooks and nails to support guns in a display. Unfortunately, the weight of most antique guns is quite high, so the point of support linked to the hook could sustain damage.

Instead, you should use padded display fixtures to minimize strain. You should also remember to display your guns in a case with proper ventilation, reasonable temperature, and good humidity levels. This will ensure that your antique guns remain in good condition and retain their value.

Where to find antique firearms

Auctions are one of the best places to find antique guns. But, if you are not experienced, it might be difficult to find the perfect historic piece for your collection. As a beginner, you should prepare carefully for gun auctions to avoid missing the best deals.

Under ideal circumstances, your journey should begin with research.

• First, learn about the potential pieces that could appear in the auction, or that are in the catalog, to get a firm grasp on the true value of each item.
• Next, check the rules of the auction to avoid confusion. You should arrive in time for registration before the auction, as well.
• Finally, you should determine your spending limit and prepare enough cash. This is one of the most important tips to follow so you will have enough for the guns you want to buy.

Antique firearm auctions in Texas

If you are interested in buying an antique gun for your collection, contact the experts at High Plains Auctioneers for more information. You can call us at (806) 244-5776 or Contact Us via email to learn more about Bidding or Selling at auction. You can also check out our Upcoming Auctions to see the items we will have available.