Your Queen: HOW OFTEN?

[Biff Tannen]

If you have a safe queen you rarely ever fire, even if you haven't fired it since last time you cleaned it and oiled it, HOW OFTEN do you take it out, clean off the old greese and oil and put on a fresh coat, just to make sure it hasnt dried up or rusted (you know, preventative maintenance).
And while you're at it, any advice or tips?

Thanks, stay safe, and God bless!

[Jay24bal]

For me, guns that have not been shot or carried, get cleaned, re-lubed, re-oiled and checked for function every 6 months.

[Nick_C_S]

On 9/3/1983 I got my first gun - a new Colt Python; 6" Blue.

On 9/3/2013 I took it out of the safe to fire it on its 30th anniversary. That was the first time I shot it in at least 26 years.

Cleaned it up real good; oiled it up, and returned it to the safe.

I live in the California central valley. The climate is very dry. Rust is almost never an issue. I try to wipe it clean, then re-oil it every year. But time flies by and I usually miss cleaning it annually. It seems to get by just fine though.

[Tactical Jackalope]

I used to call the ones I didn't shoot "safe queens".

Now, they're just guns I don't shoot. With the price in ammo skyrocketing, I rather only shoot the guns that are on life watch.

I guess we'd say my Browning High-Power's and Model 19-3 S&W, I rub them down with a silicone cloth every so often (all my guns in the safe regardless) and apply RIG's from time to time.

[jrkrace]

Like Nick CS, I happened to do the same with my Colt Sporter I bought in 1992. Left it in a safe with 500 round of Norinco and took it out the first time this time last year for a run. Ran 200 rounds through it, cleaned it and put it back into the safe. That, my M1A, and my .300 Win tend to stay in the safe longer than the others...

[pilpens]

My safe queens get clean approx 4-6 months.
It not not very humid in my house.

[RickB]

Field strip and wipe-down annually.

[Biff Tannen]

Great feedback!
Aside from the "lube and oil change" how often do you use a rust preventative (such as Eezox spray, etc)?

[madmo44mag]

I guess I don't have any real safe queens.
Everything I own gets shot at least twice a year.
We shoot once a month and some time twice and I always carry 2 - 4 guns out.
This allows me to shoot a lot but not put a big bent in any one caliber of ammo.
I do have one K98 Mauser I never shoot.
1939 8mm Mauser manufactured in the Orndorf plant in Germany.
Has all the Nazi proof marks and stamps.
There is trench art on the stock.
The barrel is in pretty poor shape.
Do to its origins and markings it is collectable.
The bore has bore grease in it and the rest of he metal gets wiped down every month or two as rifle get rotated around the safe.
That's as close to a safe queen as I have.
A rifle that after 10 rounds start to key-hole

[BigJimP]

A routine for checking ...re-oiling, etc....depends on the environment in the area of your safe....

I live in a moderate climate...moderate temps...but condensation is a problem on humid days / when it cools down condensation forms on metal surfaces...
-------------------
so my gun safe is in my house, not on an exterior wall...temp in the area is relatively constant at around 70 degrees ...and its consistently dry in there with low humidity....

so for guns I have not shot in the last year... ( there are not that many ) ....but I treat them the same, as all guns in my safe....I completely strip and check them at least once a year...( its a good rainy day job to do 4 or 5 guns / and just go thru the safe...in a a few weeks ).../ all of the guns I shoot, get cleaned the same day or next day .../ but its still good to completely strip them down and check for wear, etc...

[Don P]

My so called safe queen is a Colt Python 6" blue and is shot at our 2 ICORE matches every month. I see no use in having a safe queen for the following thought. How ya doin there St. Pete as I arrive at the pearly gates, by the way do you know I had a pristine unshot Colt Python while I was among the mortals? Yea we know. That was stupid wasn't it? Now you are here and the gun is down there being shot by someone and really enjoying themselves so I ask was it worth having that safe queen and not enjoying shooting it? You won't be shooting it here.

[Chaz88]

You won't be shooting it here.

I do not want to go then. My idea of Heaven is having all the pristine guns I want, at least 72 anyway, and an unlimited supply of ammo. Every day would be a shooting day, the guns would clean themselves, and the brass would pick itself up.

[Don P]

I want, at least 72 anyway,

And I suppose rivers of honey?

[pilpens]

My so called safe queen is a Colt Python 6" blue and is shot at our 2 ICORE matches every month. I see no use in having a safe queen for the following thought. How ya doin there St. Pete as I arrive at the pearly gates, by the way do you know I had a pristine unshot Colt Python while I was among the mortals? Yea we know. That was stupid wasn't it? Now you are here and the gun is down there being shot by someone and really enjoying themselves so I ask was it worth having that safe queen and not enjoying shooting it? You won't be shooting it here.

Some people find joy in shooting every gun they own.
Some people find joy in owning guns but not shooting.
My mom collects dolls. It makes her happy.
It all the same. It is spending hard earned money for something you like.

[SHE3PDOG]

I inspect all of my guns monthly for rust and whatnot. I don't usually clean them unless they've been fired, but I wipe them off and remove rust spots when necessary.

[WESHOOT2]

Never.

[Ozzieman]

1856 Burnsides and a Belgium Browning 32 auto my father took off a German.
The Burnsides I will never fire, for good reason and the 32 I fire every year on my late father’s birthday. One magazine then its cleaned and placed in a gun sock.
I get it when people have something that they enjoy but don’t choose to use it in the manner it was made. Their choice and a good one for them. Some people collect guns and some just fire them, and a good number do both. What is wrong with owing hanger queens, nothing. Their money, their choice.
But for me, I am a weak person. I bought one of the new red label MKII’s that came out after Bill Ruger’s death and I had planned on keeping it new in the box. For no other reason than I really like the gun and have others.’
That lasted about one year then weakness took over. Only the Burnside is unfired.
So if you have a hanger queen that you won’t fire, good for you, you’re a stronger man than I.

[1goodshot]

I try to wipe and relube the ones that dont get shot every 3 or 4 months. It depends on how deep I have to dig in the safe to get to them.

[Biff Tannen]

Wow a lot of you guys clean your unused guns a lot more often than I'd have thought!
I'm feeling lazy now haha.

[SHE3PDOG]

Just remember that over cleaning can lead to problems as well. If you're just relubing them and wiping them down, you shouldn't run into any trouble, but avoid using brushes and other coarse cleaning supplies unless absolutely necessary.

[Stevie-Ray]

Wow a lot of you guys clean your unused guns a lot more often than I'd have thought!
I'm feeling lazy now haha.

As am I. I do try to keep them in good shape, but even once a year is generally not in the cards for the unshot ones. Just being honest. A wipe down with a CLP multi-surface wipe is a good quick alternative.

[mrt949]

No Queen's .Just shooters .

[Ruger45LC]

It's not really a safe queen because it's not a high dollar item, but I have a Ruger Blackhawk stainless convertible Bisley that I really really like, but rarely shoot. It's been a LONG time since I've shot it, but check on it every now and then to make sure nothing's wrong with it, and there never is, I keep it wiped down and in a soft case. But all mine are shooters, I just don't shoot some as often as I do others.

I do have a Remington 870 express that I have to keep a close eye on, if you look at the finish the wrong way it will rust overnight. I keep it loaded in case of emergency, but wipe it down very good with a light coat of oil and keep it in one of those silly looking gun "socks". Love the 870, but the finish is pitiful, and somewhat high maintenance, I would imagine if I had to carry it outdoors for days at a time it would be a mess afterwards.

[pelo801]

I have a PPK, RSG model that I rarely shoot. It's a good lookin gun IMO. But I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it a safe queen.

[Jammer Six]

I don't.