Current Research 

Gun Oils

Antique firearms are often cared for by collectors and gun enthusiasts. As a result, commercial gun oils (often manufactured for modern firearms) are used on firearms as coatings for corrosion prevention. Museum collections use a variety of these materials on their firearms depending on who is taking care of the collection: firearms curators, conservators, or volunteers. Firearms are composite objects made of a variety of materials which all may react differently when exposed to these gun oils.

In researching these commercial products, I also came across numerous health and safety concerns. The solvents used in the oils are often highly toxic such as toluene and methanol, solvents that are now rarely used in conservation due to the health risks. Additionally, the quality of the materials being used is questionable. While most Safety Data Sheets list petroleum or mineral oil as an ingredient, they rarely specify that it is non-chlorinated. The formulas are proprietary, so the company can change the ingredients or their sources without the consumer’s awareness.

To determine the effects of these gun oils on the metal components of firearms in long-term museum or collections storage environments, I developed an experiment using copper alloy and ferrous metal coupons and six coatings that represent a spectrum of materials commonly applied to firearms. These coatings include wax, commercial petroleum products, and traditional gun coatings.

One set of coupons was placed in a stairway window with no environmental controls and full UV exposure. The other set was placed in collections storage with minimal light and less change to temperature and relative humidity. Before being placed, an FTIR spectrum was taken of each coupon. Additionally, a Blue Wool Standard was left in each location to estimate sun exposure along with an environmental data logger.

This pilot study is ongoing however, it may in the future lead to a larger research project that could include application methods, further commercial products, and additional environmental conditions such as acetic acid or other potential museum pollutants. Ideally, the results of this study would be published in a variety of journals and be accessible to gun collectors and enthusiasts who may one day be donating their collections to museums.