What is the consensus on the subject? I always have a dehumidifier of some sort running.

No problem that I have found.

Yes, but not forever.

Don't know for sure but I suspect the material could collect/adsorb moisture and hold it against the firearm.

I wipe down with G-96 rag and store in gun locker with Golden Rod. Can also use a low wattage light bulb.

Hip

Curious, why would you? Is there some benefit?

That is the wrong question and will get different answers from guys who live in states with no humidity, and states that have 95% humidity like I do (corn produces humidity). Worse than Florida.
Use a dehumidifier; If you don't, you will get rust, no matter what socks you store your guns in. If you live in Arizona, it won't matter either.
Now, if you have acid or salt on your guns, they will rust no matter what you do. Like from finger prints and corrosive ammo. Just not as bad in low humidity.

So do the socks have any benefit as a moisture barrier? The dehumidifier is a no brainer in high humidity areas.

I live in Houston, humidity is akin to a rain forest. For over 50 years I have used Rusteprufe comes in a glass jar with a chamois. I have from time to time used a Golden Rod to keep moisture at bay. I use the socks as well and have done so for years. I think they do afford some protection against dings and dents. I have never had an issue with rust.

The socks are not an impregnable barrier as they are not sealed, but the silicone that touches the steel does prevent moisture from reaching it. The only way to get a barrier is to shrink wrap your guns. I even have mold growing on some of my Mausers that are in the rack away from the dehumidifier that seems not to get enough air movement. No rust though.

As long as there is still enough silicone in it to wick to metal, they will offer added protection…

But there will be no obvious sign that they dried out or the cotton has more water than silicone.

You won’t see light rust flecking as the gun will be covered, you will only notice what is there when you remove the sock… may be way too late.

I really don’t see an advantage to this over using a good dehumidifying system (goldenrod, chemical, whatever) in the first place. I suppose it would add protection against mild safe dings, but you would need to take them out and replace the sock (if it’s for rust protection) periodically. How often? No idea. Probably depends on the sock and how well it was treated.

The cotton will be somewhat hydroscopic so it would be worse than nothing if your humidity varies a lot at times.

I’ve seen safe stored guns with bad rust hidden by cotton socks when they have been left there for years. The rust pattern is identical to the cloth weave..

Thanks for the info everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
That is the wrong question and will get different answers from guys who live in states with no humidity, and states that have 95% humidity like I do (corn produces humidity). Worse than Florida.
Use a dehumidifier; If you don't, you will get rust, no matter what socks you store your guns in. If you live in Arizona, it won't matter either.
Now, if you have acid or salt on your guns, they will rust no matter what you do. Like from finger prints and corrosive ammo. Just not as bad in low humidity.

This is true. Pay attention to DPCD....

If you ever try to touch up the finish on a stock that has been stored in silicone, you will regret your decision to ever store it that way.
Phil

When I moved to Tucson in '79 I thought that all my rust problems were over.

My first several months there involved a lot of 12 hour shifts and I didn't look through the safe very much. By the time I did nearly all the guns were rusted to one degree or other.

That's when I discovered that many homes there have what they call "swamp coolers", which basically amount to pushing hot air through wet matting to cool the air evaporatively. It never occurred to me that the cooler was blowing wet air through the house all the time keeping the inside as humid as a jungle even though outside air was bone dry.

We moved to a house with real air conditioning soon after that.

I been using socks for many years. Not so much for rust prevention but to prevent the little dings that always seem to happen when moving rifles around. So far I have no found any negatives to the socks other than the cost of buying them.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil McFall:
If you ever try to touch up the finish on a stock that has been stored in silicone, you will regret your decision to ever store it that way.
Phil

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:

quote:

Originally posted by Phil McFall:
If you ever try to touch up the finish on a stock that has been stored in silicone, you will regret your decision to ever store it that way.
Phil

Hmmm... My silicone socks must be different. Just finished putting 4 coats of boiled linseed on a Garand that's been in a sock since forever. No issues.

I store every other rifle in silicone socks in my safe just to prevent the safe dings from moving them around.