Mr. .44splx2,
We fully concur with Mr. Daveinthebush regarding leaving the weapon cold soaked and he is quite correct in his assessment as to how some people deal with the problem.
As you would fully expect, bringing a cold weapon into a warm space will cause moisture condensation. Return outside too soon and you now have ice.
Though we have only been doing this for the last 15 years and our experience is not as extensive as many others, in our opinion it is no longer necessary to expose the firearm to the complete ravages of the environment; if you have the proper tools on hand.
We still believe it necessary to leave the firearm cold and as such, we store it in the arctic entrance way when not out and about.
Many years ago we ran a cold soak test (temperature was below -50 degrees, below zero F) on several different lubricants. Eezox was the only one that worked. It is rated to -95 degrees by the manufacturer.
Following their directions for application, we used a Colt 1911 (.45acp) and Desert Eagle (gas operated "turn bolt" .50AE) for our informal test. Both weapons and ammo sat outside overnight. Both weapons functioned flawlessly.
We have used this lube in all our rifles (semi-auto, etc) in temperatures as low as -30 to -40 degrees. If the temperature drops below -40, we usually stay inside. (Ok, so I am a panty waist! But these days I am closer to 70 than 60 yrs of age.)
We no longer have a problem with rust and other than normal wear and tear, our toys are doing fine.
We do NOT recommend taking the firearm in and out of a heated area. Sooner or later you WILL get ice.
This winter we are trying out a new (for us) lube by the name of MPro7 but winter has been quite mild so far, at our place. Only in the -30s. Perhaps just as well. The manufacturer only rates it to -40 degrees.
The info above is submitted with the best of intentions (and we all know which road is paved with those) and merely reflects our limited experience.
Best Wishes
Sawmill Creek, Alaska
