Valuable comtemporay.....use...... storage???

[54ball]

 I work at a park that was established in 1959. The ranger says they have a early Wallace Gusler rifle that has been put away in storage.
 She states the rifle is suffering due to the low humidity for storing the 200 year old relics. She states shrickagae is evident. So much so She is considering declaring it surplus or what ever procedure they have for moving it to another location or getting it out of the system.  I really do not want to get into all of that.....

 Any way she asked what would be the best way to care for it.

 I do believe this rifle was made in the 60s for the park as a demo piece and when Wallace became famous it was put away.

 My first thought is to use it as intended. Take it out maybe fire it. Use it like the park uses it's contemporary muskets that seem to be doing fine as they are like new even though several years old. Of course take extra care of it, but let it see the light of day.

What do you think?

[E.vonAschwege]

I say use it as it was intended to be used - shoot it for demonstrations, let visitors see and even handle it, the more exposure it gets the better.  It's certainly better for it to be out in a normal environment than to be bone dry in storage.  I built a matchlock musket for an archeologist in North Carolina and I'm afraid it hasn't been handled or used nearly as much as they said it would because they're afraid it will get dings and dents... Perhaps I should have given it some patina to start with  .  I wish it came out of their closet more often!  Better than my opinion, ask Wallace what he'd prefer. 
-Eric

[Hungry Horse]

 Nothing unusual here. I volunteer at a state historical park, and have seen first hand the way they treat not only fine replicas, but genuine antiques as well. Most of these park curators know just enough to be dangerous. The antiques, and replicas in their care, often wind up in the scrap heap, or being sold for parts. I remember seeing a stack of three fine replica cannon barrels rusting away under a open air storage cover, because the carriages had disintegrated from being left out in the elements all winter. I'm sure there are responsible curators, but I have seen only a few that were knowledgeable about the preservation on firearms.

                   Hungry Horse

[Jim Kibler]

I wonder if this is the gun I've heard Wallace talk about...  Seems he built a rifle for for some state park and some official rasped or scraped the carving off since he believed originals weren't built that way. 

[54ball]

 Lets just say it's not state, city or private.

 I have not seen it so hopefully its not the one that was "corrected".

[Molly]

Not State, city or private?  That pretty much covers it....Federal!

I know a club member who claims there is a Gusler gun down at some facility in SW Virginia.  I could probably look around and come up with a location or name.  He said the gun was exceptionally nice when newly made and they have turned it into a piece of salvage. Maybe since so many failed to survive as originals, park admin feels it is appropriate to destroy then through abuse!

[54ball]

 This park does a good job. The staff is very good. Her concern for the rifle makes that evident.

 I'm trying to get some information for her as the best way to proceed in future care for it. Thanks Eric, Jim and Molly  for the responses.

[Shreckmeister]

Why not just move it to a place with average humidity and put a coat of ren wax on it?  Using it for demonstrations seems like
a good idea since that was probably the original intent.  Just make sure they demonstrator understands that it's a valuable gun.
  No good sitting in a closet.  If the closet is their choice they might as
well sell it now to someone who can appreciate it. 

[conquerordie]

Saratoga Battlefield has a Wallace Gusler rifle. I was friends with one of the park rangers at the visitor center , and they told me about it. Sure enough I asked to view it and they took me in the back and let me take a look and fondle it.. But it's not on display or used, Just another piece in the collection. I was a reenactor at the time volunteering there a whole lot, so maybe that's why they let me see it. Don't know if they even have it anymore. This was probably 15 years ago. Beautiful rifle signed by the man himself. If I had it I'd shoot it, and smile every time!

Greg

[Molly]

I just wonder how many GREAT rifles are either let to set and decay OR put back in some "secure" place and never see the light of day.  Either fate seems such a waste.  I had the good fortune to "discover" a George Sites rifle that was kept under an elderly lady's bed for years and years.  As the quest began she was not interested in selling it and I was not interested in owning it but I wanted to get it back in circulation.  The more we talked and worked on the idea the more I began to appreciate it. "Did NOT want" turned into "DO LIKE" and eventually "GOTTA HAVE IT".

Today it occupies the most honored spot in my house and is there for all to see who are interested.

[Mike Brooks]

I have a bunch of guns at historic sites, I hope they use the $#*! out of them!

[Carl Young]

From memory this sounds very similar to a rifle at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park from when I was last there in the early 1980's. After getting to know the Ranger over several events, and under his direct supervision, was allowed to clean the crud and fouling off with damp cloth and tooth brush, removed the fouling from the bore with a brush and water, and remove the surface rust with Boeshield.

The bare piece of chert in the cock was replaced with a black English flint with leather cushion, the ferrous parts were lightly coated with Boeshield, and the stock lightly wiped with a cotton cloth with a small amount of Renaissance wax.

The rifle was kept in a transparent display case and only the Rangers were allowed access to it. It was generally not well cared for by gun enthusiast standards. I had photos, but they were lost in Katrina.

Regards,
Carl

[Molly]

I have a bunch of guns at historic sites, I hope they use the $#*! out of them!

NOW, that's what I feel any serious gunmaker would want!