Jollif is right. A deteriorated or flattened pad has nothing to do with the gun standing butt down in a safe. No, I have no idea what causes it but it must have something to do with temperature or humidity.

I don't have any idea or clue why that pad did what it did. Pads on other guns did not change, ie, get worse.

Here's what it looks like:

1st picture is the west end of my root cellar (gun room). 4 concrete block walls and a cement floor and ceiling under our back porch. Nice and dry but I do run a dehumidifier in warmer months. You'll notice the 2 gun rack I made in wood shop when I was a freshman in high school back in 1950.

2nd picture a little closer showing my vertical gun chest and the horizontal one that looks more like a settee.

3rd and 4th picture with my horizontal gun chest open. Note that it is a Treadlock. It will accommodate 24 double guns nicely in the three racks that I made that hold 8 guns each. Those are all Fox's in there.

And Daryl good buddy, thanks for your offer. But dam, I lost your phone number.

https://i.imgur.com/spi496s.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xEM9fOL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XrZQ32n.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uFinuyj.jpg

OK; I'll say it: they look funny standing on the muzzle :biglaugh:

Bill, I showed your guns to my wife. She now knows there are husbands with worse afflictions than mine. Thanks. John

I started my career working for Garlock a rubber products company. I believe the reason Bill's Fox pad deteriorated was the rubber was not properly vulcanized when made. I believe rock hard pads results from the loss of the lubricates originally compounded with the rubber. Same reason vinyl gets hard and cracks with age.

There are many husbands on this forum that are worse John. And don't show her the picture below.

https://i.imgur.com/HuQAluP.jpg

When I first asked my question I envisioned something like Bill Joliff posted. Never occurred to me to have muzzle down.
I became conflicted. I want to do the “right” thing for the small collection I have. But certainly see the joy in looking at the display Bill has. Joy is important as we get older and face health issues.
My short term solution is muzzle down in a dry closet. The more precious one or two Parkers I have will be in the safe.
Really though, I want to hook up the old table saw in the barn and build a display rack.
My wife even approves of something small in the living room. She shares my joy.

I've always been a muzzle up kinda guy. Have any of you muzzle-downers ever had a rust problem on the muzzle?

Not in 25 years, nosir.

I have always thought that original pads were made of natural rubber and post WWII pads were composed of synthetic rubber.