Storage

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by David Safris

Thank you Dean for the explanation. ok - new fears unlocked ! both are in socks inside the case and are fairly new so hopefully that takes some risk out of it - but I can see where this could happen over time. I like the cases as I know the gun is safe from handling and transportation damage - hadnt thought of the long term storage risk.

So am I the only person who has gotten a gun out of the safe and turned a bit too quick and whacked the end of the barrel on the top of the gun safe. I have also been putting my gun together standing in the back of my 4 Runner and banged the barrel on the lifted back door that is high enough to stand under ..but not high enough for you to throw a shot gun up on your shoulder. So many ways to make mistakes.

The man who many years ago introduced me to Parkers, and knew more about firearms in his little finger than I would ever know, sold me my first Parker complete with LOM case. He said lube it and leave it together not taking it apart every time you transport it. Buy a good quality full length case. He said sooner or later you will be at your tailgate or in your gun room attempting to assemble your gun and the barrels or forend will slip out of your hands and be damaged. He was right about that. Ask me how I know.

Plus, gun socks are cheap. Buy a bunch and use them when storing your gun and when transporting them in your full length case.

[Big D]

About 35 years ago, my bestie was going on a 3 year assignment in Japan, so tried carefully to store his guns in his safe, with the guns in treated socks. When he came home, many of the stocks were screwed up by some chemical that was in the socks. A melluvahess.

I assume things have changed in the last 35 years.

[Phil Yearout]

While LOM cases are very cool (and I have several) they mostly stay on the shelf and I transport my guns in long cases for the very reasons Daryl noted above. And I also know from experience as I once watched a set of barrels slide across the pavement . Some scratches but no major damage fortunately.

And I may be wrong, but IMO if you're worried about oil soaking into the wood you're using too much oil .

[mobirdhunter]

I use long cases for the reasons mentioned also. I once had the forearm slip from my hand and really do a number on a nice stock.

[Double Lab]

Not to mentioned lubing the critical areas of your guns action. If you take them apart to fit into a takedown case you really should wipe that lube off then reapply it when reassembling it. Not something I'm willing to do between coverts or fields in the cold or rain. Just my routine...do what floats your boat.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

And there is no reason for those cute little cut outs that separate guns in the gun safes. You can get a lot more guns in them without all that interior gingerbread. West of the Rockies we don't have to worry about rusting humidity, until you get west of the Cascades.
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[78CJ]

The balance of a gun on its nose would freak me out. Waiting for them to topple. If you use a quality product that seems to "dry" such as G96 and don't lube it like a leaking Drott and I don't see where there should be any concern. There have been guns stored for hundreds of year on their butt that don't exhibit any issues from oil in the stock head. I have shotguns I have owned for over 40 years that were bought new that have zero signs of oil soaking in the stock head and not rust or corrosion whatsoever....

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Ryan Brege

The balance of a gun on its nose would freak me out. Waiting for them to topple. If you use a quality product that seems to "dry" such as G96 and don't lube it like a leaking Drott and I don't see where there should be any concern. There have been guns stored for hundreds of year on their butt that don't exhibit any issues from oil in the stock head. I have shotguns I have owned for over 40 years that were bought new that have zero signs of oil soaking in the stock head and not rust or corrosion whatsoever....

Then you obviously haven't tried it, muzzle down. And, you didn't address the absolute problem of the degradation of vintage recoil pads due mostly to muzzle up storage. And, since a majority of doubles are balanced why would you think that they would be top heavy when sitting muzzle down?

[Bill Murphy]

Yeah, I have had hundreds of guns that have been butt down for fifty years or more with no soaking in the wood. I have also had guns stored butt down without any flattening of the recoil pads. I have no idea how long guns have been stored on their butts resulting in flat pads. It has to be more than 50 years, because some of mine have been stored longer than that without damage to the pads. My guns that are not in trunk cases are stored butt down without any apparent damage. My guns that are cased are in cases with lids closed, all without damage.

[Pa SxS]

I store my guns butt down in the safe. If you're worried about oil soaking into the wood, don't squirt it into the firing pin holes! A lightly oiled rag is all you need on the metal. I also don't like the butt above the barrels. Too easy to tip over. JMHO. Everyone has their preferred way, which in their mind is the correct way, so keep on doing as you wish.