Need help convincing someone NOT to store guns in foam lined case.

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bedbugbilly

New member
Hmmm . . . a fellow learns something new everyday!

I'm in MI part time where we can have a humidity problem - the rest of the time I'm in AZ (in the winter where it is usually "bone dry"). You shouldn't store your handgun in a leather case either (or holster) since leather can absorb humidity . . . so . . other than the fitted plain polymer cases that most guns come in today . . . what IS O.K. for long term storage? I have a number of hand guns that are used/vintage that had no cases or the original cases were cardboard. I've heard horror stories about sheepskin lined cases - those cases would have sheepskin that is washed/cleaned which would remove all of the natural oils and lanolin that might possibly help protect a firearm's finish.

Suggestions of good protective handgun cases that wouldn't be a problem?
 
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KyJim

New member
Not enough room for all my plastic cases, so I don't even try. :) Bore Stores and similar products are great to store guns in. I frequently use thick cotton socks trimmed up and turned inside-out. They protects the finish from small dings and allow air flow.
 
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Casimer

New member
Check out VCI bags - Vapor / Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor. They're marketed under various names. But they're basically a sealable plastic bag that contains a vaporizing corrosion inhibitor.
 
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ClydeFrog

Moderator
+1 for Bore Store bags...

I bought a 6" barrel revolver/large frame auto Bore Store bag in the early 1990s from The Sportsmans Guide, www.sportsmansguide.com . It's held up well & I now use it for my full size M&P 9x19mm pistol.
FWIW; I live in a fairly hot-humid area year round & used a few Plano and low end Docosil brand gun cases w/o any problems.
I also clean or inspect my firearms often too, ;).
I mostly use Ballistol or a high quality CLP like Weaponshield or LPX.

Pistol rugs or padded cases(without cheap foam) may work better for "working" firearms. ;)

ClydeFrog
 
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Bill DeShivs

New member
As has already been stated, but not emphasized enough-it's not just about condensation. The foam can react with oils and solvents. When it does, the gooey mess it creates will ruin a gun's finish.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
again... "what kind of foam"... I have an early Czech pistol collection, that has been in long term storage for 20 years now... yep... it's in a foam lined gun case... the guns have been inspected & re-oiled a couple times in that time frame... no hint of foam deterioration or signs of corrosion... the case does stay in my air conditioned home, but is stored in the basement...

I would offer a word of caution about cheap foam lined cases, & both temp & humidity extremes... but to just blatently say foam is always bad, may be going a bit too far ???
 
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wgsigs

New member
I would offer a word of caution about cheap foam lined cases, & both temp & humidity extremes... but to just blatently say foam is always bad, may be going a bit too far ???
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Personally, I would rather treat/consider all foam as bad (even though I know it isn't), than rely on my ability to figure out what is "good" foam versus what is "bad" foam. "Cheap" is not always obvious and may not be the only indicator of bad foam.

I agree that temperature, humidity, and the cleaners & oils used on the guns can be factors in the deterioration of foam.
 
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Don P

New member
Be a real friend and let him store his guns in the foam lined case and prove you right.
As we would say in my much younger days, when you're dumb you suffer:eek:
 
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drail

Moderator
No, you can't say "all foam is bad" but unless you know specifically what kind of foam you are dealing with and have a basic understanding of chemistry you may get an ugly surprise one day. The manufacturers don't pick a certain kind of foam because it won't react with oils and damage your gun. They use whatever they can get away with. Transport only - use for storage and you're taking a chance.
 
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Newton24b

Moderator
every barrel ive stored in a cun cabinet that was touching the foam barrel padding has a discolored line exactly the size of the foam. etched in the hinish
 
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Chris_B

New member
"Foam" is such a broad wealth of plastics. In wish people wouldn't make statements like "foam breaks down" or "foam traps moisture" without stating what type of foam it was they had experiences with and the type of storage or transport container was used. I say this because foamed plastics exist that do not trap moisture and do not break down when exposed to oils and gun solvents, and the case used has a lot to do with it too.

That said, it's not good policy to use transport cases as storage containers. Transport cases can be used in a pinch, short term. However, the owner really ought to know what kind of plastic he or she is using and what its properties are, as well as the properties of the case they are using. It's not a black art; just read up on plastics. Open cell polystyrene has quite different properties than closed cell polyethylene for example.
 
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oneounceload

Moderator
I have had my 700BDL stored in a Doskocil foam rifle case for the last 8 years since I moved to Florida. While under heat and air, I have many months where the windows are open to all of the weather and humidity - once a year I open the case, wipe it down quickly with a rag and Remoil - no issues

When I lived out West in dry NV, guns were stored in the safe in the garage - over 20+ years, not ONE issue with rust or anything similar

Way too much hype - check your guns, if you see issues, stop and correct; otherwise sleep tight tonight
 
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Casimer

New member
However, the owner really ought to know what kind of plastic he or she is using and what its properties are, as well as the properties of the case they are using.
Click to expand...

That's a fair consideration, but the simpler solution is to not rely on a foam lined case. I don't doubt that there are suitable plastics, it's just that most people aren't qualified to evaluate the nature of the material.

FWIW the few people I know who do need to store firearms long-term (i.e. indefinitely ), don't use cases of any sort. Rather they use VCI bags and store them in a climate controlled environment. Because the alternative is to lather them up in cosmoline or something similar, and that's just too messy to deal with when you need to bring them back into commission.
 
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patrickmn

New member
My 1911 and 92 FS are in the foam-lined boxes they came in. I've not had a problem. I keep them wiped down with an oily cloth at least every month. I kept my Ruger Mark 3 in its hard plastic box until it started to rub the sides of the barrel. Now it is stored in a foam-lined box.

Maybe it is the type of foam or the fact that I keep them wiped down, but I have never seen rust or discoloration on any of my pistols.
 
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Skans

Active member
Here's the problem with foam lined cases and even styrofoam. Folks use all kinds of grease and oils on their guns. These hydrocarbon based lubes/oils react with some foam and styrofoam. Over a long period of time, the chemical reaction can make acids that can eat away at a gun's finish.
 
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