Storing Guns in Foam Padded Cases

[Onomea]

Have always read that was a no-no, storing guns in foam lined cases, because the foam holds moisture.

I recently acquired a gun in a satin covered, foam padded, leather presentation case. The gun is from the mid 1980s, but it looked to me like a previous owner had probably relined the case himself at some point. The foam beneath the satin was deformed and crumbling to powder, so I removed it, along with the satin covering, with the intent of refurbishing it.

Looking online for suitable foam, I found a company called Case Club (Case Club - Manufacturer of Hard Sided Cases & Custom Foam Inserts) which specializes in gun cases and in foam. The site explains that there are different types of foam. Polyurethane foam is open cell foam and holds water. Polyethylene is closed cell and does not. So I ordered some polyethylene.

I followed up with an email inquiry, explaining that I'd always heard that foam was not good for gun storage, asking their opinion. Received a prompt reply saying that all their gun cases used polyethylene, that polyethylene with a desiccant and a waterproof case was the way to go, and adding that pluckable foam, for example, is polyurethane...

I also asked if gun oil would damage polyethylene, to which the resonse was no, it would not.

Anyway, I find this interesting and pass it on.

 

[Yendor357]

I won’t store my guns in a case of any sort, not for more than a few days. Guns have to breathe. My gun closet is dry concrete blocks all around with a heavy steel door. I have a forced air furnace/ac duct in there for air circulation. In 30 years, I’ve never had a speck of rust.

Closed cell foam is way better than the sponge type of foam. But me personally, I wouldn’t do it for long unless the gun was covered with cosmoline. I absolutely detest rust on a gun of any sort. Rust is just dumb neglect that is so very easily prevented.

They’ve made fuel tanks out of plastic for years now, so I wouldn’t think a little oil would break down a good quality closed cell foam.

Gun in a case? Not me.

 

[rockquarry]

If I couldn't keep long guns or handguns in a safe, I'd store them in a closet uncased and wipe them down annually with a lightly oiled soft cloth.
Leave bores and cylinders oiled as well. If you have incredibly high humidity and/or your home is not air-conditioned, wipe them down twice a year. You should have no problem with rust.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Repost- back when I ran I Buy Guns Ads,
Get a call.
Would you be interested in a WIN Model 61?
What’s your address?
When I get there it’s laying on the dining table on an unzipped sheepskin wool lined case.
The side showing is fantastic ! High 90s.
I pick it up and look at the other side.
Made me want to cry! Heavy, ugly pitting end to end!
It had apparently been stored laying flat for a long time in that sheepskin.

 

[Onomea]

My post, this thread, is making me reflect upon the purpose of gun cases. Most, I think, are for travel, a way of keeping the gun secure in transit. I think this was likely as true in the past as it is today. I bet those beautiful old English and French fitted double rifle cases, for example, were designed for getting your rifle from, say, Paris or London to Kenya. At home or on safari, they probably were not used to store the guns.

(At least if you knew what you were doing... Maybe when Lord Humphrey Bisdale Acleby III wanted one of his rifles, he'd say, "Bertie, get me my .416 Rigby!," and Bertie would go to the gun closet, get the carefully stored rifle off the rack, wipe it down, put it in its case, and take it back to Lord Humphrey and present it to him....)

Today we still have presentation cases in use. We often see them for beautiful Smith revolvers on this site. And there are guys who refurbish them beautifully. What are these used for, do you think?

My guess is, again, not for storage.

My guess is for display. Maybe displayed in the home, or maybe if taken to a gathering of like-minded friends as a conversation piece.

Thinking about why I am refurbishing the case I mention above, I think part of it is trying to make the gun look like it was when it was new. Maybe it is like guys who like to keep, maintain or find original boxes, although I have never been into that.

Also, i would think, for display, like putting a favored picture in a frame for the wall.

My interest is not for storage, as I agree with the posters above who cite better storage methods.

I do think, though, if one is going to refurbish a foam lined case, it makes sense to use the polyethylene foam.

There's Huey gun cases, for example. Extremely high end and beautiful. Surely guys buy those simply because when displaying their guns they enhance the beauty of the gun.

For those of you who have nice presentation cases, especially older cases, or who have bought nice ones, how and why do you have or use them?

How about some pics?!

 

[Yaworski]

Most of my guns are in Doskocil boxes with foam. No rust issues after decades.

 

[djohns6]

So when I see people say that you should never store guns in a foam lined case , or a cardboard box , or a gun sock , etc. it makes me chuckle . Once again somebody telling me that I shouldn't do something that I have been doing successfully for nearly 50 yrs . Yeah , I'll get right on that ...

 

[rockquarry]

So when I see people say that you should never store guns in a foam lined case , or a cardboard box , or a gun sock , etc. it makes me chuckle . Once again somebody telling me that I shouldn't do something that I have been doing successfully for nearly 50 yrs . Yeah , I'll get right on that ...

I think people were just offering helpful suggestions, not mandating you change your ways.

 

[Oldengineer]

Those of us that live in Arizona don’t seem to fully understand what this is all about!

 

[glowe]

There is no polymer foam that is capable of rusting steel. That is how simple the answer is, as all foams are made from petrochemical feedstocks. There are no chemicals in foam that attack metals. Water, on the other hand can and does rust steel. High humidity will penetrate the foam and if the revolver is stored in a humid environment, it will rust. Degradation of plastic as it oxidizes over time results in a VOC being dispersed. That is a gas that all petrochemicals expel as they deteriorate, including oils and fuels.

These cases are called "Presentation" and that is just what they were built for. I believe that eye appeal sold many S&W 44 Magnums over another brand because of how they looked in the store.

 

[DWalt]

I screwed up the finish of my as-new Hi-Standard .22 Olympic rapid fire pistol by storing it in a foam-lined plastic pistol carrying case. A sad story.

 

[RobertK3026]

I store all my Springfield's in there foam lined cases and I store my S&W ones in a Pelican foamed lined case for 40 years, but I add desiccant packs that I get from electronic shipping boxes, oil regularly and use Mothers Mag Polish on the surface.

 

[johngalt]

I store mine both rugs and foam padded cases. Never had any rust issues.

 

[GypsmJim]

The only "cases" own are ones that I built myself. Either from scratch or a re-do of an old silverware case.

I don't get the "foam" approach. Why do that? My cases are wood, with wood separators between the gun or guns. Then I cover the inside with either felt or velvet.

Like others have said, they have been sitting there for 50 years with no rust.

 

[Oldengineer]

My wife has commented that she wishes that I touched her as much as my Smiths! I’m working on it. I have a dedicated dirty (?) microfiber cloth basket �� for the weekly laundry. Old t-shirts get included. Maybe I don’t have enough Smiths?

 

[waffles]

I use those silicone impregnated gun socks then inside the safe (or sans sock if it's something I use a lot or don't care about). Foam cases are for to the range and back, not long term storage.

 

[sophie]

Most of my guns are in Doskocil boxes with foam. No rust issues after decades.

So when I see people say that you should never store guns in a foam lined case , or a cardboard box , or a gun sock , etc. it makes me chuckle . Once again somebody telling me that I shouldn't do something that I have been doing successfully for nearly 50 yrs . Yeah , I'll get right on that ...

Well, me too guys. I always enjoy reading the warnings coming from every direction about storing guns in boxes with foam or pistol rugs for any length of time because of rust forming on surfaces. For foam to hold moisture you’ve got to have water present, right? Dry foam doesn’t create moisture, does it? Nope, it doesn’t. I’ve got pistols that’s been stored in brief cases with foam for 45 years. No rust on my guns. I actually wrap my pistols in red shop rags and wrap the guns in anti rust paper too whether they be in foam cases or gun rugs. I’ll admit the guns are not exposed directly to the foam, but I’ll not change at this point in the game.

 

[bluetopper]

All my handguns are in a locked up store room in the garage area in zip up rugs in a safe with a light bulb on. Have been for years. No problems.

 

[Nevada Ed]

When I was in the Navy and sent to be with the CB's;

all our Colt 45's and Rifles, etc, were packed in wooden boxs, without any foam, as the way for storage and shipping ot our destinations.

Humidity is what you need to keep from your guns, or at least a good cleaning and grease every 60-90 days, if you live in Guam or Florida.

 

[djohns6]

Keep your safe dry and wipe your fingerprints off of your guns before storing . I keep a couple of old well worn baby diapers to wipe down with . 100% cotton and very absorbent . A cup of silica gel on the shelf . No rust .