Gun Storage Question

You need to do something else. Storing guns in a foamlined case is a sure fire receipe for diasaster, especially in humid climates, the foam collects moisture, you can guess the rest. I have seen several guns completely ruined from this.

It's generally considered unwise to regularly dry-fire a rimfire gun. The reason for this is that the firing pin in a rimfire weapon is (obviously) designed to contact the rim of the cartridge case, which is supported by the rear of the chamber. If there's no cartridge in there, then the firing pin is smacking against the steel at the edge of the chamber directly. This is hard on the parts in the firing pin mechanism.

As for leaving the gun cocked and empty? Personally, I wouldn't. In a case like that, I'd dry fire it to get the firing mechanism to rest. Ideally, you wouldn't want to store a gun with the internal springs under tension. The dry firing you have to worry about is the "basement practice" dry firing. We all love to do it, but it's rough on many guns.

As for the mag springs, yes, springs do naturally wear out over time if left under constant stress. How much time? Really depends on the spring and the amount of stress. If your reason for leaving the magazine charged is for home defense, you might consider rotating the magazines out every so often. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it though, to be honest.

I'm a young shooter by most standards, and haven't owned any of my guns long enough to really run them through the test of time, but I have yet to have a magazine spring fail on me (whether it be automatic handgun magazine, or lever rifle/shotgun tube mag spring).

If you're going to keep them in a foam case for a long time, I highly suggest coating them with a lube that resists moisture. I recommend CLP... brand name is "Break Free." And once a month I'd take them out, wipe them down, and coat them again. By doing that, I was able to keep a Beretta 92FS in perfect shape in a storage unit in northern NY for 18 months without checking it, and it has absolutely no problems... only thing that rusted were the screws that held the hand grips. And that's because I didn't think to coat them.

Make sure to lube the bores too! When I put a weapon away for storage, I leave the bore DRIPPING with CLP. I do this because I have a safe that is NOT water proof, or climate controlled, and is in the corner of my bedroom. The climate of the room does affect my weapons, so I keep them as protected as possible. Like you, I'm in an apartment building so it's really my only option.

As far as whether they are cocked... I do dry fire my 10/22 to decock it. I know some guys will tell me that's bad, and it is, but I don't believe I do it enough to damage the rifle. If it ever breaks... well... it's really just a plinker, if something dangerous happened I wouldn't grab the 10/22 anyway.

EDIT: generally, if I'm not using the weapon, it's soaked in CLP. If I am using it, it's wiped off... but the guts are still soaked in CLP. Trust me, just buy some CLP (Break Free)

+1 on the CLP. Can't go wrong with the stuff.

If I didn't have a safe (which I do) I would probably lube the weapon, put it in a zip-lock bag and then put it in the case...which is pretty much what some manufacturers do.

As far as the spring issue goes--do a search. Consensus seems to be that springs don't wear out from being (remaining) compressed, but wear from cycling. As such, you do more harm loading/unloading (or loading and firing) the magazine than you do by leaving it fully loaded.

Breakfree CLP is like $2.00 a can at Walmart. Skip buying a soda at the vending machine tomorrow and buy gun oil instead.

Leaving springs compressed does not wear them out, modern research shows. It is the constant compression and release that wears them out. Nothing wrong with leaving your firing spring compressed or your magazines loaded. It actually is probably harder on a spring to release it (because it must be recompressed for use). Magazines loaded for decades seem to work just fine.

Another bad is that the foam can be broken down by some gun oils leaving a sticky mess coating you firearm.

As for the mag springs, yes, springs do naturally wear out over time if left under constant stress.

Click to expand...

As has been stated, this is false. Cycling spring is what wears them.

I'm in the same boat as DilboFlaggins. Storing a rifle in a foamlined case due to space constraints. The upside is that the rifle is new (newly delivered C&R that is) and I've only been doing it for a week or so, and the rifle is in a rust-prevention plastic bag within the case. I'm waiting for delivery of a silicon sock/sleeve for it, and some silica drying packets and will then probably leave it in the case with those additional things.

Unless I hear it's still a terrible idea, then I'll have to come up with something else...

The newer Ruger 10/22's are mostly plastic so I doubt you will hurt one.

Either way thats a poor way to store guns, get a small locking cabinet or something. You can buy them from any of the big box stores for well under $100.