Bedside Pistol Safe Corrosion Protection

I have a combination lock box for bedside storage of a pistol. The pistol currently sits on top of an egg crate type foam. Got to thinking (maybe over thinking) that a pistol sitting on this foam for long periods of time is a bad idea given reading about how it's not a good idea to store a gun in a case with foam and how much we put into our safe to keep corrosion away (dessicant, golden rod, hygrometers, etc.)

Had the idea of setting the pistol on some VCI paper between the pistol and the foam and a few silica gel pacs (not in contact with the pistol) for long term protection.

Thoughts and opinions welcome.

 

I have two early XD-40 (before Springfield Armory started using Melonite process to protect the slide similar to Glock's Tenifer, both are basically ferritic nitrocarburizing.) and that gun will rust if you look at it wrong. A humid trip to the range, let it sit overnight without cleaning, and anywhere you touched the slide the finger prints will have developed surface rust in that short of time. It wipes off but that is an example how rust prone the early XD's are.

I said all that to say that my XD-40 Service sits in a similar quick access pistol box near my bed and it is lined with open cell foam. Its been there over 10 years with only infrequent removal and there is not a spot of rust on it. The only thing I have done is wiping the gun down with a very light coat of RIG grease before placing it in the box for an extended stay. If you have a temperature controlled room (ie heat and AC) I would not worry about it more than maybe a very light coating of you favorite rust preventative.

 

Take your handguns out and clean them every now and then. How often depends on how humid the weather is and how humid you keep the house. A small, rechargeable desiccant pack will add more peace of mind to regular cleanings.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101458876?pid=599066

 

@hso - I like that idea. I was just thinking VCI plastic between the foam and the pistol as a barrier (in addition to something like RIG mentioned by mcb), but I like the drawer liner idea.

I'm maybe just a little OCD (although you couldn't tell from the way my stuff is organized). Call me an OCD wannabe. I was in the process of dehumidifying my gun safe after finding some minor surface rust on a few guns when I was finally getting around to reapplying some CLP to guns that were in the very back of the safe. So, I figured a golden rod, plus desiccant, plus CLP, plus silicone gun socks (more for ding protection), plus VCI and I can't go wrong. My guns should be well preserved in my safe for archeologists in 2,000 years unless the tomb raiders (aka my daughters, after I'm dead) get to them first. Overkill - probably. Cheap insurance - definitely.

That's what set off my brain on the pistol in my bedside safe. I felt it was being neglected and needed some additional attention. I can't stick a golden rod in there, but using a multiple of the other methods can't hurt.

 

Egg crate (Convoluted Polyfoam) foam is open cell and will absorb moisture, and over time any oils or chemicals could deteriorate it and give off corrosive gases as well that can damage guns.

As mentioned above you want closed cell (Polyethylene) foam. You can tell the difference pretty easy side by side as the egg crate foam (Polyurethane) is very soft to the touch with a dull finish. The closed cell (Polyethylene) is more rigid and usually more shiny and plastic like to the touch. It is still plenty soft to not damage your gun when bought in the softer compounds.

You can see some options to buy replacement foam here:
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf...FMQ1QJ6BAgcEAE&biw=1344&bih=730&dpr=1.25#ip=1

 

You're better off with no foam or padding at all, just put a piece of plastic if you're worried about scratches .
I learned about this stuff the hard way.
I left a blued revolver in a brown bianchi holster untouched in my sock drawer for 1 year, it completely destroyed the finish and was covered in rust that did wipe off but took the finish with it.

Years later I got a great deal on a Dan Wesson revolver that was stored in a zippered pistol soft case- it was cheap because it rusted terribly where it was in contact with the case intended to protect it. Was crazy how the imprint of the revolver was perfectly transferred to the material inside the case .

Never again. It depends on the gun really but anything that isn't a modern polymer framed thing gets a wipe with an oily cloth and hung in my safe or stored in plastic box. My bedside pistol is a glock, store it however you want, in my experience you have to try to rust a glock and even then it's tough to do- I have one that's been in the ocean a few times and there's no rust anywhere.