I've Done the Work for You (Storage & Transport)

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SuperNaut

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I have come up with a pretty good solution for storing/transporting my semi-autos. SKB makes a wheeled case that is ideal for this application. You can get the SKB 3i 2011 at your local Guitar Center. It is nearly identical to the Pelican 1510DF but cheaper and GC always has them in stock.

So on to the work I've done for you. ;)

With this case you also get diced foam inserts that are rectangular; 41 squares wide (x axis) and 23 squares high (y axis). Count 3 squares from the left and top edges of the foam for your starting point. Then remove 17 squares on the y axis by 2 squares on the x axis. This will give you a slot that a 5" 1911 will slide into upside-down. A 4" poly gun like a Springer XD or Beretta PX4 requires 14 squares on the y axis and 2 squares on the x axis. By spacing every 3 squares and creating another slot, you could fit up to 7 well-protected 5"1911's in one case. The beauty is that you can fit your magazines in the same size slot.

You can fit 10 single-stack 1911 mags in a 17 by 2 slot, or 5 double-stacks in same. Or for more protection; one single-stack mag can fit in a 1 by 3 slot, one double-stack fits in a 2 by 3 slot.

Note: You can increase the number of magazines if you go 3 squares on the x axis and put the magazines in side-by-side. The downside to doing this is that the slot is now item specific instead of generic.

Resist the urge to reduce the spacing between slots to less than 3 squares, you lose too much support by going less.

*OPTIONAL:

Once you have created the slots in the two layers of diced foam, spray glue the two layers together and let dry overnight. This lends a lot of extra support and basically welds the two layers into one solid piece.

I've had to order a few new sets of foam to work out the arrangement, now you don't have to.

skb-case.png
 
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After two Scotches and a cigar I realized that:

8x2=16
7x3=21
4 left over

You could have two squares on each side and fit 8 5"1911's. It would be absolutely necessary to glue the two layers together in order to have enough strength on the left and right borders, but that would allow you to fit more slots.

Yes, I think about stuff like this way, way too much.
 
Isn't that foam going to trap moisture from the air and hold it against your firearms and mags?

Hmm, trying to figure out if I could fit two 1911s, two CZ75s, one CZ40 and three J-frames in that thing.
 
DMK said:
Isn't that foam going to trap moisture from the air and hold it against your firearms and mags?

Dessicant works great for that.

Hmm, trying to figure out if I could fit two 1911s, two CZ75s, one CZ40 and three J-frames in that thing.

The J-Frames are where it gets tight.:scrutiny:
 
SuperNaut,

Nice work!

Sack-Ups [tm] impregnated guns sacks, work ( or should with your set up)
We would buy long gun ones, and cut smaller ones from these, and these work for guns (we did not bother to sew one end or drawstring the other) and mags, and whatever else fitting into slots.
 
sm said:
Nice work!

Thanks Steve

Sack-Ups [tm] impregnated guns sacks, work ( or should with your set up)
We would buy long gun ones, and cut smaller ones from these, and these work for guns (we did not bother to sew one end or drawstring the other) and mags, and whatever else fitting into slots.

Cool, I'll check 'em out!
 
SuperNaut wrote:
After two Scotches and a cigar I realized that:
8x2=16
7x3=21
4 left over

Yeah I like the old math better myself too...

Oh, with a left over pc Sack-Up , these make great fine Scotch (Spirits of any kinds) bottle sleeves.
These protect the nice bottles...the ones scooted way back under the bar of out "sight" of in-laws, out-laws, and mother-in-laws.


See? Responsible Gun stuff transitions to other responsible needs.

Use Enough Scoot Back-n-Hide....
 
...

That is very NICE SN..

Thanks for sharing, and indeed, it is a Px4, and glad ya got the 45 as, so far, they're holding up, especially, in cold weather.. key IMO.


Ls
 
Not a good storage option.
Um. Care to elaborate or are we supposed to guess?

Myself, I tend to prefer to store forearms in a way that air can circulate around them. I had a parkerized 1911 show surface rust in just 24 hours after a range session, when I left it stored in a foam lined gun rug overnight (one of the very few times I didn't clean my guns immediately). And I tend to lubricate my guns heavily.

This box looks like a nice transport option though. Especially when combined with silicone impregnated gun socks.
 
The moisture issue is a valid concern, especially for you guys in the South. But dessicant and Steve's idea about using the Gun Socks should make it viable for storage.

I should also add that I live in Utah where there isn't any moisture in the air. :)
 
SuperNaut's idea is a good one.

I did not take it to mean l-o-n-g term storage.
One has to access their locale and keep in mind the practice of Inspect and Maintain.

Back in the day, before we had all the new and fangled, for handguns we used the metal ice chests. These sealed real well and did not look like "gun".
Nice handles, heavy duty, and some had a hasp, others we added - everyone did, so the handle was secure and not come up while in the back of a truck, or boat. Locks...in case we tumped a canoe and had it tied in, and our food, and dry goods would not fall out.

We took a pair of Silk Socks, then a pair of cotton socks. Just like one does for keeping feet dry as the silk wicks away moisture from feet and one does not get blisters out hiking.

Johnson's Paste Wax, or RIG, applied to guns.

Now I am in the hot humid South. We would shoot, drive someplace and shoot again.

Wipe down gun with Johnson's or RIG, guns in these socks, then in a free Cigar box, cardboard or wood. Put these in the Metal Ice chests and good to go.

Folks still do this, even though Sack ups for the most part has replaced the silk /cotton socks (or just cloths).

Guns did not rust being out for weeks at a time, and once home either.
I've gone 6 months with guns in a warehouse not heated or cooled with this.
Currently we have one I guess nobody has checked in about 9 mos.
We let it go a year, and it was fine.

These guns are not in a "safe" , or "residential" security container" , they are under lock and key, and only a few folks even know where these are.

Blued guns and blued mags too...
 
Low humidity storage problems

Often wood does not do well in prolonged storage in very dry conditions. I would rather use a treated paper wrapper, and keep the RH 30-50%.
 
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