Problem with foam lining and rust?

3

308Gunner

New member
I've been shopping around for a drawer gunsafe, and found one I like;

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T24OFG...UTF8&colid=3Q41YHYU2S5UM&coliid=IIXLABY1JWJ3J

I prefer a mechanical lock to an electronic one; no batteries to change, never worrying about being locked out when they go dead, etc.

But, this isn't about the safe itself, per se.

In my youth, when I got my first rifle, I didn't get a gun locker, I got a double-lock key and rotary dial case to store it in. Over time, the rifle developed rust on the bolt handle and end of the barrel. Came off with a little steel wool and re-bluing made everything okay. And, yes, it was cleaned and lubed regularly. After that, I got a locker.

However, it did instill within me an inherent distrust of long-term storage in foam. I haven't seen any reviews indicate issues with this particular safe, but doesn't mean they don't exist. And I wouldn't want my M&P to start getting rust on it from being stored for long stretches in the drawer safe.
 
Foam will attract and hold moisture. Especially if left long term in an area with poor ventilation . The good news is that your M&P has a plastic with black coated SS slide. It will be far more resistant. I've found that if taken out on at least a monthly basis and the foam given a chance to breathe moisture is far less likely to develop.

Georgia is pretty hot and humid. The handguns are laying on a cloth covered foam shelf in the tops of the 2 safe's. I leave each door open for several hours several times a week just to let air circulate inside them. Especially during summer months when the AC is running. Never had any issues.
 
Do you use any of the silicate bags or things like that to cut down on moisture? I was over at Dick's today and that was what the guys there recommended. Another user on another board also recommended the Flambeau plastitabs.
 
At times, I have used foam-lined cases for long term storage (several months).

Some people say it will lead to rust, others say you will be fine. I chose to play it safe and dropped the gun in a silicone gun sock and then locked it up in the case. I never saw a single sign of any rust.

If you are worried about it, the socks are not expensive and an easy way to ensure that there is no issue.
 
People who say that foam attracts moisture and people who say that it doesn't are both correct. The confusion is that different kinds of foam can have wildly different properties.

Most manufacturers use a cheap, open-cell foam. Open-cell foam tends to be softer and squishier, but it also holds moisture very well, so it can be a problem in humid environments. The really cheap stuff may even react with your gun - a friend of mine once found that the foam in his gun box had reacted with his CLP and turned into a goopy mess that took a lot of careful scrubbing to remove from his 1911.

Closed-cell foam, like they use in Pelican cases, is basically inert as far as moisture goes, but it's tougher, firmer and usually more expensive. Usually (not always) a manufacturer using closed-cell foam will also be using a foam that's decently resistant to chemicals.

Silica gel absorbs moisture really, really well. In a relatively dry environment, with relatively stable temperature, this is fantastic, because it will suck up whatever moisture is left in the air around it, and it won't experience the kinds of temperature flux that would make it weep back out. In an airtight environment, this is perfect, because there really won't be enough moisture for it to hit capacity to begin with. What you want to be careful about is a non-sealed, humid environment, particularly one with wide fluctuations in temperature (like, for example, a car safe). In cases like that they can actually promote rust unless changed out regularly.
 
Try using a rag, liberally sprayed with silicone, wrapped around the gun, protecting it from the foam.
Never had one rust doing that.
And the gun is quickly retrieved from under the rag.
 
If you really want to know your gun will be safe from the foam, you could use a Bore Store. They are cheap and work great.

Or, use a stainless steel gun for the safe. They are much less prone to rust and corrosion.
 
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