Gun case or gun slip for storage

MartynB said:

Legia Spray is fine for everything , all over the gun as is VP 90 gun spray . Pro Ferrum is brilliant for peace of mind in places where you can’t see if water has got in under and behind top and mid ribs is a favourite . If your already doing the cleaning thats fine , as a clay shooter your gun should not be getting the soaking that a game shooters guns do . Don’t over think it . As long as you continue to wipe the metal work over ( and again don’t overdo it ) , it matters little if it’s a high tech modern spray or an oily rag with Castrol GTX .

I’m from the age where we all used to have a bit of old flannelette bed sheet soaked with oil and kept in a tin , guns , fishing reels , wood chisels ,saws , all got a rub after use

Interesting you say you won’t get a slip , consider that oneday maybe your gun will be in the rack or over your shoulder and a big bit of stray clay might come slicing into it ….

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The reasons I’m sticking with the case and not getting a slip is:

1) I think the case will give slightly more protection in the general gun room at the club, in storage.
2) I’ve noted that if it went into a slip even slightly damp, the slip material may hold moisture.
3) I’m honest enough to admit that I’m far too lazy to put the gun into the slip while walking between stands. So it would never give protection.

I’ve ordered a Napier super VP90 sachet to put into the case. I’m going to make sure I always wipe the gun down with a lightly oiled rag after use, probably the Legia spray that I have.

Hopefully that will do for now. I just wish the club would provide a basic table under shelter to strip and clean the gun after a session.

One of the biggest things in successful clay shooting is 'Routine'. My Routine starts outside the shooting stand. I choose gunslips that stand up on their own. Saves looking around for somewhere to hang one of the collapsible variety. As soon as I finish shooting, gun back in slip, then I'm ready to move to the next stand. After 17 years of running a clay ground and seeing some of the damage that unslipped guns can suffer. I shall continue to use one.

PeeJay said:

Bit of background first…

For a number of reasons, I don’t want to store the gun at home. So it is stored at the gun club where I’m a member. I shoot about every 3-4 weeks. The club is too far away to take the gun home, clean it and bring it back. So I clean it after every visit and leave it. Sadly, the club insists that guns are cleaned in the car, not anywhere near the clubhouse, so when it’s wet there is a chance there will be some moisture, however little (try breaking and cleaning a gun, with the case and cleaning materials, in a small 5 door hatchback). I currently store it in the hard plastic case that the gun came in ( Baretta 686 SP 1), broken into barrel and stock etc.

So based on the above (and accepting it can’t change in the foreseeable future), I have three questions please:

1) after cleaning/drying, would it be better to store it in the hard plastic case, or in a lined gun slip. The gun slip would only be used for storage, not carrying around the ground.
2) if a gun slip would be best, are there any recommended (leather, canvas, lined, unlined etc.). Money isn’t a problem for the right product.
3) are there products I can use (moisture spray, packs, crystals etc) in the case/slip, or would that just trap moisture in.

I’m just a beginner trying to do the right thing so any help would be most appreciated.

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Surely you don’t need to ask this question?
Do I store a gun in a potentially wet gun slip or a dry case that will also protect it from reasonably heavy impact?
I’ll leave it to you

jonnye said:

Surely you don’t need to ask this question?
Do I store a gun in a potentially wet gun slip or a dry case that will also protect it from reasonably heavy impact?
I’ll leave it to you

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Yes, as a beginner who didn’t know about gun slips and who hadn’t thought about them being wet, I had need to ask the question.

Your dismissive scorn may be appropriate if directed at an experienced shooter, who should know better, but it’s out of place when a beginner is asking for help and input.

westley said:

One of the biggest things in successful clay shooting is 'Routine'. My Routine starts outside the shooting stand. I choose gunslips that stand up on their own. Saves looking around for somewhere to hang one of the collapsible variety. As soon as I finish shooting, gun back in slip, then I'm ready to move to the next stand. After 17 years of running a clay ground and seeing some of the damage that unslipped guns can suffer. I shall continue to use one.

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I noted previous comments about routines, and have my own, albeit not including a gunslip.

I can understand where you’re coming from re the damage. I’m just being honest, in saying I’m unlikely to shoot 5 rabbits, then slip the gun, walk to another stand, unslip, shoot 6 high towers, then slip, move and repeat. It might just be my lack of experience, although I have to say I’ve now seen many hundreds of shooters at the ground, over 12 months, and I’ve only ever seen about 4-5 use a slip while walking around.

But I take your point and it’s food for thought. I certainly hadn’t thought about the gun being damaged by clay fragments.

PeeJay said:

I noted previous comments about routines, and have my own, albeit not including a gunslip.

I can understand where you’re coming from re the damage. I’m just being honest, in saying I’m unlikely to shoot 5 rabbits, then slip the gun, walk to another stand, unslip, shoot 6 high towers, then slip, move and repeat. It might just be my lack of experience, although I have to say I’ve now seen many hundreds of shooters at the ground, over 12 months, and I’ve only ever seen about 4-5 use a slip while walking around.

But I take your point and it’s food for thought. I certainly hadn’t thought about the gun being damaged by clay fragments.

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Apart from knowing about the damage that can incur, I shoot with 3 or 4 other OAP's. If we do a 100 birder it can involve quite a bit of walking, especially at grounds like West Mids. I have to use a range bag because, with 100 plus cartridges spread around my attire, if I fell over, I probably would be unable to get up again. The slipping and unslipping of a gun takes seconds.

Personally issues of gun storage - on and off the ground - are very personal.

I hate messing about with gun slips and I dislike the fact that others guns are closed and can't be seen, however I have used one and will in future - often on a wet day but with the gun then cleaned and dried when I am back home and sometimes left in bits in the car boot to avoid rust. If a mate has a buggy, I use a slip. I store all my guns in a 'take down' safes and will, on occasion, put the slip back without cleaning the gun if it is being used a few days later. The safe is in the house so the temperature stays pretty even.

I have seen guns damaged coming out of slips, I get pissed off with bits of fluff on the bead but I have also seen guns damaged when put in stupid and not so stupid places. I personally prefer grounds with gun racks; ideally not metal.

The same is true of kit (range) bags. I hated them until I needed an allen key for my adjustable stock and now I carry too much stuff. I don't change chokes and now I have a bag big enough to carry three different cartridges to cover off the distances.

Each to their own. Often our processes are the ones that have worked for us - we might change them if something else comes along. In your case the gun is stored elsewhere so I expect the hard case option is the best one. personally I would use a case with a combination lock to restrict access but if you are reliant on the grounds license they will dictate protocol.

Finally, no such thing as a stupid question.

I use ACF-50 anti corrosion on anything metal that could get wet or stand in humid conditions and it really does live up to the hype.
Give it a go.