Long-Term Storage in a watertight GunCruzer Case with purge valve?

[Doc Safari]

This actually comes from friend of mine, so I'll try to describe his situation accurately.

He has firearms he never shoots, and doesn't have room for a full-blown gun safe.

Now, the setup is that we all know how bad it is to store firearms in a plastic foam-lined case due to moisture issues.

His solution is to get one of these CaseCruzer watertight cases.



http://www.guncruzer.com/m4/4-pack/4pack-index.html


Supposedly it has an o-ring around the lid, and the EPDM material has an indefinite shelf life. To boot, it also has automatic purge valves which equalize air pressure changes, yet do not allow moisture in (they also do not allow moisture out and so the manufacturer recommends you store your firearms with a couple of desiccants). The manufacturer claims this case is extremely durable and impervious to water, dust, etc.


I'm not sure if this is the exact case he wants to order, but it meets all the specs he quoted, and I looked at it thinking it's pretty cool.

My answer to him was: "I'm old school. To me a gun safe with goldenrod or desiccants is the way to go. A plastic case is a plastic case as far as I'm concerned."

After reading up on this and similar cases, though, I'm beginning to think this one might actually be different and that's why I'm running it past you guys before I tell my buddy, "NO, don't order one."

What do you think?

I think it would make a helluva case for a long range day where you might shoot multiple firearms, but long-term storage? I don't know.

Burglary considerations aside (another issue), do you think a case with the features claimed would be good for long term storage, as long as one puts dessiccants in the case to catch any moisture that might happen to be trapped inside when you seal it up?

[sevenhelmet]

Short answer, No. Not unless he plans to take out the guns and inspect them at least quarterly, and change the dessicant regularly. I keep some of my rifles in Pelican cases, and I routinely have to change the dessicant, even if I haven't cracked open the case. Of note, I live in the Mojave desert, so humidity is low... Open-cell foam seems to have or absorb moisture in it to begin with... so I'd be careful.

For long-term storage, I'd recommend storage inside either a closed-cell foam container with dessicant (I do this with some pistols), or using VCI-lined storage bag with some dessicant in the bag to absorb an any additional moisture. He could then put the bag inside his Pelican (or whatever it is) case.

Open-cell foam is what most cases use. Only a few use closed-cell, which is much firmer in consistency and does not release or absorb moisture.

[Doc Safari]

Just out of curiosity, which Pelican cases did you use? I'm not familiar with their products. Are there different grades? Do some not claim to be watertight? I'm not nitpicking, here, just trying to gather all the relevant information.

I was reading posts on some other forums, and the replies ranged from "my guns rusted" to "I've never had a problem in X number of years and I live in a humid place", etc.

So there must be some variations in performance for some reason.