So, after last year's hunt, you dutifully and meticulously clean your firearm, place it in the foam lined case that came with it, lock it up and store it in a safe place until next year.
Fast forward to today...you retrieve the case and pull together all your gear for the hunt coming up in few days. You open the case to find that a disgusting sticky film is all over your firearm's stock. You try wiping it off and cleaning it with Formula 409, but it just doesn't seem to get any better. What the heck?!?
So, here's the thing...the foam lining in most modern firearm carrying cases is made from chemicals. These cases are designed to transport firearms from a secure storage location to the range, or to the field for a hunt, and back. They are NOT designed to store firearms for long periods of time. When the foam in thoses cases remains in contact with firearm stocks, synthetic stocks in particular, quite often a chemical reaction causes the surface of the stock to break down and become very gooey and sticky. Left too long, perhaps years, a stock can become so damaged that replacing the expensive stock is the only alternative.
For long term storage, every firearm safety organization recommends a lockable safe or cabinet to store pistols, rifles and shotguns. Such safes and cabinets are readily available from Wal*Mart, Tractor Supply Company (aka TSC), Bass Pro Shop, Academy Sports & Outdoors, or any number of on-line retailers for reasonable prices. This kind of long term storage is a very good investment, keeps firearms from those who should not have access to them, and is the responsible thing to do! AND, it will keep your firearms with synthetic stocks from developing that very disgusting sticky, gross and destructive slime.
