Best Way to Store your Over/Under

I was lucky enough to get a Beretta Silver Pigeon O/U 12ga shotgun for Christmas. It's my first O/U shotgun. It came with a nice plastic Beretta case that's obviously custom fit for the gun when it's broken down. I also have a gun safe that I can put the assembled model in.

So what's the best way to store an O/U shotgun like this? In the case broken down or assembled and in the safe? Obviously I get more protection in the Safe, but besides that, just for the gun itself, what's the best way to store it? Broken down or assembled?

Or maybe it doesn't really matter either way. Thoughts?

I would put it in a sock and rest it on the barrel instead of the butt. This will prevent the gun oil from seeping into the nice stock that I am sure your o/u has.

Just sit it in the safe like your other guns. Socks trap moisture and are intended for transporting not storage. Wipe off any excess oil, if there is enough to where it runs down the gun then it is over oiled.

I put cap plugs on the muzzles of my rifles and shotguns for protection and let them stand on their muzzles if they have soft recoil pads. Those soft recoil pads will deteriorate over time otherwise (and they might eventually rot away anyhow). I've seen too many soft recoil pads go to he** when they are on the floor for a long time.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the information.

Congrats on the sweet gun sir

I am pretty sure a silicon sock would absorb water and would keep your wood from getting dinged. Here is a pretty good thread on the topic.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=334024&page=1

Like this with snap caps

I have a custom case for mine, it stays in there, broken down of course. I've been told, (Don't know if true or not) that you shouldn't store an O/U or SxS put together unless you have snap-its in the chambers to release to spring tension in the action. I snap both barrels and then take mine apart, but that's just me.

Store mine stock down with the caps in. Will have to research storing it barrel down though, interesting.

Nice gun. I had a SP1 and recently got a Beretta 692. I always snap cap, disassemble, and store in Beretta VCI socks. I would stay away from silicone socks and spray on your stock, Fine on the barrel.

Agree with leswad, its the way I do my 725 Sporting, in a gun sock.

plus get some snap caps to take the weight off your firing pin springs.

Store mine in the safe with a gun sock on it and buttstock down. My safe is in a climate controlled house environment. The sock does wonders for eliminating small dings and scratches. Especially if you have ARs with rails in your safe.

If you have to worry about a sock retaining moisture, then you probably need to revisit where you store your guns.

If you have oil seeping down in the stock, then you probably need to reduce the amount of oil you're applying.

I don't oil the outside metal anymore, instead using Renaissance Wax, the same stuff the NRA uses in its museum.

I wax the wood and metal, all at the same time. It's protected and doesn't pick up fingerprints so easily.

It's amazing how much better a waxed gun looks than an oiled one. The micro-crystalline wax stays a lot better than oil does, too.

I'll never go back to oiling my guns. Midway, Amazon and Brownells has it. You get a lifetime supply, as a little goes a long way.

Also, I use snap-caps on my O/U as it allows me to store it with the springs relaxed without stressing the firing pin by dry-firing on an empty chamber.

The little things can make a big difference when storing and using a fine firearm.