How do you store your shotgun, barrel up or barrel down?

[cris6367]

I searched "barrel down" and "upside down" and didn't find any info on this topic. While most modern O/U and SxS shotguns are designed to have more wood in the bearing surface area where the stock meets the receiver, IMHO there is still some concern for lubricants, especially light oils, to seep down from the action onto this area and over time, degrade the wood. There are certainly a lot of old L.C. Smiths, Fox and Parkers that have experienced ruined stocks due to "gravity".

I personally store all of my shotguns "barrel down" in my safe. That way, any lubricants that seep down have to go aways to reach the forearm! Just curious as to others' thoughts on this topic?

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[P7M13]

Interesting.
I have a 55 y.o. O/U and a 75 y.o. SxS, both stored barrel up by me for all the years I've owned them, likely the same by their prior owners, and I've never seen any oil degradation of the stocks.
But, I only put a very thin film of grease on the knuckle. Edit to add, I'll have to check....
My ARs, OTOH, are sloppy wet with earl, and Ill wipe them down when pulling from the safe.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Barrel up ....haven't had an issue.
However I also make sure that my firearms ain't "swimming" in oil either
Andy

 

[AshWilliams]

Barrel horizontal, as in mounted over my bed headboard.

 

[trekkerpaul]

Always up or however it lands if I have to dump it. Many guns use an oil finish on the wood. Most of the oil damage I've seen on wood stocks has been caused by hand oil.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Barrel up. The bedside one I keep clean but put either a condom or just plastic wrap/rubber band on it to keep general dust out.

My house is on a slab so muzzle down would cause the shottie to fly upwards should go off. Muzzle up not so much

 

[nammac]

Barrel up, no issues in all the years I've stored them that way…

 

[Dozer99]

If you store it barrel down how are the spiders supposed to make there nests in there?

"Spider lives matter"

 

[Nosferatu]

I used to overthink mundane tasks as well.

 

[crstrode]

The vast majority store rifles and shotguns with the muzzle up, action down. This is done for convenience.

Those that do the opposite have zero chance of fouling from lube, solvent, debris, etc. getting into the action from the barrel during storage. This is also done for convenience . . . go figure.

 

[Alexx1401]

The only one I still have that has wood is always barrel up but its a Win Police model so nothing overly pretty to protect here. If I had some nice example with nice wood furniture I guess I would be FAR more careful here.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Always barrel down for safety.

 

[WAYNO]

Because I am so protective of any guns muzzle and crown, with few exceptions, my barrels are stored up. The exceptions are rifles with a muzzle device. I sometimes store them down, as it helps maximize storage efficiency in my safe.

 

[Koda]

I personally store all of my shotguns "barrel down" in my safe. That way, any lubricants that seep down have to go aways to reach the forearm! Just curious as to others' thoughts on this topic?

After Im done lubricating any guns I wipe off any excess oil.
Ive never heard of this dilemma.

 

[HA556]

Barrel up ....haven't had an issue.
However I also make sure that my firearms ain't "swimming" in oil either
Andy

This in a nut shell!

 

[Nosferatu]

This in a nut shell!

You keep your shotgun in a nut shell?

 

[Kruel J]

Barrel up, always have and always will. Never had any degradation. I think my problem is way more to do with them getting marks from bumping each other. I am careful, but the safe is stuffed so it gets tricky.

 

[DB is Here]

Butt down, then again, I don't do handstands in my chair either.

 

[Certaindeaf]

This is why I sleep upside down.

 

[DB is Here]

This is why I sleep upside down.

But do you ride a horse upside down and backwards? They do in Enumclaw.