To store o/u assembled or not?

cdncowboy

cdncowboy

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I have a Beretta silver pigeon 1 o/u and it is recommended that it is stored disassembled. I am curious what other o/u owners do... store assembled or disassembled?
 
How disassembled are you talking? Mine is stored in the factory beretta socks in it case so action/buttstock in one barrel/forend in another sock and the othe barrels in the other sock. Its all greased and oiled and ready to go.

Not sure if its the right way or not.
 
Mine stay assembled except for occasional cleaning where they get more than bore snake and a touch of grease. To and from the club assembled in a padded soft case. Disassembly is a small P.I.T.A and a somewhat larger risk of damage. Done as required.
 
Many of the high end over unders that are cased come Disassembled ( barrels/ forstock ) it makes for a shorter storage package . Unless you have something extra special I don't believe it matters . Other than possibly having them somehow get separated from each other .
 
TrxR said:
How disassembled are you talking? Mine is stored in the factory beretta socks in it case so action/buttstock in one barrel/forend in another sock and the othe barrels in the other sock. Its all greased and oiled and ready to go.

Not sure if its the right way or not.
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Be careful about storing in the case. One of the single best ways to promote rust.

I store all my guns assembled and in corrosion inhibiting gun socks. In a safe with a golden rod, desiccants and a light bulb. Plus a hygrometer. I worry more about it being too dry.
 
All of my SxS, and O/U shotguns are stored with the barrels removed, in a fitted case. If you spray a little G-96 Gun Treatment into the case lining. rust isn't an issue.
 
If you store the O/U in the case broken down, you can release the locking lugs (at least on the Beretta 686) to not keep them cocked perpetually.
 
mosinmaster said:
If you store the O/U in the case broken down, you can release the locking lugs (at least on the Beretta 686) to not keep them cocked perpetually.
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I don't worry about spring tension during the season, but I agree that, for guns designed to facilitate decocking, this is worthwhile. Big difference between decocking and using snap caps, though. Snap caps are a good approach to decocking during the season, when the snaps caps won't stay in the chambers for long. But, NEVER store your guns long term with the snaps caps inserted. Doing so promotes moisture retention and badly rusted chambers are often the outcome.

Another well-intentioned "preventative" measure that all too often backfires is oiling after cleaning. The last step in most cleaning routines is usually oiling the barrels and receiver. Literally only a few drops of oil on a patch is required. Many, if not most, over oil their guns due to a sincere desire to prevent rusting. The problem is that most guns these days are stored upright in gun cabinets. Over the course of months in storage, the oil leaks down through the workings and soaks into the stocks. Oil-soaked wood turns punky, loses all it's strength and turns black and soft like wood rotting in the forest.
 
Mine are together in the safe but Beretta has a method they recommend.

Using snap caps, fire both barrels.

Remove fore end stock before opening as to not reset the hammers.

Remove barrels.

Push small pin on the receiver face to move lever to center.

Clean and lube as needed obviously to protect from rusting.

And of course remove snap caps as mentioned.
 
I'm with 1963 Beretta, assembled, decocked as appropriate, muzzle down in gun socks. I live in a dry desert climate ( yes, in Canada) so moisture damage and rusting is not a problem for me. In the rare instance where I need to leave a gun broken down and cased for awhile I make absolutely sure the gun is dry, clean and wiped down with a slightly oiled rag, being diligent about removing fingerprints and excess oil. Release hammers first by tripping on snap caps before disassembly or by snapping with firing pins striking a hardwood block to prevent damage. On Berettas I also relax the top lever back to center.
 
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My Beretta Perennia III is stored assembled, I have snap caps to 'fire' the barrels so the springs are not compressed.

Cheers
Jay
 
straightshooter said:
I don't worry about spring tension during the season, but I agree that, for guns designed to facilitate decocking, this is worthwhile. Big difference between decocking and using snap caps, though. Snap caps are a good approach to decocking during the season, when the snaps caps won't stay in the chambers for long. But, NEVER store your guns long term with the snaps caps inserted. Doing so promotes moisture retention and badly rusted chambers are often the outcome.

Another well-intentioned "preventative" measure that all too often backfires is oiling after cleaning. The last step in most cleaning routines is usually oiling the barrels and receiver. Literally only a few drops of oil on a patch is required. Many, if not most, over oil their guns due to a sincere desire to prevent rusting. The problem is that most guns these days are stored upright in gun cabinets. Over the course of months in storage, the oil leaks down through the workings and soaks into the stocks. Oil-soaked wood turns punky, loses all it's strength and turns black and soft like wood rotting in the forest.
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oil is the bane of vintage SxS. Too much applied for 100 years equals rotten, punky wood.
 
Cleaned and assembled with the hammers un cocked. I'm in a very dry climate so rust isn't generally a factor but my guns do get lightly (and lovingly) oiled. I've seen too many guns (not mine) come out of cases with rust on them to ever store my guns that way.
 
Ashcroft said:
I'm with 1963 Beretta, assembled, decocked as appropriate, muzzle down in gun socks. I live in a dry desert climate ( yes, in Canda) so moisture damage and rusting is not a problem for me. In the rare instance where I need to leave a gun broken down and cased for awhile I make absolutely sure the gun is dry, clean and wiped down with a slightly oiled rag, being diligent about removing fingerprints and excess oil. Release hammers first by tripping on snap caps before disassembly or by snapping with firing pins striking a hardwood block to prevent damage. On Berettas I also relax the top lever back to center.
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Thanks for reminding me. All my guns get wiped down with a silicone cloth after being handled/used. Some folks don't realise how hard finger/hand oils are on bluing, browning, case colours, and on finishes in general. Silicone infused cloths are cheap and they do an amazing job of cleaning while protecting against corrosion and oxidation. I've yet to have a silicone cloth wear out. They get dirty, but they still work.

I have the privilege of owning a few one-of-a-kind pieces. I consider it as much a responsibility as a privilege. Little tricks like silicone cloths make the job less nerve wracking.
 
My double guns are generally stored assembled. My beretta semis are stored broken down in plastic cases. No lining to hold moisture. Sprayed and wiped with g96. Neverhad an issue with rust yet
 
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