[FE] It’s one thing to acquire nice stuff over time. It’s another thing to keep it that way. Cars, carpet, alligator skin boots—anything you use and abuse—has a shelf life. But guns? No reason great ones can’t last generations doing what they were designed to do, i.e., shoot, if they’re well taken care of. But a weird thing happens when these SAAMI-certified hunks of steel are allowed to routinely bump and slide around in the back of an ATV or even in a dirty canvas bag on your way to and from the range. Add a little moisture and a sprinkle of neglect and presto, the indestructible 1911 that was once the belle of the ball soon begins looking like Merle Haggard’s guitar pick.
It’s a shame it took me half a lifetime to figure out, but investing in a dedicated $125 case to protect $3,500 worth of guns sure isn’t the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. But it’s not just any case that I picked up; it’s a Condition 1 waterproof, dustproof hard case that’s custom cut to hold 5 handguns and 20 magazines. For me the organization value alone is worth it, based on my history of arriving at the range only to realize I forgot extra mags. Besides that, I love the fact that each pistol is sandwiched vertically in rigid foam so I can clamp the lid shut and literally toss the whole case in the back of my truck and not worry about them until I get where I’m going. Once on the range, I’ve found the case is equally handy when used as a pistol holder that keeps five guns clean, on-hand and pointed slightly downward. It beats the hell out of my normal MO of having guns spread out everywhere all over the tailgate, flagging everyone around. |