How To Store Gun Boxes

[Mason]

How and where do you store your long gun boxes?

I have the origional cardbord boxes for most of my guns. I am dead set on keeping them around because I feel like they increase the value of the gun. When purchasing a rifle I am willing to pay a little more for the same rifle with a box.

Anyway, I am going to my parents house this weekend to pick up "a few" boxes, a cun cabinet, some ammo, and a few boxes of clay targets.

I have a place for all the other junk already.

Should I stick the boxes on homemade racks between the floor joists in my basement?

Come on with the ideas TGO?

[xd shooter]

I can understand where you come from on wanting to save them & it sounds like you have a good idea.

Me personally I would have a campfire.

[hipower]

I have a long history of being overly anal about keeping boxes from my diecast purchases and other things, so I can understand your dilemma. Personally, I am blessed to have an attached garage that can't, because of some land issues, be used for vehicles. So I have built cabinets and wall storage to house all my crap...uh, make that important stuff. And yes, I do try to keep all boxes for my gunsin the unlikely event I do sell one.

[Jonnin]

Only suggestion I have is, when you can, put one inside another to save space. Some will and some will not do this. If the box is cardboard and you can do so without harm, collapse it, here again some willl and some will not do this.

[Chucktshoes]

I would be cautious about storing boxes without taking precautions against spiders and other pests (like mice or rats). Cardboard attracts spiders and makes great nesting material for rats and mice. Liberal use of mothballs and storing the boxes inside of sealed plastic totes should help prevent an infestation. Maybe it is just me, but no amount of perceived or actual added value of the original box is worth having to deal with spiders and mice.

[I_Like_Pie]

Should I stick the boxes on homemade racks between the floor joists in my basement?

That is actually a spectacular idea!

As long as it is a basement rather than a crawlspace there probably isn't a better place for them.

I personally just open the attic access panel and pitch mine on a piece of plywood near the christmas tree, but your option would be much easierfor those with the space.

I might even do some reorganizing. Thanks for the tip.

[Mason]

Thank you for the comments everyone. After looking into it further I am gonna stick with my first idea. I am going to suspend the boxes with steel wire and wire staples I found in my old toolbox. two strands on wire will spand multiple joists. Most of the boxes will fit vertically and I will have room for about 3 boxes per space.

I should not have problems with rodents if I keep the boxes away from the walls. Mice have trouble climbing vertical surfaces.

If everything goes as planned I will be able to see the end of each box for the firearm discription and SN.

A lot of times I leave things like shotgun plugs and rimfire scope rails in the boxes and need them later.

[tnhawk]

I've been keeping the boxes for my firearms in the attic. I'll probably never have a use for them, as it would be unlikely I'd ever sale one of my firearms.