Looking for a nice hard case

[Strapy]

I am looking to go from a soft case to a hard one. The soft case seems to let too much condensation in and with taking it from warm to cold temps; I am seeing some light rusting on the barrel. Anyone know of a good reliable hard case? Are there any cases I should stay away from.

[Synchronizor]

I bought a Plano Gun Guard single-gun case back when I first got my 870. Nothing real fancy, but for the money, it's pretty functional, and you can put a padlock on if you need to (this is more for keeping kids out or satisfying transportation rules; if you want real security, get something metal). This specific case is just about an inch too short for my 870 with a 14" LoP stock and 28" trap barrel installed, so if you have a build like that, you'll need to find a longer version to avoid having to take the barrel off before storing it.

I did use some stick-on Velcro pads to better attach the foam liner to the case lid. It's not the most rigid case, but that seems to help it absorb impacts. I had a buddy who also used one of these for his bullpup .22, and it held up quite well when he ate it trying to jump across a drainage ditch. Its flexibility also lets it accommodate slightly larger objects, like an 870 receiver with a sidesaddle attached, or a box of shells.

I don't actually keep the gun in it anymore, I use it for storing extra barrels, mag tubes, furniture sets, and so on. If I want to be able to reconfigure the gun when I take it out, I can just toss it in the back of my rig and be good to go.

You're likely getting condensation on your gun because of a temperature difference. A hard case might help (not to mention protect the gun better), but if you want to deal with the real problem, you should try wiping the gun down with oil as soon as you bring it in from the cold, and before you store it for an extended period of time. This'll displace moisture and create a barrier to protect the finish. I like to use Remington Rem Oil Wipes for this. They're cheap (the Wal-Mart here has them in a 12-pack for less than $5), really easy to find, and convenient to keep on hand in a range bag, hunting pack, or even a pocket.

[Strapy]

Sync, Thank you for giving me all of that info. I like the wipe idea.

[Vitaly]

Synchronizor, thanks for sharing the info about oil wipes, I need them too