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Is a safe enough to protect guns/ammo from the elements?

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9mmNerd

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I live in a climate where it can be 20 below in the winter and is 110 degrees in the summer.

If i wanted to store guns/ammo in a building that isn't climate controlled, do I need to worry about corrosion and deterioration if they are in a safe?

I've seen those blue anti-corrosion bags you can buy, but they are pretty expensive.
 
Yep - what everyone else said. Humidity is the enemy much more than temperature extremes. I constantly fight with rust on things like cast iron drill press or table saw tables in my garage here in Alabama, and had to throw out a set of golf clubs that got ruined sitting in the corner of the garage. Too much humidity and the shafts were rusting even in the "dry" garage.

If I had to put a gun safe in a non climate controlled building, dehumidifier buckets and such inside the safe can help the contents. The safe itself is likely painted. And as long as you are taking the guns out and wiping them down and oiling a couple times per year, it should be fine.

I will throw in a plug for Ballistol now. My favorite gun oil and cleaning solvent all in one, with an actually pleasant (to me) scent, unlike Hoppes, etc. Spray things down with that and they will be good.
 
jfmorris said:
Yep - what everyone else said. Humidity is the enemy much more than temperature extremes. I constantly fight with rust on things like cast iron drill press or table saw tables in my garage here in Alabama, and had to throw out a set of golf clubs that got ruined sitting in the corner of the garage. Too much humidity and the shafts were rusting even in the "dry" garage.

If I had to put a gun safe in a non climate controlled building, dehumidifier buckets and such inside the safe can help the contents. The safe itself is likely painted. And as long as you are taking the guns out and wiping them down and oiling a couple times per year, it should be fine.

I will throw in a plug for Ballistol now. My favorite gun oil and cleaning solvent all in one, with an actually pleasant (to me) scent, unlike Hoppes, etc. Spray things down with that and they will be good.
Click to expand...
I like Ballistol as well (after a tip from Hickok45)
 
9mmNerd said:
I live in a climate where it can be 20 below in the winter and is 110 degrees in the summer.

If i wanted to store guns/ammo in a building that isn't climate controlled, do I need to worry about corrosion and deterioration if they are in a safe?

I've seen those blue anti-corrosion bags you can buy, but they are pretty expensive.
Click to expand...
It’s something I’d definitely look into and consider if you live in a particularly wet atmosphere or high humidity area.
 
In my old house I kept my firearms in a crawl space that was easily accessible.
I keep them in the original and pelican cases with desiccant packs, I also oil pardon the plugs with Lucas products and polish every six months using Mothers Mag Polish.
My revolvers are forty plus year old and they look new.
IMG_0300.jpg
 
Depends on the safe. If you have a low end safe the tolerances will not be as tight as a higher end safe. Try slamming the door on your safe. If it slams, the tolerances are not as tight as a higher end safe. You want one that has a minimum of 11 gauge steel, that you can't slam the door. The air inside the safe in a tighter tolerance safe will pressurize around the door as you try to slam it and will not allow the door to slam shut. This is good to have because the exposure to outside elements are kept to a minimum.
On guns you are storing, use Birchwood Casey gun grease or Aeroshell MS33 on the internals and Lucas Extreme duty gun oil on the outer materials. Place them in sealable gun bags.
If your safe as a power outlet pick yourself up a Golden Rod or two to dehumidify the safe. If not you can get battery operated dehumidifiers. For weapons that you are not storing and use frequently, just clean and oil them regularly and you will be fine.
 
Thanks for all the info guys! I will definitely be investing in a dehumidifier for my safe and plan to at least clean and lube them a couple of times a year if they aren't being fired.
 
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