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Acceptable humidity level for a gun safe
- Thread starter Franko
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Mark from MA
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Eventually silica gel or any moisture dessicant will get full of moisture. Some of these you can put in the oven and reburn off and reuse.
We do this with dessicant in our laboratory that has a pink/blue indicator on when its full of moisture. Pink its full, blue its recharged.
I gotta admit with the guns I've left in safes open to relative humidity (not in a cellar) Ive not had a problem. I do wipe them down occasionally.
Asaltweapon
NES Member
Oil is a friend just like needless handling.
i have this eva-dry now for a pretty long time and a once a quarter heat-up to dry it up seems to work fine.
does not show me anything but a 2 pack for some reason.
Amazon product ASIN B09Y2B68MYView: https://www.amazon.com/Eva-Dry-Renewable-dehumidifier-perfect-bathrooms/dp/B09Y2B68MY
Asaltweapon
NES Member
Not that I’ve ever looked for.
I knew when the housekeepers were at the house in MA. I knew if anybody opened it.
In Maine it was more of a comfort level if someone got past the alarm system.
They are great devices IMO.
The availability of the external antenna for the Safelert was beyond cool-if there is an absolutely necessary safe option it is a monitor like the Safelert/TempStick
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I have had rifles live in locked rifle cases and in closets (with a trigger lock, Maura) for years, No issues at all.
I don't know what the humidity is at my place, but don't use a dehumidifier. I do use AC most of the time during summer.
Let me put it this way ... I bought a bunch of silica sand, put it in the safe, it went from orange to green in less than a week. All the rifles and handguns are fine.
As a test, I put some silica sand inside a zip lock with ammo and has remaindered orange for months, same for ammo cans. I wanted to test how well those worked since I keep my reloaded ammo in cans and ziploc bags.
For the longest time my Sharps wouldn't fit in a safe until I bought a cabinet to store some extra guns. The Sharps, that I only shoot black powder with, lived in a locked rifle case for 7 years. If you look at that rifle you wouldn't believe me I ever shot it, it looks so nice and clean. All I do is clean it at the range, oil it and done.
I don't know what the humidity is at my place, but don't use a dehumidifier. I do use AC most of the time during summer.
Let me put it this way ... I bought a bunch of silica sand, put it in the safe, it went from orange to green in less than a week. All the rifles and handguns are fine.
As a test, I put some silica sand inside a zip lock with ammo and has remaindered orange for months, same for ammo cans. I wanted to test how well those worked since I keep my reloaded ammo in cans and ziploc bags.
For the longest time my Sharps wouldn't fit in a safe until I bought a cabinet to store some extra guns. The Sharps, that I only shoot black powder with, lived in a locked rifle case for 7 years. If you look at that rifle you wouldn't believe me I ever shot it, it looks so nice and clean. All I do is clean it at the range, oil it and done.
No, my point is that storing a gun in a gun case, inside a closet, should expose it to worse conditions than guns and a safe with a rod, since there is no humidity control in the case and the case is not air tight. I have even had a couple of rifles with locks and no case in a closet.
So, at least based on a few years of my own experience, if those guns are fine, anything in a safe with a rod should be fine.
Assuming the safe is not in some basement with some crazy high humidity, you are not shooting corrosive ammo and the finish of the guns is fine.
Even unfinished guns should be OK. My dad has a few muskets in his office, some were military musket which had no bluing. I put some of that wax they use in museums on the metal parts. The muskets have been hanging on the wall for a few years and there is no rust. So, whatever is the average humidity in New England, that is what those guns have been exposed to for years.
Again ... not saying it is OK to leave guns in a damp basement exposed to humidity.
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Asaltweapon
NES Member
Where are you planning on finding that utopia?
Here's mine. Salvaged combo lock safe. Removed broken lock and handle. Replaced with stout padlock and hasp. Holds 2 Remington 870 12 gauge shotguns, a Savage 110 .223, a Ruger 10/22 and a Daisy 1101 air rifle. Never had a problem with rust. Complies with MA storage laws.
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Granted i own nothing very old or unfinished, mostly ARs, modern pistols, stainless guns like a mini/10-22 etc, in an air conditioned living space I don't see how humidity would ever be an issue.
In a wet basement oh I get it, that'd be a lost cause, a finished basement that's not generating mold or problems with drywall similarly is like a living space.
My perception is as a NH resident 10 miles from the coast or so, not particularly dry or humid here, but to me it seems the location of the safe is most important - unless potentially you really throttle the AC and your living space is like the outdoors. I turn mine on the first day it hits about 75 and it runs until its time to switch to heat (although if I'm gone for the week the thermostat might be set at 75). I'm a lot more picky about AC, heat on the other hand I basically shut off at night, leave on 45 if I'm gone.
In a wet basement oh I get it, that'd be a lost cause, a finished basement that's not generating mold or problems with drywall similarly is like a living space.
My perception is as a NH resident 10 miles from the coast or so, not particularly dry or humid here, but to me it seems the location of the safe is most important - unless potentially you really throttle the AC and your living space is like the outdoors. I turn mine on the first day it hits about 75 and it runs until its time to switch to heat (although if I'm gone for the week the thermostat might be set at 75). I'm a lot more picky about AC, heat on the other hand I basically shut off at night, leave on 45 if I'm gone.
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I love ZeRust bags... Love.
And they are resealable. Want to shoot a particular rifle/pistol? Zip...bang, clean... zip again, and again and again...
If the color looks familiar, it's because some gun manufacturers package new guns in them.
not my photos...
And they are resealable. Want to shoot a particular rifle/pistol? Zip...bang, clean... zip again, and again and again...
If the color looks familiar, it's because some gun manufacturers package new guns in them.
not my photos...
I understood that to protect the contents of his safe the member, living about 10 miles from the ocean, turns on the AC-nothing more-to me not knowing what is going on inside is taking a chance-just what do you do to protect what you store if anything ?
I turn on the AC because I despise hot, humid living quarters
- however I leave it running even when I'm gone for the sake of my stuff, sure - really everything though, I just don't want dampness where I live.My safes I've always kept in living quarters because it's a better place to store guns. Mostly if someone has guns getting corroded in a safe, corrosive ammo aside, it's because they are keeping them in a damp basement - which often isn't even a good place to store say sheets of plywood. Sure some are very dry, many aren't.
There are lots of things you can do as well, mentioned above, all of them related to dehumidifying or monitoring. But if it's not an area where everyday ferrous household items are gonna corrode, then neither will your guns.
ablediver
NES Member
Yep, those bags work well. I've used them to store my guns here in FL. No issues. Also, try using Rig-Rag available at Dillon Precision. A thin coat of that stuff is like Cosmoline Lite. I use it here and it does its job.
Ablediver
