Basement Storage for guns and ammo

[Ron Jablonski]

Paint the floors and walls with a good concrete water sealer, run a dehumidifier, keep guns oiled, and get everything off the floor. That's all I do and I've never had a problem. As others have said, don't over think it. If you have an industrial park near by you can usually find plastic pallets for free. Super easy to cut to your desired size with a circular saw and can hold a good amount weight. I frequently deal with water in my basement so nothing down there is "on the floor"

 

[mac1911]

rifle/pistol ammo will be fine with no additional humidity control measures.
shotgun shells may get powder absorb moisture.
this gizmo sort of works, if you put it inside of the safe and run its refresh cycle monthly:
Amazon product ASIN B00BD0FN8AView: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BD0FN8A


for rifles and pistols if you simply never open original double packaged cartons you received your shipments with - will be fine for decades. or you can use airtight ammo tin cans with a pack of etilenglicol inside.

if you keep your guns in wet places - learn to know what parts in your guns are stainless and what are not - mostly various springs, like ejectors in bolts, etc - anything where a cost savings BS may have been done by a manufacturer.

Neighbor brought his dads ruger 77 over for me to check out
The only rust was the ejector and spring. Locked up hard.

 

[LuvDog]

I have always run a dehumidifier in my basements... empty them every day in the summer... sometimes twice a day. Even without guns, I'd want to keep any cardboard or food stores down there relatively dry.

As for the safes - golden rod and forget about it. I've had stuff in my basements for decades and they've been rust/corrosion free.

 

[Miguelito]

Make sure the safe is up on something, in case the floor endampens.

Other than that, see above; that covers it.

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man."

 

[MisterHappy]

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man."

Truly cromulent.

 

[apander]

I store all my weapons and ammo in the basement in 6 inch PVC pipe coated with frog lube under the cement floor that I jack-hamered up in 1992 because of the AWB, I should check if there is any rust.

 

[kiver]

Never store them in a soft gun bag in the safe. I found out the hard way on that one