Proper gun storage in humid climates (don't be like me)

[nosbocaj]

Hopefully this post can save some folks from the same troubles I went through.

I moved to MD on military orders in fall 2021. I brought most of my collection (around 20 guns), leaving behind my shotguns and Steyr AUG with my dad. For years now, I've always kept my guns in my safe in the garage. I never thought about the effects of humidity because it's just not an issue where I came from. I routinely shot 1000s of rounds a year, mostly suppressed, and would put them back in the safe only to find them perfectly functionally months later. Admittedly, I tend to follow the clean it when it needs it ethos...

Shortly after moving to the area, I did a lot of shooting in quick succession. Then, my son was born and I didn't touch a gun for nearly a year and a half. My collection sat in the safe this whole time, going through two summers and winters. Realizing how much I missed target shooting and having the ability to go shooting more often, I decided to open the safe up and do a one over on everything. What I found was pretty bad (albeit fixable luckily)...

Of my handguns, the four that I shot most (and always suppressed), wouldn't even cycle. They were practically seized with this amalgamation of CLP, gunpowder residue, and humidity. My lesser fired guns were all fine as I had lightly cleaned everything before he was born. No cycling issues across my rifles or sub guns thankfully.

I called up local gunsmith who offered to do "deep cleans" on all five for $35. I dropped them off with him the same day. A week and $140 later they were good as new. He said they were gummed up worse than he's ever seen. Luckily, because my collection is all "modern", there were no concerns with rust due to modern manufacturing and protective coatings (phew). As a fellow west coaster who moved here and dealt with something similar, he gave me some tips.

Now I've got the safe setup with a 24" goldenrod and a 500g rechargeable desiccant pack. Everything has been cleaned again and checked thoroughly and should be good to go now. If you plan on storing your weapons outside of a climate controlled environment, HEED MY WARNING. It was a spendy lesson that hopefully can save future dry environment transplants like me the same hassle!

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

The mid-Atlantic and south are notorious for the humidity that can screw things up...and not just firearms. Many years ago a high school buddy went into the USAF. He had a beautiful and super performing '69 Z-28 he had to store at his parents when he was sent to SE Asia for a year.

When he returned and pulled the cover off the car the paint came off with it. His parents and brother and sister never bothered to uncover the car occasionally...nor did he ask them to. He did get the paint redone and it was beautiful. That car could turn the tires blue in every gear.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Shrug . That's normal to us .

OTOH , we don't need to worry about adding moisture to guitar cases to keep them from drying out .

 

[nosbocaj]

Shrug . That's normal to us .

OTOH , we don't need to worry about adding moisture to guitar cases to keep them from drying out .

Ha, good point.

Yeah I figured this was mostly for folks like me. This forum probably gets quite a few military passing through. Luckily, I had my C&R stuff and ammo in the house. I don't think my 80 year old K98k's would have fared as well in my safe these last two years...

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Hopefully this post can save some folks from the same troubles I went through.

I moved to MD on military orders in fall 2021. I brought most of my collection (around 20 guns), leaving behind my shotguns and Steyr AUG with my dad. For years now, I've always kept my guns in my safe in the garage. I never thought about the effects of humidity because it's just not an issue where I came from. I routinely shot 1000s of rounds a year, mostly suppressed, and would put them back in the safe only to find them perfectly functionally months later. Admittedly, I tend to follow the clean it when it needs it ethos...

Shortly after moving to the area, I did a lot of shooting in quick succession. Then, my son was born and I didn't touch a gun for nearly a year and a half. My collection sat in the safe this whole time, going through two summers and winters. Realizing how much I missed target shooting and having the ability to go shooting more often, I decided to open the safe up and do a one over on everything. What I found was pretty bad (albeit fixable luckily)...

Of my handguns, the four that I shot most (and always suppressed), wouldn't even cycle. They were practically seized with this amalgamation of CLP, gunpowder residue, and humidity. My lesser fired guns were all fine as I had lightly cleaned everything before he was born. No cycling issues across my rifles or sub guns thankfully.

I called up local gunsmith who offered to do "deep cleans" on all five for $35. I dropped them off with him the same day. A week and $140 later they were good as new. He said they were gummed up worse than he's ever seen. Luckily, because my collection is all "modern", there were no concerns with rust due to modern manufacturing and protective coatings (phew). As a fellow west coaster who moved here and dealt with something similar, he gave me some tips.

Now I've got the safe setup with a 24" goldenrod and a 500g rechargeable desiccant pack. Everything has been cleaned again and checked thoroughly and should be good to go now. If you plan on storing your weapons outside of a climate controlled environment, HEED MY WARNING. It was a spendy lesson that hopefully can save future dry environment transplants like me the same hassle!

Great post and glad your issues weren't worse.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Ha, good point.

Yeah I figured this was mostly for folks like me. This forum probably gets quite a few military passing through. Luckily, I had my C&R stuff and ammo in the house. I don't think my 80 year old K98k's would have fared as well in my safe these last two years...

Lots of folks here will extol the virtues of not cleaning or maintaining guns.
Glad to hear you saved them.

 

[possumman]

Your garage is not a "conditioned " space---a bath fan on a timer that exhausts outside will help a lot---just have it turn on 3 times a day for an hour each time--a cheap lamp timer will do the trick--it changes the air and helps prevent condensation---if you have bikes or motorcycles or other toys in there you may have noticed them "sweating" from time to time.

 

[King Chicken]

2 years is the worst that gunsmith has ever seen? What did i miss?
Wasn't even a duty rifle yo

 

[Mondial]

For the garage safe, a little boot warmer device made for this works great. Keeps the inside temp slightly higher than outside and prevents condensation. A little H20 absorption device also goes a long way.....
I prefer to always clean after a shooting event. Why risk the conditon being caked in when it can be avoided?

 

[nosbocaj]

2 years is the worst that gunsmith has ever seen? What did i miss?
Wasn't even a duty rifle yo

I mean they were BAD. I literally couldn't pull the slide or hammer back on any of them. The triggers felt like they were dipped in molasses and wouldn't reset. He said he broke a sear spring on one just trying to get it apart. They're smooth as butter now, which really lends to how nasty that gunk was.

I shoot them all suppressed, so they get a lot more gunk. Had I cleaned them, they would have probably been fine like my rifles and PCC's.

 

[TI-tick]

I have a gun safe in an unheated and uninsulated garage in MD, with a 24" golden rod and desiccant. All was well until some family member unplugged the golden rod in the fall. When I returned to MD in the spring and opened the safe, I about had a heart attack, followed by the urge to beat a family member.

Mildew was all over the interior of the safe and the firearms; IIRC the worst of it was on the wood of the firearms or areas my hands touched last; AR's had almost zero. I broke the firearms down and cleaned well with CLP. The empty safe was cleaned with a light bleach solution, scrubbed, dried, then sprayed with CLP and scrubbed again.

Fortunately, after cleaning the finish/bluing was no worse than it was before. I put painters' tape over the golden rod plug at the outlet saying do not unplug. I've also made a point to wipe my firearms down with a silicone cloth before I depart MD. Seems to work well now going on 5 years or so.

That was a lesson.

 

[paperwork351]

I put a hygrometer in the safe which stays around 40-50%. Time to check it and recharge the desiccant box.

 

[King Chicken]

I mean they were BAD. I literally couldn't pull the slide or hammer back on any of them. The triggers felt like they were dipped in molasses and wouldn't reset. He said he broke a sear spring on one just trying to get it apart. They're smooth as butter now, which really lends to how nasty that gunk was.

I shoot them all suppressed, so they get a lot more gunk. Had I cleaned them, they would have probably been fine like my rifles and PCC's.

That's the part i missed. I've never shot suppressed before and cleaned so wut do i know.

Problem with the Land full of Mary's is that humidity can come inside a lot as well if you decide to open windows to air yo sht out.....my wife and i try to air the stinks out (breathing, cooking, stanking) as much as possible and you can feel humidity on the carpet afterwards walking near windows.

 

[Bountied]

My basement has a dehumidifier set to 40%. I use the below device to keep an eye on things but I stopped with the desiccants and heaters due to there being no issues with humidity or temp in the basement which is climate controlled. I also take my guns out and check them out often. Only issue I ever had was a spot of rust on my 1911 on the barrel where the bushing touches. Didn't see it until I rack the slide back. Very disturbing but a brass brush and some Balistol fixed it.

 

[BurkeM]

This is why cleaning after every range day MATTERS.

 

[INMY01TA]

My safe is in the garage also. 24” Goldenrod and the safe stays dryer inside then when it was in my climate controlled rec room.

 

[govwontletmebuycoolguns]

I used to have mildew problems in the garage, so I installed a dehumidifier with a pump that drains to the sump pump pit in the corner. Garage stays around 50% now (provided the wife/kids don't leave the garage door open) with no more mildew. That said, I don't store my guns in the garage.

 

[Cal68]

I have a Goldenrod in my safe. I bought it new but it has been in the safe for about 5-6 years. How long is its lifespan? I'm just asking in case I need to swap it out for a new one.

Also, is there a particular type of desiccant that you guys recommend?

Cal68

 

[Mark75H]

A Goldenrod type heater should last a lifetime. Silica beads are the best desiccant. Avoid unnamed desiccants, sometimes they are table salt. Salt is a good desiccant, but bad around metals when it’s saturated

ETA: humidity control is the prime function of my daily job responsibilities at work at the present time. Mondial nailed it in post #9

 

[rambling_one]

I use a Goldenrod and the DampRid bags. So far, so good.