Firearm Storage Recomendations

[thelight]

What about gun storage in non-climate controlled environments over the winter?
I'm thinking remote BOL that doesn't have running water (or power, normally) over the winter unless people are there and the heat is being run.
What are key considerations for this environment? I would think oiling up the guns with a heavier-than-normal oil and put them in a gun safe with an electric dehumidifier. How do those dehumidifier drain from inside the safe? Any thoughts on this scenario?

[J&J13]

Special environmental considerations? I'd ask the guys at the local gun store for a recommendation. They've probably been at this for a while now, and know what works best in your area. Not the kid at Wally's; they'll just try to sell you something.

It may not be politically correct, but I think that its better to familiarize your kids with your firearms (in a safe manner, of course) as soon as they're mature enough to handle them. This takes the "forbidden fruit" aspect away, can help teach responsibility and the consequences of actions, and can be a great hobby / skill for a young man or lady to be familiar with for just in case.

Having said that, we currently have battery operated handgun safes (key backup) in our house, with the long guns and bulk ammo supply stored behind locked doors. The kids are too young for now, and guests don't need to know unless they ask. I wouldn't go so far as to field strip and trigger lock firearms for storage, though, unless local rules mandate, as this effectively renders them useless in an emergency. You wouldn't dissasemble your fire extinguisher, would you? (um, you do have one or two, by the way, right?) Same thing. When you need an emergency tool in a hurry, you won't want to dick around with trying to fit fiddly bits together in the dark. Really. Nice thought, though.

Regards, all

[Pondo_Sinatra]

What about gun storage in non-climate controlled environments over the winter?
I'm thinking remote BOL that doesn't have running water (or power, normally) over the winter unless people are there and the heat is being run.
What are key considerations for this environment? I would think oiling up the guns with a heavier-than-normal oil and put them in a gun safe with an electric dehumidifier. How do those dehumidifier drain from inside the safe? Any thoughts on this scenario?

The gun safe dehumidifiers like the "dri-rod" type are basically just heaters. They work by keeping the air in the safe warmer, thereby raising the dewpoint and theoretically keeping the moisture in the air and off the guns. We use them at work in some of the electrical cabinets and breaker enclosures, and they do work, to a point. And all of our outdoor breakers have heaters built in.

There are also rechargeable dehumidifiers that sit in the gun safe and use a dessicant to absorb the moisture. They need to be plugged in periodically to warm themselves up and purge the moisture out of the dessicant, at which point they can be placed back into the gun safe.

Personally, unless I had an airtight safe, I would use a dry bag / silicone treated bag to put the guns in individually, and put a dessicant pack in with each firearm. In a remote BOL, you can't rely on electricity or a stable environment, so I would want my firearms sealed up tight. Looking at some of the vacuum sealers available at WalMart, and the width of the bags, it seems like it wouldn't take too much to seal up a gun and a little silica gel, especially if the gun's just going to sit in storage and not get banged around.

For LONG term storage (years?), I would consider repacking them in Cosmoline. Works for the military!

[Arkane]

I deal with a lot of high humidity here in central Texas, so what I use is Exquisite cat kitty litter (100% silica) in a small butter tub covered with some scrap cotton cloth (to control any dust). At least once every month or two I'll pull it and replace whether I think it needs it or not. So far after a couple of years no rust! It's a lot cheaper than the ready made units, and IMHO does just as well.

[AmirMortal]

I think the best way to prevent kids from having accidents with firearms is to educate them from early on. My father had guns in our house when I was a tot, and he never shot me by accident, and I never shot myself or anyone else by accident. Teach them what guns are( a dangerous mechanical tool which requires deliberate thought and actions. For use with adult supervision only.), and what they are not( status symbol, toy, prop, etc.).

When I was about 5, I began to find the guns (no safe at that time, my parents were poor, I was raised by a pack of wild gun totin' Hippies!). In response to this my father gathered all the guns that lived in the house along with all the people that lived in the house, and introduced them to each other. This process probably too an evening. As a result of this I was aware of firearms, and the responsibilities that accompany them. Shortly thereafter I received the gift of the Crossman, in .177. I loved that BB rifle. But every time I wanted to take it out, I had to quote to him all the safety rules. If I was unable to remember and demonstrate, then I was unable to shoot my rifle. The same rules extended to my friends. Never had an "accident", never shot my buddy ('cept the very occational BBgun fight...Man that was stupid in retrospect!), I even still have both eyes. Teach them!

It doesn't matter what situation is most likely. If you knew you were likely to be burgled and robbed tonight what would you do differently? Get a light for the end of your weapon, also a hand held one (so as to avoid aiming guns at the bumps in the night, which if you have them, will be kids 999 times out of 1,000). I recently started keeping my nighttime pistol in a shoulder holster on my night stand, because I don't need pants to don the holster. With this setup I can have a cell phone with 911 dialed ready to hit "send" and drop in one hand and my light in the other. Quick one handed draw, and I don't have to wave it around if I don't see any threats.



Ignorance is bliss. Fear is the mind killer. Knowledge (Education) is power.

[PYRO31888]

Ill probably be keeping my gun in the Gun cabinet in the garage, until i get my own for my room... But there is no point in having a gun for HD ... if the gun is in the garage... but we have a pistol upstairs hiding.

But i probably will keep a full mag and the gun somewhere in my room... I figure we have an alarm system and no one should be in my room anyway.

[Domino]

Anyone every tried the bigger Biometric safes from Gun Vault?

http://www.gunvault.com/fullsizebiometric.nxg

I would be interested in actually seeing one.

[GuNs|iNgEr]

I keep the "bump in the night" Glock in a nightstand GunVault. The rest go into my heavy safe.

[Bakeel]

The Glock is in the lock box upstairs, and everything else is in the basement in the Liberty Safe. I have four mags for the Glock so I would hope that i could make it to the safe.

[ant69]

The Glock is in the lock box upstairs, and everything else is in the basement in the Liberty Safe. I have four mags for the Glock so I would hope that i could make it to the safe.

Four mags in a Glock why would you need to make it to the safe? For goodness sake buy a door and turn on a porch light!

I store mine locked in a safe bolted in the back of a closet in the darkest room of a house guarded by ADT, a moat and a Pitt Bull. Or do I?

Ant

[krawen379]

The glock is within arm's reach at night and usually close by anytime I'm in the house. Its just a matter of sliding in the mag and cocking it.

For storage I keep it in the standard Glock box that it comes in when purchased. I lock the box in the bottom drawer of my file cabinet. There are not children in the house but its not the best theft deterent.

Do you think this is sufficient until I can afford something better?

[Bakeel]

The Glock is in the lock box upstairs, and everything else is in the basement in the Liberty Safe. I have four mags for the Glock so I would hope that i could make it to the safe.

Four mags in a Glock why would you need to make it to the safe? For goodness sake buy a door and turn on a porch light!

I store mine locked in a safe bolted in the back of a closet in the darkest room of a house guarded by ADT, a moat and a Pitt Bull. Or do I?

Ant

I figure just to be safe I should have 2 bullets for every stair I have to go down to get to the safe
Actually I keep all the Glock mags with Glock because once I get the safe open I am going to do a "Camden" reload. For those not familiar with the slum that is Camden NJ, and the "Camden" reload. It means to drop your current firearm and pick up your next loaded firearm. I am sure every area has a different name for it, "insert slum/crime ridden area" reload.

[OhioMe]

[...I am going to do a "Camden" reload. For those not familiar with the slum that is Camden NJ, and the "Camden" reload. It means to drop your current firearm and pick up your next loaded firearm. I am sure every area has a different name for it, "insert slum/crime ridden area" reload.

I've always heard it referred to as the 'New York reload'.

[krawen379]

Or the Newark Reload.

[Jeriah]

To put a somewhat different spin on this topic:

Where I live, most of my guns I can't keep at home (fun gun ban), and the rest I choose not to (mandatory registration). I have to keep a low profile at the storage unit (they're legal there, but I don't want to attract thieves or prying questions), with the result that I really can't do any regular maintenance. I keep my guns in gun cases or locking wooden boxes. I recently moved from one storage unit to another, and in doing so, looked at my guns. My MAK-90 has rust on the barrel!

Obviously I need to clean this, but after that, how should I store my weapons to prevent rust? Weren't there some kind of sock things that you slipped over your guns to prevent corrosion? I don't want to smear 'em with cosmoline, but I don't want 'em to rust, either. I don't get to shoot them often, but hopefully sometime soon I'll get a chance. When I do that, I'll give them a good cleaning, and put into practice whatever protective measures I decide on. Any suggestions?

[Pondo_Sinatra]

To put a somewhat different spin on this topic:

Where I live, most of my guns I can't keep at home (fun gun ban), and the rest I choose not to (mandatory registration). I have to keep a low profile at the storage unit (they're legal there, but I don't want to attract thieves or prying questions), with the result that I really can't do any regular maintenance. I keep my guns in gun cases or locking wooden boxes. I recently moved from one storage unit to another, and in doing so, looked at my guns. My MAK-90 has rust on the barrel!

Obviously I need to clean this, but after that, how should I store my weapons to prevent rust? Weren't there some kind of sock things that you slipped over your guns to prevent corrosion? I don't want to smear 'em with cosmoline, but I don't want 'em to rust, either. I don't get to shoot them often, but hopefully sometime soon I'll get a chance. When I do that, I'll give them a good cleaning, and put into practice whatever protective measures I decide on. Any suggestions?

Gun cases and wooden boxes are both bad as long-term storage options, as the foam lining in the cases and the wood will hold moisture. I would treat a firearm stored in a storage unit just like one that I'd be storing outdoors or underground - you've got to protect them against the extremes of temperature and humidity that they are going to experience. I'd give them a good, thorough cleaning, coat them lightly with oil, and put them in a waterproof bag with a dessicant pack before locking them in a case.

I just did a quick search through a few gun accessories websites I had bookmarked - I'm pretty sure that I've seen some waterproof bags at Cheaper than Dirt or Sportsman's Guide, but can't seem to find anything right now. Maybe someone has a link?

*Edit to add: Those impregnated rifle socks are good, but I think they're better suited for indoor storage.

[Yugosaki]

I store mine in a regular old gun cabinet. I see it as a temporary solution, what I would LIKE to do, is make a small room (about the size of a walk in closet) in the basement out of cinderblocks/concrete and a heavy door, and use that as a gun safe. This would allow me to keep all firearms-related stuff in the room under lock and key, so that if someone broke in while i was not home, they would not suspect that there are firearms in the house and go looking for those. Criminals stealing my guns and using them in crime is a big concern to me. Even the room that has the cabinet now is in the basement, the window is covered, has bars, and is behind a bush, and the door locks.

[Bakeel]

I did some digging on another forum I belong to and I have a bunch of links for you about waterproof/rustproof bags. What Farblue said is very good advice. A little oil goes a long way, also I would go and reapply oil maybe every six months or so. If you are going to keep the bags in a locked wooden box, I would follow Farblue's advice about desiccant packs in each bag but I would also put a large dehumidifier bag/desiccant bag in each box and change it when it is full.

Here are the links for the bags:
http://www.polygunbag.com/gunbags.html
http://www.exploreproducts.com/kleen...storagebag.htm
http://www.borestores.com/
http://www.vci2000.com/html/products.html (anti-corrosion storage info)
http://dsafe.stores.yahoo.net/evde.html (dehumidifier)
http://dsafe.stores.yahoo.net/masaulingunp.html
http://dsafe.stores.yahoo.net/cagrpisa13si.html
https://www.rustfreebags.com/Page_1.php
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0034792227686a.shtml (Remington dehumidifier)

Hope that helps.

[NRAJOE]

I put ALL my firearms in silcon "Sackups" gets very humid in Ohio sometimes...never a problem in 20 yrs of use...

[nyiangelo]

i first had this over in another forum but i think it would be better here. lately ive been thinking how i dont like the electronic lock on my safe. it has " break me with a hammer " written all over it to a thief. also for all of us wearing tinhats ive thought of well if an nukie detonated in the air i could be fine from fallout but the reach of the emp would be unavoidable.

A large device detonated at 400–500 km (250 to 312 miles) over Kansas would affect all of the continental U.S. The signal from such an event extends to the visual horizon as seen from the burst point. WIKI

sooo.... does anyone have any thoughts on this "gun storage" problem. my safe manufacturer says they can have someone there within the hour in such a case to which i just laughed and said yeah ok.

or am i just paranoid ???? thoughts???

[Hatch]

EMP was one of several concerns (though not the most significant) I had when choosing electronic vs. non-electronic lock for my safe. In the end, I chose non-electronic. What I lose in speed, I gain in reliability.

--Hatch

[Pondo_Sinatra]

i first had this over in another forum but i think it would be better here. lately ive been thinking how i dont like the electronic lock on my safe. it has " break me with a hammer " written all over it to a thief. also for all of us wearing tinhats ive thought of well if an nukie detonated in the air i could be fine from fallout but the reach of the emp would be unavoidable.

A large device detonated at 400–500 km (250 to 312 miles) over Kansas would affect all of the continental U.S. The signal from such an event extends to the visual horizon as seen from the burst point. WIKI

sooo.... does anyone have any thoughts on this "gun storage" problem. my safe manufacturer says they can have someone there within the hour in such a case to which i just laughed and said yeah ok.

or am i just paranoid ???? thoughts???

Do you have a backup keyed option (I'm guessing no, since you'd have brought it up). My small pistol safe has a key for it, which is hidden in the house. Comes in handy when the batteries die, too.

[nyiangelo]

no the keypad is the only entry...ive had it for about 3-4 years and it works great. but its just that one chance of if, but im screwed if i cant get in.... so i looked into and i can get them to switch it to a manual for about $250 and still stay under warranty. just sucks to spend the money u know

[Smillie]

I have a key lock cabinet bolted to the wall in the bedroom that my side by side 12 gauge lives in , the ammo's stored seperately in an under floor safe. If I upgrade my shotgun licence to a firearms licence Il probably just change the cabinet for a bigger one and keep what ever rifle I get in there as well.