Gun Storage Question...

[kanuist]

I've got a question about gun storage and moisture.  

I store my guns in a locked metal gun cabinet (not a safe).  Each gun is stored in a "Bore Stores" brand case.  These are supposed to keep the gun dry and allow air flow while keeping moisture out via a silicon impregnated fabric.  

I also have two 450 gram packages of Silica Gel in the cabinet.  They have an indicator strip that tells you the percent of moisture content.

The cabinet is in a dry and heated part of the house.

I'm in and out of the cabinet every few days and once a week I check the indicator strip on the silica gel.  Seems like they hit 40% moisture content every three weeks.  This is when you are to dry the packs in an oven.

The question is:  Do I need to worry?  Am I being over concerned?

Thanks!

[tracker]

No, you are not over concerned. Rust and corrosion is insidious.
I use Birchwood Casey "Barricade" for penetration protection and/
or "Corrosion X" for surface and some penetration protection.

[Richard S]

What Tracker said. I also use an easily obtained product marketed under the tradename "Damp Rid" in my gun room.

[DanR9SF]

One more thing you can do that will totally eliminate any corrosion - VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor).  The technology has been around for many years.  You put an emitter in your cabinet and the volatile corrosion inhibitor compound is transported to all surfaces where it is converted by moisture to protective ions.  Sounds complicated but it's inexpensive, and it works.  It does nothing to plastic or glass, but on metals it works its magic.  The films left by emitters are only a few molecule layers thick (-1/25,000th of 1µ or 1/500,000th of 1 mil):  http://www.bull-frog.com/publications/articles/faq.php

When you buy a gun (or many bare steel parts) it sometimes comes wrapped in that brown, oily paper.  That's VCI in action. Remington now sells Rem Oil with VCI Technology.  http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0066126229772a.shtml

And Remington also sells a Super Safe plug - an emitter just for a gun safe.  It's about 5 inches tall and looks like a big shotgun shell, and inside is the VCI with a one year life.  Costs $15.99 at Cheaper Than Dirt.  http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/55123-1.html

Remington also sell smaller plugs that actually chamber in the gun and emit VCI down the barrel and into the action.

Bull Frog sells them too.  http://www.bull-frog.com/products/

And if you look here you'll see all the other VCI products and applications: http://www.cortecvci.com/Products/Packaging_Products/vci_packaging_products.html

I've read studies which show that, even if you open the safe a couple of times a day you still get effective VCI protection as long as the compartment is pretty much air tight.  In a gun safe that heater rod at the bottom is perfect for moving the air around and enhancing VCI effect.

I keep one Remington Super Safe Plug in my safe and I'm good for a year.  And I wipe down the guns with the new formula Rem Oil before putting them away.  They say it's impossible for bare metal to corrode when protected with VCI.  I suppose I should do a test.

[DanR9SF]

You know, I also heard air that's too dry can cause problems with cracking wood.  50% relative humidity is supposed to be the low end of the target for guns.

I have a gun safe, and on top of it I keep a thermometer which has a remote probe (wire) routed into the safe.   So I can monitor Exterior (Room) Temperature, Inside-The-Safe Temperature, and Inside-The-Safe Relative Humidity.  I guess you could say I like to investigate things.

With no desiccants inside the safe I see approximately 48% relative humidity between 72F and 79F.  I will add that I have a 24" Golden Rod (25 watts) inside the safe which is keeping the interior air (and the contents) about 2F to 5F above the exterior (room) temperature.  The idea is to prevent moisture in the room from condensing on the safe contents when you open the door.  As long as the temperature of the safe contents are at or above the air temperature outside the safe - you're, um, safe!

Point being you may not need the desiccant containers if the room is relatively dry.  If your house is cooled in the summer, and the gun container is away from the bathrooms, you're good to go.  You can buy an inexpensive thermometer/hygrometer and just put it in the gun container for a few hours, then take a look.   http://www.giftngadget.com/taylor1455.html

[sslater]

I'm with most of the other forum members in that I'm somewhat paranoid about rust getting a toehold on any of my guns.  So I use several silica-gel packages plus a heated rod in my gun safe.

Just as important, though, is what kind of rust preventative you use on your guns.  
Ask 10 shooters what is the best lubricant oil and you will get at least ten different answers, eh?  
Unfortunately, the consensus picks for best lubes are not necessarily the best rust preventives.


I've been using EEZOX for years, but have taken to adding a dab of top quality gun grease to the high-load areas.  (I told you I'm paranoid!)

Steve

[kanuist]

Thank you all.

Maybe I'm not doing too bad as DaninVA mentioned 50% humidity.

Looks like I'll need to look into getting some Barricade or EEZOX as well.

Does anyone else use "Bore Stores"?  I've heard that a lightly oiled gun in a bore store is good to go for years.

[kanuist]

Update:

I got some EEZOX, BullFrog VCI and DampRid.  While the DampRid is sucking up water in the closet where my gun cabinet is.  The 450 gram packs of Silica Gel, still need drying every three weeks. All the guns look good, even under 10x inspection.  So it would appear that I'm covered.

On a side note:  A few days ago I started a new woodworking project in the (unheated) garage.  I pulled my northwest coast crooked (carving) knives from the drawer where they were stored in a cotton tool roll.  I immediately thought that they could be destroyed as they have lived there for the past 6 years, unused.  To my surprise, they were in perfect condition with no rust.

Perhaps my guns were OK without the extra precautions.  Better safe than sorry though!

[Richard S]

Kanuist:

I suspect that the cotton tool roll has been the savior of your wood carving knives, protecting them from airborne moisture for the past six years. As you say, though, it is much better safe than sorry.

I recently pulled a 12-guage shotgun out of the back of my dehumidified safe where it had been sitting unused for several months and gave its internals a magnifying-glass inspection. To my surprise, I found that a minute spot of rust ("Scum, Sir!") had gotten a start in the back of the action. The problem was immediately corrected, but it prompted me to give every "safe queen" stored there the same examination.

One of the members here has a signature line about the only two enemies of firearms being rust and politicians. Sadly, that is true.