Storage Question - Humidity

[Trimmer 905]

Hi all,

So I finally have been approved for my PAL and just waiting for the physical card before the new family moves in. My plan is to hopefully put a deadbolt in and secure my cold cellar for storage. It will provide adequate security, more than any other location in the house.

My concern is possible humidity issues. While I haven’t actually checked, a friend has mentioned it might be too humid in the summer months. Does anyone else store them in the cold cellar? What is an acceptable amount of relative humidity?

Thanks in advance!

If your cold cellar is anything like mine,I wouldn't dream of leaving firearms in there. It's just too clammy all the time. I store my gear in a Homac 12 gun steel cabinet that's attached to wall studs in a closet off the downstairs family room. In the summer,I run a dehumidifier to control humidity levels and keep all firearms well oiled.

[xeronine]

150 lbs is more manageable, that’s for sure. Good idea with the drop sheet.

I’ll have to look in to the snap on “safes” as you say for my non-restricteds but I’d like to get a smaller proper safe for a handgun or two that can I bolt into concrete.

[Icebane]

You'll need a sealed container inside your locked cold storage. Make the container as small as possible. Inside keep your guns, a hygrometer, and a good amount of desiccant. Flower drying silica at a place like Michael's is cheap. When the hygrometer starts to indicate a rise in humidity put your silica in the oven for a few hours. I'm not sure what the ideal rel.hum% is but I'd guess it is not more than 40%. Keep your metal well oiled.

Good luck

[Teac]

Are they those rods that heat up the safe?

yes