Leaving Guns, Holster/Ammo in Hot Truck

[Kirk]

SO, I can't carry at work so I leave everything in my truck to bake. I already know my Comp-Tac IWB holster with Kydex can't be left in with out re-shaping it.

IS the high temperature good for the ammo? Does it degrade it over time?

Any good IWB holsters that can be left in the high heat with out reshaping? I've got a Galco IWB but its not as thin and comfortable as the Minotaur.

Thanks

[bigmoney]

I leave the holster at home when going to work. Since my gun is just going to sit in the truck I don't see the need to have it in there. But then again, if I go anywhere after work it's usually just to wally world or something quick where I'm not so out of place being dirty, in which case I just carry at 3 o clock without a holster.

Good question on the heat and ammo, but I don't think it will degrade the ammo much, if it does i'm in trouble. Should have test fired a few from the spare mags at the range yesterday, maybe next weekend I'll do that.

[rmoraes]

B"H
Factory ammo is resistant to degradation due to high temperatures in "normal" conditions. Pretty much from middle Canada to south tip of Argentina, good ammo should be ok for several years. I recycle my carrying ammo every 6 months

[TDDude]

I never gave much thought to having ammo in a hot car. Nothing's ever happened. It still goes bang. Hardly a scientific study.

I wear my holster to work as if I'm carrying or it goes in my briefcase depending on the situation. The pistol stays in the car.

[kyreb]

I had a .38 snub in my explorer for almost five years straight. It was in the midwest so it was exposed to hot and cold temperature exteremes.

I finally pulled it out on a range trip one day and cranked all five rounds downrange. No problems.

[Skiprr]

The good news is that, with modern ammunition the rounds in your gun aren't nearly as susceptible to environmental degradation as was WWII ammo. Alas, much of current "modern knowledge" (read, "myth") about ammo longevity comes from 60 years ago.

The two biggest enemies of ammunition are moisture and heat, in that order. It takes extended conditions over 140 degrees to do it, but constant exposure to that level of heat will start a slow degradation of the priming compound.

After a few years of storage in that kind of heat the primers--even with high quality, modern ammunition--could start to go bad. I recommend not waiting a few years to cycle through the ammo.

[speedsix]

...can't speak to moisture, but I've shot a case of 9mm and a case of .223 that had been several years in a hot Texas attic...140-150 degrees in summer...no problems...keep 4-500 rounds of this and that in the truck...no problems...

[Divided Attention]

I too wear either my belly band or my iwb empty and reholster on getting back to the car. I have learned that the little nano vaults do keep it from getting branding hot if I keep it under the seat from the house. Can handle cold steel in the belly band, but hot is not good!

[Dave2]

SO, I can't carry at work so I leave everything in my truck to bake. I already know my Comp-Tac IWB holster with Kydex can't be left in with out re-shaping it.

Ooh, I'll have to remember that if I ever get around to picking up that Sig Super Match or X5. Actually, now that you mention it, I might do that anyway just to try to get a tighter fit on my P226. It's seemed a bit loose lately...

[quidni]

I had two revolvers in my '97 Ford Ranger at the time I lost the truck to an engine fire. The Ruger Security Six (38+p ammo) was in a portable safe under the seat, the other (an NAA mini-revolver in .22LR) was in the glove box. It was hot enough in the cab to melt the ceiling lining, the rear view mirror, the GPS bracket, the rifle rack on the back window, half the dash-board around the glove box and anything else made of plastic or polymers above seat level. Everything on the floor of the cab, while not melted, was covered with puddles of everything that DID melt, as well as the glass from the windshield when it shattered from the heat.

Once the fire was out, the firemen carefully handed me both still-warm-to-the-touch and now dripping wet revolvers. The ammo in each was still intact with no cook-offs.

I think that was just a wee bit hotter than your typical left-in-the-sun-in-summer car temps.

[texanron]

On most days I leave the holster at home since I don't stop anywhere before or after work. Upon arrival at work I bring the magazine and ammo into the office with me. The gun stays in the truck. If I happen to have the holster with it to will be brought into the ofice with me.
On a different note: I'm suprised the work from home and business owners haven't been in yet to rub our noses in the fact that they carry everywhere!

[jayg0351]

My 92fs stays locked in a safe in my truck year round, never had any problems with ammo due to heat. Having a pistol in the truck makes it handy if you want to stop at the range and relieve some stress from Houston traffic.

[Express]

I already know my Comp-Tac IWB holster with Kydex can't be left in with out re-shaping it.

Is that true?

[Kirk]

I already know my Comp-Tac IWB holster with Kydex can't be left in with out re-shaping it.

Is that true?

They say in their weekly news letter and have it posted on their website that summer heat built up in a car will deform the Kydex. I see that their are a couple people here on the forum that have worked with molding Kydex and they may have a better handle on how much heat it takes to deform it.

[TX0303]

I keep a cheap nylon holster in my truck to store my gun if I can't wear it in somewhere. I wear my IWB in empty.