What do you use to keep moisture out of your gun safe?

Gun, shooting and equipment discussions unrelated to CHL issues

Moderator: carlson1

Post Reply

Topic author
DiverDn
Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:17 am
Location: Adel, IA

What do you use to keep moisture out of your gun safe?

#1

Post by DiverDn »

Over the weekend I went to check on the cup full of desiccant that sits in my safe and to my surprise it had water standing in it.

This was inside a Liberty safe that has a golden rod running all the time. The only thing I can think of is, this was last Sat which was very rainy and I left the safe open for a couple of hours while I cleaned guns and puttered around the house. This is also in the house which is heated with central heat.

What do you guys do to keep moisture away?
Thanks
User avatar

Paladin
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 6658
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:02 pm
Location: DFW

#2

Post by Paladin »

I use desiccant and a regular coat of Breakfree CLP.

When I can use them, ziplock baggys and military ammo cans also help.

Most of my ammo is kept in ammo cans... ammo cans with desiccant inside.
JOIN NRA TODAY!, NRA Benefactor Life, TSRA Defender Life, Gun Owners of America Life, SAF, VCDL Member
LTC/SSC Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, CRSO
The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us. -Thomas Jefferson
User avatar

jbirds1210
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 3368
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:36 pm
Location: Texas City, Texas

#3

Post by jbirds1210 »

Visit

http://www.cabelas.com

Searh for dehumidifier and look at the Remington cream colored one that is listed first for $24.99!
It is a great price and can be recharged by plugging it in overnight.
It is supposed to last for ten years.
I purchased one a couple of months ago and really like it. I hope this helps.
Take care,
Jason
NRA Life Member
TSRA Life Member

"No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child."
User avatar

stevie_d_64
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7590
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:17 pm
Location: 77504

#4

Post by stevie_d_64 »

Strange...I've actually not had a problem with any humidity issues in my safe...

I have a heating rod wired through the little hole in the back of the thing, and its plugged in and runs 24/7/365...As long as I pay the light bill...

And all the armaments I have stored in there are cleaned, and have a mil or two of CLP over exposed surfaces...I don't think I have had a problem with any developing corrosion or pitting on any of them, except the one I inhierited from a relative...And that "minor" pitting on the barrel has not progressed any further since it came into my care...

I wonder if a gun sock over the exposed areas on what you have in there would create another barrier against changes in humidity, which is what I think causes most problems...If the atmosphere is kept as consistent as possible, I think that reduces conditions favorable to storage corrosion...

ehhh, whata I know... ;-) :lol:

Good luck...
"Perseverance and Preparedness triumph over Procrastination and Paranoia every time.” -- Steve
NRA - Life Member
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
Μολών λαβέ!
User avatar

anygunanywhere
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7876
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:16 am
Location: Richmond, Texas

#5

Post by anygunanywhere »

I use two of the Remington driers in my 42 gun safe. Those bags are a pain. You just plug the Remington driers into an outlet to regenerate them. I bought mine at Carters Country.
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh

"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
User avatar

HighVelocity
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 3374
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:54 pm
Location: DFW, TX
Contact:

#6

Post by HighVelocity »

flower drying crystals from Michaels in little cloth bags.
User avatar

Charles L. Cotton
Site Admin
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 17787
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 9:31 pm
Location: Friendswood, TX
Contact:

#7

Post by Charles L. Cotton »

Golden Rod only.

Chas.

Tom
Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:32 am
Location: NW Kerr County

#8

Post by Tom »

A 6W night light and a 450 gram box of silica gel. I have only had to recharge the silica gel once. That was in NC where the safe was in the garage. And even then it took 3 years for it to start to turn pink.
Since here in TX, safe is in the house and no pink gel and no problems with rust or moisture.

And I try to not have the safe door open for more than a minute or two.

Kind Regards,

Tom
User avatar

stevie_d_64
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7590
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:17 pm
Location: 77504

#9

Post by stevie_d_64 »

Tom wrote:And I try to not have the safe door open for more than a minute or two.
I try to keep to that as well...
"Perseverance and Preparedness triumph over Procrastination and Paranoia every time.” -- Steve
NRA - Life Member
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
Μολών λαβέ!

Topic author
DiverDn
Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:17 am
Location: Adel, IA

#10

Post by DiverDn »

Thanks for all the help. I'll probably go with one of the silca gel products that you can re-charge.

A buddy and I spilt a box of it so I didn't have the original packaging. I did some research tonight to find out what it was that I had in there to begin with. It was called Damp Rid or Calcium Chloride. I bought it when we were preparing to leave for hurricane Rita. It was all that I could find on short notice. It did a very good job of drawing moisture but from what I could find it should have been put in a cup that allowed the water to pass through instead of sit in it.

Thanks again.
Last edited by DiverDn on Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar

AggieMM
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 771
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:26 am
Location: Austin, TX

#11

Post by AggieMM »

I purchased a Silica Gel Dehumidifier 200gm. The 200 gm silica gel unit protects 15 cubic feet of enclosed space, so it is perfect for my safe. When it is saturated, just "cook" it in the oven and reuse again. I got it on ebay, about $8, just do a search for "Silica Gel Dehumidifier" on ebay.

Ryan
User avatar

anygunanywhere
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7876
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:16 am
Location: Richmond, Texas

#12

Post by anygunanywhere »

Tom wrote:
And I try to not have the safe door open for more than a minute or two.
That is why I have two driers in mine. I often find myself gazing lovingly at my fold. Things of beauty them all.

;-)

Anygun
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh

"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
User avatar

stevie_d_64
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7590
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:17 pm
Location: 77504

#13

Post by stevie_d_64 »

anygunanywhere wrote:
Tom wrote:
And I try to not have the safe door open for more than a minute or two.
That is why I have two driers in mine. I often find myself gazing lovingly at my fold. Things of beauty them all.

;-)

Anygun
Thats pretty freaky man... :lol:
"Perseverance and Preparedness triumph over Procrastination and Paranoia every time.” -- Steve
NRA - Life Member
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
Μολών λαβέ!
User avatar

anygunanywhere
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 7876
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:16 am
Location: Richmond, Texas

#14

Post by anygunanywhere »

stevie_d_64 wrote:
anygunanywhere wrote:
Tom wrote:
And I try to not have the safe door open for more than a minute or two.
That is why I have two driers in mine. I often find myself gazing lovingly at my fold. Things of beauty them all.

;-)

Anygun
Thats pretty freaky man... :lol:
What one does in the privacy of one's home is..well....what one does in the privacy of one's home. :woohoo

Anygun
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh

"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
Post Reply

Return to “General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion”