doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Double gun storage question

I have always kept all of my old doubles stored away in a secured closet in my house but since recently moving to a smaller home that's not so much an option I have bee looking to buy a fire proof gun vault that unfortunately the only place I have to put it is in an unheated garage Any advise or opinions good or bad?

Goldenrods will help. I stay away from storing guns in unheated spaces. Too much moisture and too much rust potential.

It's not ideal but I admit I've stored my collection in conditions like that for years with no problem and only mild preventative measures.

The reputed moisture conditions are not from the cold. They're from either 1) relatively rapid variation in temperature causing condensation 2) humidity. I'd check for those first. Frankly humidity is a problem that gets worse with warmth anyway and rust will be more active the warmer the temperature under otherwise identical conditions. Just think about rust browning procedures

The steps I take are to oil and wax appropriately and place all guns stock up barrel down avoiding contact with fabric which acts as a moisture trap and rust enhancer (DO NOT STORE IN GUN CASES). I use normal cleaning/lubricating procedures with nothing more with a light coat of Renaissance Wax on the barrels and lockwork. Renaissance wax avoids oil/wood contamination problems and stays in place.

I'd love to have a large gun room for display but that's never going to happen (at least as long as I stay married : ) )so I make do with what I can.

Jeremy

My safe has always been in an unheated garage where temps have ranged from below freezing to upper nineties. Never had any problems at all. None. I do use a Golden Rod and check it periodically to make sure it is still working properly. This has been my experience for 25 years and in different climates, some dry, some pretty humid. As long as the firearm has been cleaned/wiped down properly before hand I would expect no issues.

While living in Bergen County in NJ, my safe was in the garage. I ran a goldenrod for about 4 hours per day year round and wiped my guns down with an oil after cleaning and never had a problem.
Are you north or south Jersey?

Don A
Be sure to bolt the safe down, to avoid it being removed with a hand truck.
Mike

Here's a nice looking safe, weighs 1,100 lbs, and should be fine for outside storage. Wish I had the room for one.

https://www.revolutionsafes.com/products/stronghold-xl/

just buy a nice looking safe....bolt it to the floor in the rec room or bedroom....tell the wife that's just how it is going to be...you know grow a couple....also tell her she can store her 'NEW' jewelry in the safe ...

thanks for the ideas all

Builder -no longer in NJ lived in way south NJ .. haven't posted in awhile needed to update my info

If you keep guns in unheated/un air conditioned garage in Va there will be oxidation problems. I limit my arsenal to two handguns, two shotguns and one rifle. This reduces problems for my family if something happens to me and I have no need for 1,100lb monstrosity.

I tried to reduce shotgun inventory to one gun, but I can't do recreational shooting with 4.5lb shotgun which I use for hunting. I might be able to eliminate one handgun keeping subcompact one and letting to the 1911 brick.