Gun safe: How dry is too dry?

msmp5

msmp5

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Nov 11, 2010
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It’s pretty dry where I live in the Southwest USA. I have a combo humidity/temp gauge inside my safe so I have a fairly accurate idea of those numbers. Is there an ideal temperature range and/or humidity % level for the inside of a gun safe? Hoping for some input from the experts here!
 
Good question!!! I would like to know also. In North Texas I fight the humidity in my safe a lot.
A big metal box is cooler than the room temperature so it always draws moisture in. Just like your coke glass just not as fast.
 
there is, but I don't know it off the top of my head. too much humidity is bad for metal, to little bad for wood stocks. there is a fairy large range that is acceptable though from my understanding.
 
I always try to keep it 45-55%. I run a goldenrod all year and a dehumidifier during the summer months to maintain it. I live in a fairly humid in the summer/dry in the winter climate. I used to live in the southwest. You can purchase a small humidifier for guitar or large classical stringed instruments at a music shop to add a bit of humidity to your safe. They usually consist of a special sponge that hold water in its own little container that slowly releases humidity.
 
Dry where I live so never worried about humidity. I can see why a humidifier would be a good thing for guitars and other wood instruments but why in a gun safe? I have family firearms with wood stocks over 100 years old. No evidence of damage from lack of humidity.
 
Never worry about it, and it’s humid here.

I leave the guns out for a short while to adjust to the inside temperature after shooting them outside, then wipe them down with a home made “Rig Rag” (with real Rig grease), then put them back in the safe.
 
Mine runs about 30% and 70* year round. I run a Goldenrod and a desiccant canister year round. I do not live in a high humidity area. In fact, I run a home humidifier in the winter to keep the house humidity UP for comfort.
 
I live on the Colorado Front Range. The only negative of our dry climate on firearms has been some wooden furniture shrinkage that could be easily corrected with some thin spacers. A far cry from when I first took some guns to a humid climate and had orange crystals growing on one of them after the first muggy summer.
 
Seistus Jeorgan did a study back in the 70s for American Gun magazine.

41.27% RH at 40 degrees centigrade is about ideal.
 
Its fairly humid here in Arkansas and I run a golden rod in my safe. The humidity stays right around 45% and I have no problems with wooden stocks growing mold, warping, shrinking, ect and no rust on the metal parts.
 
just as a note I think the concern with too low humidity is wood stocks. too low for too long, and they can dry out and the wood might split. I'm not an expert, but it is not a similar risk as too much humidity and too much temp - which can instantly start rusting on vulnerable metal. for the wood to dry out, it would have to not really be sealed and the humidity would have to be low enough for long enough for the wood to actually dry out enough to shrink and split, not an instant process.
 
I don't worry about it and have had 0 issues. I have a safe in my shop in the deep south and use a golden rod only. All you need to do is keep the temp above the dew point. The military used light bulbs burning 24/7 in arms rooms and ammo bunkers and it worked well...
 
My freezer has a fairly loose fitting door, with a fire seal.

Coat everything with a film of grease, including the bores, before they go in, knowing that they will need a wipe-down and patch when they come out.

Never had a problem, and use nothing in the way of climate control.
 
Humidity in my safe varies. High is 60% and low is 48% over the past year. Temperature is consistent between 60 and 70 degrees. I have no rust problems or dried out wood stocks.
 
Humidity in my Kansas safe runs 27-35% year round, and temperature varies from 62-70ºF. I certainly don't see any rust at all, and I have yet to have a wood stock crack.
 
My safes have spare desiccant packs on the floor that were left over from various items I have bought over the years. The temp stays pretty constant inside, after 20 years in this house I have had zero rust/wood stock issues.

I can say that the wood on the 1966-vintage Marlin 39A my Dad gave me showed signs of being stored in a soft case and kept up in the attic in southern Nevada for at least 20 years. I used boiled linseed oil to bring back the luster, but there is a tiny bit of shrinkage around the grip/stock area.

Stay safe.
 
My understanding is that higher humidity is the bigger risk in a safe. The other concern would be fluctuating temperature and humidity.

As previously said, have the safe indoors. Since moving to south Florida 2&1/2 years ago and having a safe installed in the house the humidity in the safe is around 39%.
 
Between 40 and 50%. More than 50% we've found pitting in stainless barrels that wasn't cleaned. Less than 40% isn't any better than 40%. Just be aware that RH increases with a decrease in temperature.

A cheap desicant is kitty litter crystals. Takes RH down to around 40%.

I'll see if I can find the photos of the pitted barrel.
 
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