Vehicle Storage ... how do i keep it shiny?

[guyfromohio]

I keep a handgun in a small safe in the back of my SUV. It's in a small compartment under the floor of the cargo area and is anchored by a cable. Theft-wise, a determined thief could get it, but my children would have a very difficult time. Ohio weather can be sub-zero, blizzard, rain storms, 100 degrees and humid (and that's all in one week). I took my Sig out of the safe yesterday and it was covered in moisture with a pattern not unlike the foam in which it was laying. It may have been oil, because I did over-lubricate last time I cleaned it or it may have been condensation. It wiped down with no damage and then I thoroughly cleaned it.

This is not my CCW as that is on my person, so please spare the "ain't gonna do ya no good in a safe in yer trunk".

Is continued storage in my vehicle going to destroy that gun? Is there a more weather-hearty single gun safe available?

 

[Sport45]

As long as there's no air movement into and out of the safe your gun won't rust as long as it has had a normal wipe down with oil. The air around the safe can get hot/cold or dry/moist and the gun won't care. If you run the A/C for a long time on a hot, muggy day and have everything in the SUV nice and cold I expect the gun would quickly cover with condensation when taken from the safe. But that condensation won't occur if the gun is left in the safe and allowed to warm up naturally.

The foam weather stripping that can be found at any home improvement store will seal the safe well enough. Just take the gun out once a year or so for a wipe down.

 

[bigfatdave]

Put it in the safe in a baggie in a cloth or sock
(midway has really cheap pistol-size gun socks)

Or use a cheaper gun
Or just expect things in your vehicle to take dings and corrosion

 

[JohnBT]

"a pattern not unlike the foam"

I will bet the pattern is where the foam sucked the oil off the gun everywhere it touched. A long time ago I used to store two pistols in foam-lined cases, etc.

I think I'd try a freezer bag and wipe the gun down with VCI oil.

www.theinhibitor.com/VCI-Gun-Storage-with-Rust-and-Corrosion-Protection-s/41.htm

Heck, I'd probably hit it heavily with RIG grease inside and out, with just a thin coat in the bore, and call it a day.

 

[guyfromohio]

I didn't consider that the foam was drawing the oil. Maybe I'll try the bag and sock. It has a nice coat of oil now. I actually switched to my G19 in there for the less-expensive/more-durable approach.

 

[jackpinesavages]

Good call on switching to the Glock for truck gun.

I'm in WI and experience some of the same weather changes you are describing: Wednesday this week we had 55 degrees. Today we have an 8 below wind chill. However, I have not yet been able to leave a firearm in any of my vehicles. It just comes and goes with me in a bag of some sort.

Our local ranges are watched by sh*theads, and they have been known to travel with shooters leaving the range in order to break in to the vehicles. Had to remove all my hunting/NRA/2A stickers from truck as they are just advertisements for a break in.

Your G19 should be GTG for that duty, for a long time.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Continued heating and cooling and the humidity issue will be your enemy. Since you're not in the tactical-gas station-zombie-looter mindset, I'd suggest what we did with our little survival Berettas in the Army - a kitchen food shrink wrap machine and heavy oil/light grease in a zip lock.

We carried them for months and in a couple cases years like this with never a problem when opened, well, a bit messy - but even so, well protected.

 

[guyfromohio]

More great ideas. I'm not sure that I want to vacuum bag it though since I do pull it out to shoot at the range occasionally. Great suggestions though! Thank you.

 

[rcmodel]

Wipe it down with a Rig-rag, then put it in a Zip-Lock Freezer bag.
The bag will keep the RIG in and the mosture out

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=31842/Product/RIG-reg-UNIVERSAL-GUN-GREASE
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=31843/Product/RIG-RAG-UNIVERSAL-GREASE-APPLICATOR

Or a heavy coat of Johnsons Paste Floor Wax.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4110525&postcount=7

rc