[trapper69]

Has anyone installed a gunsafe in the storage shed which is not climate control???? i live in mobile home and don't have space for even a small
safe(would need at least 14 gun storage),but have a steel storage building on a good concrete slab,,elecricity so i could easily use the dehumidfier..
i live in south texas just out of corpus christi and humidity is usually much lower than houston area...The only reason i consider is cause i live in a area that is full of drug related crime and a lot of thefts....they are in several diffferent corners of closet and bedroom now,,with trigger locks of course and no small children or large for that matter,,appreciate any input...j.c.

 

[IRONHEAD61]

For starters try using a Desiccant and an inexpensive hydrometer to know what the humidity level is. You can get them starting a $ 10.00 and up. That way you know whats happening in side the safe. It is also good to use an electric humidity rod. It basically keeps the safe contents warmer than the oustide preventing any condensation. Good Luck!

Hyskore Gun Vault Silica Gel Desiccant Dehumidifier 1 Liter Can

 

[DILLIGAS]

Friend who lives in coastal South Carolina has his safe in a garage that has no heat or A/C coverage. He runs a golden rod and does not have a problem. That area gets a bit humid in the summer.
Perhaps that in addition to what Ironhead mentioned would solve you problem.

 

[cptpoly]

Make sure you get a safe that is big and HEAVY enough that four people couldn't carry it. Anchor it to the floor of your shed. Make sure your shed is as well secured as your house. Don't let ANYONE know that you have guns out there! When you have it delivered, bring it in an unmarked truck, leave it boxed up, and unwrap it away from prying eyes....Use a Goldenrod AND desiccant for moisture control. Wipe your guns down with a good silicon rag, and inspect every couple of days for trouble spots....

Good luck!

 

[trapper69]

thanks,,sounds like it will be a go,,i have wanted one for a long time!!!

 

[gmsoapy]

Use wegde anchors for anchoring your safe as the set when to tighten the nut, not those plastic anchors that use lag bolts you can pull them out with very little effort. The tighter the nut the tighter the anchor. But like all concrete anchors they're only as good as the concrete. I've used 1000's of them for many years in construction,and have only seen a few pull out because of poor concrete. You can get the at Home Depot. You'll see the they're one piece with a wedge shaped end with a collar around it. Use the largest size you drill for 3/8' min. best 1/2". Put 4 of those in with large fender washers and lock washers and as long as the concrete holds up that safe isn't going anywhere.

 

[wylebilly]

It ain't so big!

Trapper, I live in a three bedroom Mobile. One of the bedrooms is our TV room, and in the corner is my gun safe, a 14 gun safe. It doesn't take up that much room. Since moisture is the deadly enemy of guns, I would not suggest keeping your guns outside in a steel shed. Not only that, someone trying to remove a safe filled with 14 guns from your home can be seen by most neighbors, it is heavy and bulky and they are going to need some sort of dolly to move it. Outside, it will be much easier to remove and easier to do so without being seen since the sheds are usually in the rear of your mobile home space. I have a Sentry fire rated from Wal-mart I which paid $400. When filled I would guess it weighs 700 pounds. It hold 23 guns with handguns on the door now. If you need protection, will you have time to go out to your shed, dial the combination and get what you need when you need it? Sometimes that 9mm in the bedroom isn't enough. The most important thing about being prepared, is being prepared.

 

[hal]

For sure get the golden rod, mine has been going steady foe 17 years, no rust

 

[terry_p]

All good suggestions and I would use a paste car wax on the outside and repeat enough to keep the rust away from the outside as well.

 

[Gun Fun]

My dad has done this.
1. Keep a light coat of a good quality gun oil product on the guns and then check them regularly and reapply as needed. Don't forget to also treat the bore and any other internal metal areas. It's easy to forget what you don't see.
2. Use a can of desicant
3. Anchor the safe securely

 

[saltair]

My gun safe is in an unheated garage. I use a golden rod and an EVA-DRY Dehumidifier and the humidity inside stays below 50% even in the summer when our humidity outside gets up to 85 and 90%.

 

[larry8]

Trapper, I suggest 2 things:
1) Save up for a move to a safer neighborhood. To move a mobile home is not very expensive and you would feel a lot better and safer if you did.
2) You can buy a Liberty Safe which is guaranteed for fire and or theft. Most places that sell them will deliver for free or only a small fee. They deliver them in an unmarked truck and will put them where you want. You only have to bolt it to the floor.

A safe is very heavy and difficult to move once it is at your place, so it might be considered to be a permanent fixture once installed.
Since you have no little kids running around, your guns are OK where you have them, or you can get a small gun "cabinet" (sometimes called a "locker") and keep them in your home till you can move. Then get the safe for your new place.
If you decide to stay, then a gun safe is the thing to get. A "golden rod" and a Eva Dry dehumidifier in the safe should be enough to keep everything inside rust free. And coat the outside with car wax like Terry said.

 

[techiej]

My safe is in a dettached, unheated garage and I just use a golden rod. It barely makes the interior warmer than the interior which is just enough to prevent condensation and promote air circulation. So far, so good.

 

[threepercent]

I know a friend that used a golden rod out in his garage with a safe. He started to see rust appear on them and pretty upset. Just something to think about. Put as much stuff as you can in the safe for drying...bags, regenerate, etc...and NEVER assume a thing. Look at them often and keep a cheap humidity indicator in it.

 

[opos]

My safe is in an unheated/cooled garage...I have a golden rod and I have 3 of the little "stack on" dehumidifiers that are rechargible...I have a reptile aquarium temp/humidity gauge that sits in the safe.. We have had big temps and humidity here for the past month or so...temp stays at about 70 or 75 max and humidity stays about 40%-45%...I pull the 3 dehumidifiers out once a month and recharge them....never had any issues at all... I use CLP "collector" series and anything that gets shot get's cleaned right away..anything that is a "safe queen" get's cleaned and coated about every 6 months or so...depending on how lazy I am...I store things in silicone socks or with the "anti rust" paper in plastic gun cases if I use them...I've never had even a start of any rust freckles or spots...

 

[Barrow]

Have been thinking of ways around this problem and have given the idea of lining the gunsafe with polystyrene sheeting (the more pliable stuff) as airtight as possible