Carrying

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mfreem08

New member
I was wondering what you guys thought.
I have been shooting for years, just not carried. I will have my concealed soon. I go to work very early (3a) & our warehouse isnt in the best part of town. I was planning on taking my PPS everyday but my job does not allow me to carry while working. So, would it be safe to leave a loaded gun in my car until I leave? Any problems with powder deterioration? Here in NC the summer temps will be mid to upper 90s. We all know that the temp inside the car will be higher. Just curious if any of you do/have done this?
 
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zoomie

New member
Your pistol will be fine. Keep it in the shade and out of sight. Lock your doors. And don't tell anyone it's in there.
 
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chris in va

New member
Your pistol will be fine. Keep it in the shade and out of sight. Lock your doors. And don't tell anyone it's in there.
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Ouch. Terrible advice man.:eek:

Mfreem, you need to consult local laws pertaining to leaving a gun in a car while at work. Some states prohibit the practice if your place of employment disallows firearms on company property.
 
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Wyosmith

New member
In the military I have been in places that were so hot we could not easily touch our gear. Way hotter than the mid-90s
It never caused any problems with powder or primers.
 
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Theohazard

New member
From a practical standpoint, zoomie's advice is good. Though I'd add a recommendation to keep the gun in a lock box. Many lock boxes come with cables so you can secure it somewhere in the car; under the seat works well.

But I agree with chris in va that you should check your state and local laws before doing this.
 
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mfreem08

New member
Thanks for the suggestions. The local laws, need to check but mainly wanted to make sure the ammo would still be safe.
 
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Koda94

New member
mfreem08 said:
...but mainly wanted to make sure the ammo would still be safe.
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this is just my own anecdotal understanding so somebody here correct me if I am wrong. But storing ammo in excessive heat is ok only in the short term but not good for the long term.

IOW's by short term leaving your gun or rather ammo in a hot car for a day or two wont hurt, but long term storage will... i.e.: leaving your gun/ammo in your car all summer long.

I cant recall where I got my information, but what I understand is the high heat breaks down the primer or powder or both over time. What the temperature vs time threshold is I dont know.
 
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45Gunner

New member
It's not the high heat that breaks down ammo (powder and primer) but the high humidity, especially if the temperatures have a wide range from mid day to evening. The higher the temperature, the more moisture the air can hold. As temps lower, the air has less ability to hold that moisture and as metal cools, it collects that moisture.

Ever go out to your car in the early morning after a very hot previous day and find the car wet with moisture yet it didn't rain? Thats what will happen to your ammo.

The key to storing ammo is to keep it at a constant temperature and humidity.
 
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mannyCA

New member
I've had boxes of 22 kicking around in the cab of my truck on and off for years and never had a problem. We get some high temps here in the summer, over 100F is normal, and thats in the shade:cool:
 
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jtmckinney

New member
If you are still concerned maybe an option is to change the ammo out say every month and use the ammo that has been subjected to the high temp in your car as the first ammo for range use or practice. I doute you will be able to tell the difference between it and known good ammo. As a test maybe keep a few cartridges in the car (only if in a legal way) for a complete summer and then see if they still go bang.

Just an idea.
James
 
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Oruglock

New member
Ever go out to your car in the early morning after a very hot previous day and find the car wet with moisture yet it didn't rain? That's what will happen to your ammo.
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Only the outside of the car, surely?


Lock it in the glovebox if you don't have a car safe.
 
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SauerGrapes

New member
And don't tell anyone it's in there.
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This is the big part IMO. Personally, I never leave firearms in my vehicles. Somehow, someway, somebody always slips up and says something about the gun.
I like the idea of the Styrofoam cooler, might help with high heat issues.
 
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Theohazard

New member
Oruglock said:
45Gunner said:
Ever go out to your car in the early morning after a very hot previous day and find the car wet with moisture yet it didn't rain? Thats what will happen to your ammo.
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Only the outside of the car, surely?
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No, it will happen on the inside too. He's not talking about rain, he's talking about condensation. Condensation forms when air cools and the moisture in the air goes from being a gas to being a liquid. The car is not air-tight and it's subject to fluctuations in temperature, so you can get condensation on your ammo as a result.

This is why people use dehumidifiers in gun safes, and why people recommend a safe be kept at a constant temperature.
 
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Koda94

New member
Personally, its not something I worry too much about if I wanted to leave a gun or ammo in a car in summer. I have a Gunvault with a cable and I've noticed that in the vault sandwitched between the foam, tucked under the seat, the gun (and thus ammo) never gets the same temp as the environment inside the car on a hot summer day.

That said there is a science to the matter and curiosity got to me and my Google-fu was working (or maybe the coffee) this morning. Here is what SAMMI has to say: http://saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/SAAMI_ITEM_202-Sporting_Ammunition.pdf

in short:
>extreme high temps over 150* should be avoided, the trunk is not the best place.
 
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Cirdan

New member
Look at a Console Vault, if they make one for your vehicle. I have one in my Tacoma, and it works great, and secures the weapon. You'd have to take the truck apart to get it out, and no casual thief is going to do that.

No, the gun won't melt, and the rounds won't cook off. Even if it's a Glock.
 
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SaxonPig

New member
I have a gun box that cost about $35 at the gun shop. Key lock, with a steel cable to secure it to the seat frame. Stashed under the seat, can't be seen. If someone breaks in and finds it, they can't take it or open it without a lot more tools than the typical smash and grab criminal carries.
 
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