Gun in basement and moisture

[jetsfan]

I was thinking about putting a pistol in the basement since I spend time down there doing laundry and various other things and don't want to be caught down there in case of a break in without something for defense. The problem I have is I am not sure of a good pistol or even shotgun to put down there since sometimes moisture in the air can occur due to temperature. I was thinking something along the lines of an XD or Glock but I don't know how they hold up with moisture in the air. I have a dehumidifier but I wanted to be on the safe side. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good pistol or shotgun that I could keep down there and rusting isn't a big issue? I will keep it cleaned and taken care of but I don't want to worry about rust in just a day or two.

Thanks

 

[Quentin2]

Unless it's a real sauna down there I doubt you'd have much trouble with rusting as long as you maintain the gun properly. Stainless or polymer would be a good idea.

 

[Sevens]

When we re-did the basement and I organized the "man-cave" side of it and REALLY jumped back in to reloading bigtime, it occured to me that it would be a good idea to have a handgun down there since I spent so much time down there, and even more in the event that the whole family was down there.

In the end, I didn't do it. Two big reasons helped me to make the decision.

1) I carry concealed and that means I carry daily. I always have a loaded handgun on my person or near my person when at home. So simply taking my carry gun downstairs with me made the most sense. This way I always have it, and furthermore, it's not sitting loose on another level of the house. If I'm in th kitchen, I don't mind that it's in the family room in it's usual "place." But if I'm upstairs doing stuff, it comes along. And if I'm downstairs, it comes along.

2) I have a real problem with guns in my house that aren't under my direct control or in the safe. It's a simple matter of the chance that someone breaks in to my home while I'm asleep or when I'm not at home. It will be enough of a handful to come across someone in my house, I don't want to have guns scattered around it that they may find.

Now if you don't have a concealed carry license and don't often keep a loaded handgun directly on your person, my reasoning might not work as well for you as it does for me.

 

[indiandave]

can you carry at home? If you can why not just carry a holstered gun. That way you will always be ready.

I agree with quentin2 as long as you maintain a gun you should be alright keeping a gun in the basement.

 

[glenncal1]

Buy one of the inexpensive police trade-in SW .357s is SS, oil it very lightly and you will be good to go.

 

[win-lose]

Remington 870 Marine shotgun. It's a general utility boat gun.

 

[jglsprings]

I've got a combo/lock box down in the basement I just throw a silica pack in it. If I need to work on a gun / pistol downstairs on the bench I can lock it up and come back to it anytime.

 

[McClintock]

My gun safe is in the basement, and I've tossed a bunch of silica packs inside it and that seems to work. Also, having the guns stored with a light coating of oil helps.

Cheers!
McClintock

 

[MaineColt]

I made a concrete gun vault in my basement where I have a shop. I put a Goldenrod in the vault to beat away the moisture.

But it didn't work, I was getting very light rust.

I then put in a dehumidifier. Problem fixed.

 

[yamaha24]

So does the silica work to keep away rust in a small safe?
I am buying 3 bio safes, one for each level of the home, I need guns secure becasue I have kids so I thought this would be the best way to go.
Thanks

 

[bggwind]

Basement Safe?

I'm actually contemplating this same question about basement moisture. I have a walled-off room in my basement where my hot water heater, furnace and crock/sump pump is located. I was wondering about the potential risk for rust or corrosion if I put it there.

 

[BigJimP]

I have my shop and my safe in my basement - and in a room with our furnace and hot water heater - and my safe sits next to them.

The extra heat given off by the water heater and the furnace - make the room very dry - and its been a perfect place for my safe. The enemy here is humidity and condensation / and if its humid, you will get condensation on a steel item as it cools off and the moisture in the air condenses on the steel.

By staying a little warmer - the air holds the moisture and you don't get the condensation.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

So does the silica work to keep away rust in a small safe?

Works wonderfully. But they do start filling up with moisture, so you have to keep on top of it, by either recharging in oven, or you can go with these plug-in types like I use. I ordered mine from the NRA, but they sell them at our local gun store also under the Remington name: Plug-ins

 

[Tom2]

Yea, a plastic or stainless gun ought to do you well I suppose. As for blued, well you can keep oil on the outside, but I would keep some sort of stuff that evaporates but protects on the bore and the parts you can't see. Like Eezox or something. You don't want to find a nice oily blued gun that had a dry bore, etc. and look down inside the barrel some day and find a nice crusty brown inside of it.

 

[AK103K]

Eezox is the way to go. I have a couple of guns that are in the basement all the time, and while we do have a dehumidifier, it can still be somewhat "damp". I've been using Eezox for a number of years now, and havent had a spec of rust on any gun thats been treated with it since. Thats all of them for the most part, regardless where they reside.

 

[bggwind]

This Settles It...

Basement it is for me. Thanks for the input on this. I checked and my local gunny shop sells all of the items mentioned...

 

[Don P]

When going to the basement to do whatever, why not just bring the pistol with you and when returning to the upstairs bring the pistol back with you? You never know, they may be a break in while you are half way up the stairs. Then what do you do?

 

[Mike Irwin]

Gallon size ziplock bag.

GI ammo can.

Gun Rug.

All with silica gel packs in them.

I keep a .38 in a GI ammo can with reloads.

 

[Singlesix1954]

Walk in vault

I have a vault in the basement. It is my front porch on the outside of my home.
5 ft by 35 ft inside with 10 thick concrete walls. Roof is steel with 2 in of refrig. grade styro-foam and 5.5 in of concrete with rebar. I have my Heat pump system flowing through it and a dehumidifier at each end. No moister problems as of yet. built it in 06.

 

[ursavus.elemensis]

Every gun shop in America has a selection of used shotguns. Get yourself an inexpensive one that you do not particularly have an emotional attachment to, keep it loaded and well oiled and keep it in the basement. If it eventually gets some rust on it, who cares?