Storage Question: Firearms, ammo and humidity.

thedaringdragoon · May 22, 2018

Moving soon to the DFW area where the humidity is noticeably higher (on average) then when I currently live. Does anyone take special measures when storing their firearms and ammo? For example putting silica packets in their ammo boxes or even going so far as to use a dehumidifier in their gun safe? Or have they not noticed a difference and am I just being paranoid?

*Forgive me if this is in the wrong forum.

EZ-E · May 22, 2018

I'm about 65 miles from the coast as the crow fly's & keep my stuff in the house. No problems with humidity as long as the A/C is blowing.

Bozz10mm · May 22, 2018

If you store your ammo in house, say in a closet, you should be okay. The humidity may be higher here, but the AC should keep it within 45%-55% which is acceptable for ammunition storage. But the lower you can get it, the better. I store all of mine in metal 50 cal ammo boxes. Most is kept in the house. Some that I keep in my work shed out side, I take extra precautions with. I use a vacuum sealer to seal up the factory boxes and use silica packs in the cans.

busykngt · May 22, 2018

I’m in the Metroplex. I agree with the comments from the others. I do tend to throw any extra silica packets I might have into and around my guns & ammo. But they’re also kept in enclosed A/C space, so the humidity is never too bad, to begin with.

oldag · May 22, 2018

No problems in Central Texas with normal care. I do oil all the guns at least once a year.

For long term ammo storage, I do throw in a desiccant package.

thedaringdragoon · May 22, 2018

Thanks all. Right now I live in a beach city but it's so dry out here I've never needed to worry about humidity.

grasshopperglock · May 22, 2018

Take the ammo and stick them in a metal army can. Either in their original boxes or loose. Get a small bucket of Damp Rid. It's located in the RV section at Wal-Mart. Peel the paper cover back and scoop out the white chip material and put it in the ammo can with the ammo. Two tablespoons in a 50cal can will do it. It's a better then most other desiccant.

Now take a computer duster. (It's inert Freon. Freon is heavier then air.) Lower the lid on the ammo can until you have a small gap. Slowly spray the computer duster into the can(towards the bottom). Once you see the gas escaping out the gap of the ammo can.(the fumes look like a heat mirage. You can't miss it) It's displaced all the oxygen. Close the lid and latch.

With the combination of the damp rid and Freon. The ammo is sealed from oxygen and any humidity in the can is absorbed by the desiccant. Once the Freon warms up, the can will take a vacuum. You'll here a pop when you open the can. Refill with Freon any time you open the can.

Your ammo is officially protected from humidity and oxygen.

ZX9RCAM · May 22, 2018

I have a "Damp Rid" bucket in my ammo closet just to be safe.

Golden rod in my safe.

thedaringdragoon · May 22, 2018

grasshopperglock said:
Take the ammo and stick them in a metal army can. Either in there original boxes or loose. Get a a small bucket of Damp Rid. It's located in the RV section at Wal-Mart. Peel the paper cover back and scoop out the white chip material and put it in the ammo can with the ammo. Two tablespoons in a 50cal can will do it. It's a better then most other desiccant.

Now take a computer duster. (It's inert Freon. Freon is heavier then air.) Lower the lid on the ammo can until you have a small gap. Slowly spray the computer duster into the can(towards the bottom). Once you see the gas escaping out the gap of the ammo can.(the fumes look like a heat mirage. You can't miss it) It's displaced all the oxygen. Close the lid and latch.

With the combination of the damp rid and Freon. The ammo is sealed from oxygen and any humidity in the can is absorbed by the desiccant. Once the Freon warms up, the can will take a vacuum. You'll here a pop when you open the can. Refill with Freon any time you open the can.

Your ammo is officially protected from humidity and oxygen.

AWESOME! Thanks for this! I'll forward this info to a friend of mine who recently moved to Hawaii (We were just talking about humidity which got me looking at the humidity in the DFW area). I know he'll need this.

grasshopperglock · May 22, 2018

If he's around welders. Argon works too.

baboon · May 22, 2018

Find out where you'r A/C drain pan is located in the attic. I knew a guy who kept his guns in a closet. The drain pans overflowed inside his closet & all his guns inside rusted up real nicely

ZX9RCAM · May 22, 2018

baboon said:
Find out where you'r A/C drain pan is located in the attic. I knew a guy who kept his guns in a closet. The drain pans overflowed inside his closet & all his guns inside rusted up real nicely

Yep, had that happen about 2 years ago.
Fortunately it went into another bedroom, rather than my office.

thedaringdragoon · May 22, 2018

baboon said:
Find out where you'r A/C drain pan is located in the attic. I knew a guy who kept his guns in a closet. The drain pans overflowed inside his closet & all his guns inside rusted up real nicely

Thanks I never even thought of that. I'll be sure to check that out.

TheMailMan · May 22, 2018

Be careful putting calcium chloride in your ammo cans. If any moisture gets in there it will turn that calcium chloride into a very corrosive liquid.

BRD@66 · May 22, 2018

Wait! You're in CA & you have firearms AND you're moving to TX?

grasshopperglock · May 22, 2018

TheMailMan said:
Be careful putting calcium chloride in your ammo cans. If any moisture gets in there it will turn that calcium chloride into a very corrosive liquid.

Pour it into a doubled up knee high panty hose. Tie it off and set in the can. It has to take something like 5 times it's weight in moisture before it melts into a jell. All my cans have it in them. I've had a couple kernels lightly stick to about three rounds in a case of a 1000. It'll leave a small, very minor stain on the brass. I brush it off. With the addition of the gas. It stays super dry. Freon doesn't absorb water. It's dry as dry gets. The damp rid is back up. Double whammy so the ammo stays preserved and shiny.

If it does jell up inside the can. There's no vacuum when you open it. It wasn't sealed. The damp rid stays dry when it's sealed. Smear a tiny amount of Vaseline on the lid gasket. I've done that too.

Ole Cowboy · May 23, 2018

When it comes to Ammo, it has 2 enemy's, heat and humidity.

For long term storage:

Store your ammo in rubber sealed ammo cans, the best ones are surplus military grade.

I don't like to add desiccant pacs, but that is just me. Fill you can with ammo, that takes up air space, the less air the less humidity. You can always watch for a low humidity day in the Texas summer and do it then, the other option is to take a hair dryer and use it to dry out the can and the contents, then close the lid and keep it closed.

But humidity is not the #1 problem, long term heat exposure is. Store in the floor of a closet.

Where does the military store its Ammo prior to issue? In what is called igloos and trust me they have some fairly high humidity, I have been in many of them.

grasshopperglock · May 23, 2018

Here's an idea, I've never tried.

Drilling a hole in the top of the can. Screwing a peacock in the hole and use a vacuum pump to evacuate the air in the can. Vacuum it down to 30hg. But then again, Imagine trying to open the can. If it doesn't reverse crush itself from the vacuum.

Ole Cowboy · May 23, 2018

grasshopperglock said:
Here's an idea, I've never tried.

Drilling a hole in the top of the can. Screwing a peacock in the hole and use a vacuum pump to evacuate the air in the can. Vacuum it down to 30hg. But then again, Imagine trying to open the can. If it doesn't reverse crush itself from the vacuum.

LOL I would not recommend that. The military stores ammo 20+ years in Igloos with little issues, mil spec ammo cans with O ring work, everything else goes home.

grasshopperglock · May 23, 2018

More food for thought.

How can we rust proof the can if a person is considering burying it? It's a painted steel can. How can we make sure it'll survive and protect the contents when it's buried in seasonal, central Texas mud?

Storage Question: Firearms, ammo and humidity.

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Texas

Member Benefits:

New Member

King Turd of Shit Mountain

TGT Addict

TGT Addict

TGT Addict

New Member

Banned

Over the Rainbow bridge...

New Member

Banned

TGT Addict

Over the Rainbow bridge...

New Member

TGT Addict

TGT Addict

Banned

TGT Addict

Banned

TGT Addict

Banned

Forum statistics