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Part of being a responsible gun owner is maintaining and storing your firearms and ammo properly. While this usually isn’t too difficult, when the weather changes, it can become a bit more complicated. For example, storing your firearms and accessories in a garage or an unfinished basement often leaves them more susceptible to cold temperatures in the winter. Additionally, if you plan to take your weapons on a road trip or visit your hunting cabin, the cold weather and freezing temperatures they’ll face while being outside or in an uninsulated area can contribute to corrosion and malfunctions. Thankfully, protecting your handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ammo from the dangers of extreme temperatures and fluctuations is pretty easy with the right precautions.
What Are the Dangers of Improper Storage of Guns and Ammo?
Gun and ammunition storage is always important, as proper techniques increase the shelf life of your cartridges, especially home defense ammo. One of the biggest issues is humidity. While air tends to be more humid in high temperatures, it can still build up during cold weather, especially if your guns and ammo aren’t in a climate-controlled area, like your bedroom. Humidity can cause significant corrosion and rust accumulation on your weapons, and it can completely ruin your ammo by fouling the powder inside. Older ammo is particularly susceptible to this issue because manufacturers didn’t always seal the primers properly. If you’re an aficionado of Russian weapons, you should pay special attention if you buy surplus 7.62x39mmR, 7.62x54R, or 9mm Makarov. These cartridges also use steel cases, so the entire cartridge can rust. This is also a common issue if you are a fan of reloading your own ammo.
Aside from humidity, the storage temperature of where you keep your weapons has a direct impact on how they function. Metal tends to get more brittle in cold temperatures, especially in long-term storage below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, so sensitive components like firing pins and springs can crack or break after extended exposure. Another issue you may encounter occurs if there is any built-up moisture inside your weapons when you originally placed them into storage. Water expands when it freezes, and if there is a significant amount of moisture in the weapon, it can dislodge or bend components.
What Are the Best Storage Techniques?
The first step in proper gun and ammo storage is choosing a safe place. Generally, the best options are places that stay at a stable room temperature, have adequate ventilation, and don’t get too humid, so anywhere in a finished part of the house, like closets, offices, or bedrooms. If this doesn’t work for some reason, putting your guns and ammo in the basement also works, but requires some more precautions. If you have a gun safe, this is an excellent way to protect your weapons inside the home and prevent people and children from accessing them improperly. One thing to keep in mind is that gun safes typically don’t have built-in ventilation. To prevent moisture accumulation, stick some desiccants inside the safe, like the Pelican 1500D Desiccant Silica Gel. You could also get a dehumidifier rod, such as those offered by Wheeler Engineering. Dehumidifiers and desiccants absorb moisture from the air, so putting one or two on each level of your safe is a cheap, effective safety measure.
The next step is preparing everything for storage. For long-term storage of weapons, you’ll want to clean them thoroughly using a gun solvent to remove any carbon and debris. After a thorough cleaning, use a gun lubricant generously on the metal parts, including the exterior. This helps you stop corrosion before it starts, as water can’t penetrate the gun lube.
As for ammo, you want to keep all your rounds in their original packaging, if possible. If you have loose rounds or some boxes that are already opened, investing in a few ammo cans is the perfect alternative. By keeping your cartridges in sealed containers, they are protected from direct exposure to temperature fluctuations and changes in relative humidity, so they are less likely to corrode.
Store Ammunition & Weapons Properly With OpticsPlanet!
We take pride in offering all the gear and equipment you need to protect your weapons and ammo! Everything from your daily concealed carry weapon to an old heirloom hunting rifle deserves proper care when in storage, and we’re here to help! Check out all of our gun storage options, including gun safe accessories and gun socks! If you’re looking to customize your weapons before putting them into storage, we have a wide variety of AR 15 parts, red dot sights, and rifle scopes.
