JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
920
Reactions
444
out surfing Amazon trying to figure out what to buy to keep the contents of my safe moisture free. Looking at silica packs, cordless dehumidifiers etc. the list goes on.

what do you guys use?
 
I buy huge cans of silica gel from craft stores, pour it into soup cans and put a stretched polyester over the opening with an elastic band holding. They are cheap to make and once per year I bake them on very low heat to recharge.
 
Their called Moisture Eliminator, I getem at dollar tree. Kind of kindney shaped with blue honeycomb top. They work real well for me, but my safe is in a pretty consistant environment and open alot.
 
I buy huge cans of silica gel from craft stores, pour it into soup cans and put a stretched polyester over the opening with an elastic band holding. They are cheap to make and once per year I bake them on very low heat to recharge.

That is a good solution too.
I pretty much just clean all of them monthly and mainly wipe down with an old tee shirt that has about 40 years worth of hoppes9, gun oils, and protectants on it.
Wife wondered why I looked daggars at her when she asked if I wanted it washed. :D
 
Look on eBay for a temp/humidity meter.
I bought a little digital model for $3.99 with free shipping.
That way you can see exactly what the humidity/temp is in your safe.
If you have wood stocked firearms, you want to have some moisture present (around 45%) so you don't dry out the wood.
A golden rod is generally recommended to keep the inside temperature stable and prevent condensation from forming.
 
I've been happy with one of the smaller Eva-Dry units. The indicator changes color when it needs to be recharged, which happens maybe once a year. If the safe was located in a garage or basement then it would probably need recharging a lot more often.
 
I am apparently too lazy to string the power cord on a goldenrod so I use Dri-Z Air, it seems to work fine. Some day I plan to buy a goldenrod, just not today.

I tried Dri-Z-Air and an AK that was stored in a position to pass a couple of inches above the container actually developed rust on the rear sight block. I have since switched to two small nightlights in each safe and have had no rust problems since.

Keith
 
Dri-Z-Air is calcium chloride, which is a salt product. When the liquid comes in contact with metal for a prolonged period, the metal will corrode. If it comes in contact with leather, it will dry out and become damaged
 
I had left a BB gun in the basement for @ 2 months and it got rusted fairly bad. My son pointed it out to me, and I think that's a factor of better eyesight. However, I could feel it with my fingers. I found it pretty disturbing. If you have a Sig P210, or 2, in your gun safe, then you might consider spending a bit more effort to keep them looking prime. In the Pacific NorthWET, that's a multilayered thing.
'
1st) Use Eezox and don't be just "oiling" your guns when you get back from the range. You might slather the bores with Hopps #9 or any other thing, but as you are putting them in the safe, think of this photo below and choose to spend a bit more time and effort to wipe or spray a light layer of Eezox on them. If you do nothing else, use this stuff as this should help a lot.

DSCN1765.jpg

Rust_Test_LongTerm_640.jpg

You can google this, lots of guys have done independent testing. Good stuff and cheap.

2nd) Get a room dehumidifer. A good one will both tell you what the moisture % actually measures, and pull the moisture out to what ever the heck you want it to be. I was shocked how much moisture I actually had in here. Of course, the house is over a 100 years old. So in retrospect....lol...My little Delongi will pull a gallon out per day. They make 2 versions of these, one you have to dump it daily, the other can be set up to drain into a drain. Get that one, even if you don't use it at first. You don't want to be checking and dumping water daily. <broken link removed> They come in a lot of price points. Do your research.

NEXT) Stuff a goldenrod in your safe. $20 and it works as advertised. As said above, it keeps the moisture from hitting dew point. You need a plug in for that, which means that your safe isn't moisture proof any more. goldenrodsafex350.jpg

Lastly) , get at least 2 E-500 Eva-Drys. They will pull the moisture out of the safe. They recharge and work great. Don't get the little jobs cause you need to recharge them too frequently. I just went to replace one that finally failed after 5 years (which is the life expectancy of the things) and Dicks and Fishermans had not even heard of them. So here's a link. Amazon.com: Eva-dry E-500 High Capacity Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifier - 4 Pack - Fight dampness in boats, safes, RVs and BIG close: Home & Kitchen

41xpwafqDPL._SX450_.jpg

Just toss them inside the safe, and rotate the bottom one to the plug in when needed. Moisture is heavy and will settle. The Evas get hot, so keep them off drapes etc etc. They suggest plugging them in overnight....a bit of trust is needed for that:) However, the color changes when they are recharged. Pretty simple. It sounds like a lot, but once you have it set up, never have to worry.

Good luck! Hope that helps.
 
I just keep a Dri-Z-Air basket on the floor of my safe. It usually lasts for about 2 months before I have to pour the water out and replace the crystals. Bulk packs of crystals can be had at Bimart or Fred Meyer for cheap. My safe is in the garage where its cold and damp, and I havent had any issues with rust on my guns. A Dri-Z-Air basket is about 2/3 the size of a coffee pot so it might not fit in smaller safes or those $99 Homak gun cabinets.
 
It depends on your safe set up. If you have an outlet prewired or have the skills to install one, a Goldenrod cannot be beat. If you don't have power, all the above suggestions will work just fine provided you check them every couple of months.
 
In a little handgun safe, you can use the desiccant packs that come with clothes, pill bottles and all kinds of other stuff. I just put the new ones in the front and push the old ones toward the back. Once I have too may in there, or they reach the back of the safe, I throw some of the old ones out. I have no idea how long an individual pack stays in there but this system has worked for me for years.

I do keep all of my firearms lubed and wiped down, and anything that I probably won't shoot for a while gets Eezox. I only use it for long term storage because Breakfree CLP cleans up better.

When you lube the bore for long term storage, use a little extra so that it doesn't dry out over time. And when you take a firearm out of long storage, clean the bore again to get any thick stuff out of the bore, and to assure that there is not enough stuff in there to cause a pressure issue when you first fire the gun.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top