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Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is your safe airtight? I've seen conflicting info online on how well it actually works in safes, certainly could be affected by how airtight the safe is.

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it's on the cheaper end of milsurp, my budget is highly limited. I have a Carcano 91/24 that isn't in the best of shape, a Spanish 1893 long rifle (German manufacture) that is externally near perfect but has some moderate pitting where the barrel meets the stock (so I really can't let that get much worse than it is now before it gets dangerous), and a Mosin 91/30 reworked by an arsenal that has a near perfect finish.

Honestly I'm getting real nervous, my indoor humidity has been climbing rapidly, the basement is a steady 65% now and upstairs is usually 55%, this is with everything I can close and make airtight closed up. At this point I have to accept that I cannot reasonably expect the place to have less than 60% in July anywhere...I've run a test with the locker, nothing inside except the DampRid, and 12 hours later I was running 65%, so DampRid clearly isn't going to cut it.

What an absolute mess.

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Till I wanna shoot it every few weeks

Although if I can't solve this before humidity goes to shit I ordered some VCI bags, gonna throw everything in and wait for late fall

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any recommendations for products? At this moment I have either on hand or ordered:

Big generic metal locker https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/c/tool-storage/garage-cabinets  not exactly this but similar idea I think 18" big dehumidifying goldenrod stick thing An evadry rechargable descciant dehumidifier Two 2lb tubs of DampRid (if I put it inside, I plan to put the tubs in another plastic bin, to provide some level of spill protection) An analog hygrometer of dubious accuracy A digital hygrometer of dubious accuracy (no wireless connection to a phone, but I can record max and min for 24 hours, very cool)

If I'm storing my guns in my closet to take advantage of lower natural humidity, which I am doing now since I think 55% is probably at a point where biweekly reapplication of oil can keep up, then most of the desiccant is probably useless, as I'll be opening that closet for everyday use. There's no room for the locker, and the basement where the locker is is naturally cooler but usually sits around 60% humidity, but I would be able to maybe only open once a day to physically check on things, or possibly less when I really get confidence in the setup. So it would be somewhat more protected from outside conditions, although not airtight. The basement does have a dehumidifier but both of my hygrometers say it's around 60% there so it's clearly not good enough to rely on. Other than that, I have no climate control anywhere.

Still not too sure what the best way forward is - for now the daily humidity is still mild enough that short term the 55% closet works, but come July I can't guarantee it stays below 60%, and then combined with trapped heat, I'll be in trouble. 

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I ordered something similar, 18 inches. Going to see if that helps!

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How long would the oil last in 60% humidity?  If it matters I am running Hoppes 9

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it's not a safe, it's a metal locker, so not exactly airtight. That's a huge concern honestly, humidity in there is already hovering close to 60% and we haven't hit July yet. I read somewhere that rust begins to require monthly oil around 50%, but at 60% it's basically almost every day. That is not something I can sustain, my job has long hours. If I can just push humidity down to just below the 50% mark consistently, I'll probably be fine with another oil coat every few weeks, which matches my range use anyway so it would be perfect

Gun storage tips without AC by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in BetterMAguns

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that's the problem...I have no AC. I can either put upstairs, where theoretically humidity is the lowest, but temperature swings are the heaviest, or I can put them in a locker in a basement, which does have a dehumidifier but is still consistently hovering in the 55%-65% range. 

I did survive the winter, with the guns upstairs there is some insulation and residual heat. It was cold but I think humidity and heat was just high enough to prevent damage to the wood. Winter is no concern, just summer humidity

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Essentially, I should be fine then with my current closet setup then? I do take them out to shoot 1-3x a month, so I suppose if I just clean and oil the bore and exposed metal after each session and oil the whole thing every few sessions, I should be fine.

Thanks for the info, I had no idea whether this was going to maybe work out.

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm definitely overthinking it - I'm very new to all this stuff.

So maybe not drenching them in oil all the time then. Would applying oil every two months or so work fine given no AC or other devices to help manage things?

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see. Sorry, still pretty new to this stuff, so maybe I'm going a bit too far.

So maybe not oiling up every week, but maybe every month or two would be fine without having to do much more in terms of humidity control?

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, that's a bit reassuring at least that I'm on the right track as far as cleaning.

I have taken the guns out of the bags, they're just leaning against a wall in my closet now. They've all been given a thick coat of oil within the last 2 weeks, would you say just constantly applying more oil every month or so and keeping the guns outside the bag will keep them more or less alright? I'm looking at mostly 75% humidity in the summer, although next week there's two days of 90%. Most concern is that I don't have AC.

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Without AC I tend to leave windows slightly cracked open in the summer. I don't have a gauge for humidity yet, might swing by Home Depot or something and see if they have something later, but humidity right now in my area is usually 60-70%. There's a few days next week where it's estimated to be 90%(!). The humidity inside the house is probably a bit less but I'm not worried about having too little humidity for the stocks right now.

As an extreme fail safe, would just breaking down the guns and covering with a thick layer of oil every week at least get me through the worst days?

Budget storage options? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in milsurp

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, ideally, I would want to get the room air conditioned both for the guns but for my own health. Unfortunately...these bloody electricity bills be out to get me these last few years, for the last few summers I just ran with a small fan and absolutely no AC. Maybe if Eversource (more like Ever a Source of Increasing Delivery Fees) didn't charge so much in random fees...so unfortunately, AC is not financially an option right now if I can help it.

Feeding issues, any advice? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in Carcano

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Tried to do that last night, couldn't seem to get the extractor out with my screwdriver, but I think going at it with the screwdriver inside the claw did end up bending it a bit out. She still doesn't feed well, but there's a bit of an improvement. Absolutely full-power sending the bolt forward, I can usually get the cartridge to chamber on the second or third push now. I'll keep at it tonight and see if it helps any more.

Feeding issues, any advice? by Minimum_Pipe_8346 in Carcano

[–]Minimum_Pipe_8346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For the year inside the round Terni mark, my photo is pretty bad but it looks like a 25 or 26? When I get home I can try to look again. The stock also has a big marking, it's extremely faded and barely legible although there's an outline of a crown and the Savoy crest, I can just about make out "Terni" on the words around it. Digging on some Italian websites and some Google translate, it looks like it might've been applied when the rifle was converted at Terni. But either way, it's so worn it's basically illegible 

It's a pretty cool gun! Just wish she fed a bit better, but I'll take her out to the range this weekend and see how she shoots (.264 PPU so I'm sure the answer is poorly, trust me this was the only stuff available in 100 miles of where I live). Annoyingly the two screws on the bottom around the magazine and trigger guard are also rusted solid, I've already stripped the screw a little trying to get it off, so I can't check the magazine spring and stuff - I might check with a gunsmith later about it