A bullet will melt if it is exposed to a thousand degrees fahrenheit. The primer will pop when a loaded cartridge is exposed to a few hundred degrees. There are Cartridges that don't explode.
You can put a gun safe in an unheated basement or garage with no AC. You just have to control the humidity. Some gun safes come with humidity measures installed, other people use silica gel.
A bullet isn't likely to go off when you drop the cartridge for various reasons, including how it lands. Most dropped bullets land tip first on a floor or the ground. When this happens, the bullet will land in a way that prevents the impact from being sufficiently forceful to cause the bullet to fire.
Based on gun experts, the ideal temperature that we should maintain for our gun storage is 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a 50% relative humidity. If your garage is unheated, you can still keep your guns there by using a dehumidifier or placing a gel desiccant in the safe to prevent moisture.
A safe will give your gun a layer of protection from the elements, theft and little ones' hands. Storing your gun in a safe is the first step to prevent rust, but you also need to consider the temperature and moisture control of the environment around the safe. We suggest storing your firearm in your home if you can.
Most manufacturers guarantee that their ammunition will last for at least a decade. That said, ammunition can easily last beyond 10 years if it is stored under ideal conditions. There are countless tales of military surplus ammo being used many decades after it was manufactured.
When the Winter months hit, the last thing you want to do is expose your ammo to freezing cold temperatures. While ammo cans will help keep the cold away from your rounds, it is still best to store your ammo at room temperature. Common places of storage include basements, garages, and well-insulated storage sheds.
Does ammunition deteriorate under freezing temperatures? Short answer; No. Heat and moisture are the enemy's of ammo. Extreme cold could drive moisture into your powder and primers.
Freezing will not harm your ammo at all. There is some evidence that repeated freeze / thaw cycles might cause some break down of the powder granules, but this is just hearsay, so far.
The short answer is, yes you can store a gun safe in the basement because the basement allows for discrete, secure, storage while still offering easy accessibility for intended firearm handlers. Gun safes are designed to be sturdy, which means they are well constructed, but heavy.
According to the California Attorney General, the safest way to store a gun is with a state-approved firearm safety device and by keeping the weapon in a locked container. Owners should also ensure that the firearm is not loaded.
Do not store guns in fabric or leather cases or in their original cardboard boxes, as they attract moisture. This is why, whenever possible, you should store guns so that dry air circulates around them. The best rule for safe gun keeping is to use simple common sense.
9 Items You Can't Put in a Storage Unit
- Flammable or Combustible Items. Anything that can catch fire or explode is not allowed.
- Toxic Materials.
- Non-Operating, Unregistered, and Uninsured Vehicles.
- Stolen Goods and Illegal Drugs.
- Weapons, Ammunitions, and Bombs.
- Perishables.
- Live Plants.
- Wet Items.
Gun safes are not completely air tight because they have holes all throughout the safe. These holes allow for some air flow throughout them as it flows from hole to hole. Because of these, they are not waterproof, and partially why safes are not completely fireproof as well.
Firearms are not typically allowed in safe deposit boxes. To avoid criminal issues, do not store any items that are illegal or hazardous in your safe deposit box. While maintaining a safe deposit box can be a good way to protect items, you should do so with caution.
Proper handling/protection and you can leave guns on the attic for a while. Cardboard and plywood are bad, they attract moisture and keep it close to the metal. If you have oiled/protected it well and sealed it in plastic, it will last a while.
The bigger problem regarding guns and ammo in the summer heat relates to humidity. Although the heat won't cause problems in the functionality of firearms or ammo, consider storing them in a closed container that is not exposed to the sun.
