Combating OBSCENE Humidity

[Klein Helmer]

I recently got my first revolver (stainless steel 629) and live upstairs. The temperatures and levels of humidity up there can get ridiculous. The gun sat up there for a few days BAKING and I'm concerned I may have opened the flood gates for corrosion and rust.

I have been reading the forum, watching youtube videos, etc, and still cannot get the humidity levels to a reasonable level. I have now been running the air conditioner twenty four hours a day, and placed the gun and my ammunition in a Hefty tub along with a Remington model 365 dehumidifier, and a hygrometer.

I don't know if one or both of those last two items are dysfunctional, because the humidity is still soaring around 80 percent, and has not once dropped beneath 75 percent.

I'm pretty much raging over the fact that I made a considerable investment, and I may as well be pouring freaking water over this thousand dollar piece of machinery.

HELP!!!

I was going to buy a gun safe, was looking at the gun vault multi vault, but if that's not going to make an enormous difference there's no way I'm spending the money for nothing.

I'm honestly considering selling the damn thing and eating a few hundred dollars before it rusts and is worthless.

Does Smith and Wesson even include rust damage due to no fault of the owner in their life time guarantee?

 

[KLYDE]

This heat wave with the high humidity has been abnormal. I have central a/c and can control conditions. If I were you and that worried I'd oil the snot out of it. Later on when conditions improve I'd clean it up and go shooting. Make sure you wipe the bore and chambers good before shooting if you oil heavy. Good luck.

 

[jaymoore]

Take the grips off and let the air flow over it. Stainless works best in a non-stagnant enviroment. A wee bit of oil won't hurt, either.

Or sell it. You may be wound a little tight for such things.

 

[Gunsnwater]

Stick it in vapor storage bag with desiccant they sell them online. Its a stainless gun relax alittle and enjoy it.

 

[Klein Helmer]

This heat wave with the high humidity has been abnormal. I have central a/c and can control conditions. If I were you and that worried I'd oil the snot out of it. Later on when conditions improve I'd clean it up and go shooting. Make sure you wipe the bore and chambers good before shooting if you oil heavy. Good luck.

I have not done any cleaning yet, but was planning on shooting tomorrow. I have Remington gun oil in aerosol and Hoppe's silicone cloths. Would you suggest spraying it, then wiping it down with the cloth, then putting it away?

Also, is it alright to get the Remington oil on the grips?

When you say wipe the bore and chambers out before shooting, do you mean to do so with the bore brush and patches?

Take the grips off and let the air flow over it. Stainless works best in a non-stagnant enviroment. A wee bit of oil won't hurt, either.

Or sell it. You may be wound a little tight for such things.

Is taking the grips off fairly straightforward? Would I need special tools?

I don't want to sell the gun, I enjoy what little shooting I have done so far (same model but rental before I had my permit), and think it could be a worthwhile hobby. More importantly, I think it's important to have a gun should the worst happen and I needed to use it to defend myself.

It's just frustrating that something that a somewhat expensive piece of metal that is so highly touted needs to be treated like a delicate flower.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the dehumidifier, hygrometer, or safe?

Could the dehumidifier possibly be working if it can't get the inside of a relatively small, closed tub under eighty percent humidity?

Would a gun safe make a difference or would it be a waste of money?

 

[flagman1776]

AC should also cut the humidity. I only shut off my dehumidifier in the gun room... it's actually on top of my safe & plumbed into the washing machine's dedicated drain... when I run the AC (through the wall nearby) as it causes icing. I have goldenrods in the safes as well but really I think it's the dehumidifier. Been working for 25 years.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Not a problem worth worrying about. Just wipe down with a good gun oil. Here in SC we're the epitome of high humidity and my guns don't rust.

BTW: My tools hang in my shop that is not heated or cooled most of the time.............AND they don't RUST either.

 

[Klein Helmer]

Stick it in vapor storage bag with desiccant they sell them online. Its a stainless gun relax alittle and enjoy it.

Are there any you could recommend and are they reusable? I am going to be carrying the gun eventually, and I'd rather not be burning through money on these bags.

Also, could they potentially do more harm than good? Like I said, this gun has been exposed to some horrific humidity, wouldn't it be problematic, assuming some moisture has been trapped in the gun, to completely wrap it up and prevent any possibility of aeration?

AC should also cut the humidity. I only shut off my dehumidifier in the gun room... it's actually on top of my safe & plumbed into the washing machine's dedicated drain... when I run the AC (through the wall nearby) as it causes icing. I have goldenrods in the safes as well but really I think it's the dehumidifier. Been working for 25 years.

Do you think a safe would be better at keeping humidity out than a plastic tub?

Assuming my hygrometer is working properly, the Remington dehumidifier is a thirty five dollar paper weight. It's really frustrating that such a well known company would sell a piece of garbage like that.

 

[madmikeb]

Here in Maine it's always quite humid, I wipe my guns down, blue or stainless, with Birchwood Casey Barricade, store them in silicone treated gunsocks and have never had a rust issue.

 

[Klein Helmer]

Not a problem worth worrying about. Just wipe down with a good gun oil. Here in SC we're the epitome of high humidity and my guns don't rust.

BTW: My tools hang in my shop that is not heated or cooled most of the time.............AND they don't RUST either.

OK.

That's comforting.

Here in Maine it's always quite humid, I wipe my guns down, blue or stainless, with Birchwood Casey Barricade, store them in silicone treated gunsocks and have never had a rust issue.

What would you say are the differences between the Birchwood Casey Barricade and Remington gun oil?

I have asked about protectants/barricades at two gun stores. The first place, dude simply had no idea what I was talking about. The second place, they just referred me to gun oil.

 

[Cal44]

Well, if you are not planning to use the gun for a while I wonder if bagging it with one of the vacuum food sealers would work.

Perhaps take the grips off first.

Just an idea -- never tried it or heard of anyone trying it.

Not much humidity in a vacuum.

Or, move to a drier climate.

 

[saemetric]

You're too worried. Wipe it down with a silicone cloth and buy a Bore Store, put the gun inside and don't worry. First take the grips off and wipe the frame underneath with silicone cloth. What type of grips do you have?

 

[Klein Helmer]

Well, if you are not planning to use the gun for a while I wonder if bagging it with one of the vacuum food sealers would work.

Perhaps take the grips off first.

Just and idea -- never tried it or heard of anyone trying it.

Not much humidity in a vacuum.

Or, move to a drier climate.

Ha!

I do have a new found enthusiasm for firearms, but I won't be moving for one.

It sounds like the vapor bags are a good idea. Would anyone care to do a compare and contrast between a high end vapor bag and a high end gun sock?

 

[Klein Helmer]

You're too worried. Wipe it down with a silicone cloth and buy a Bore Store, put the gun inside and don't worry. First take the grips off and wipe the frame underneath with silicone cloth. What type of grips do you have?

I have the grips it came with, black (either synthetic or rubber). Is removing the grips pretty easy? what would I need to do that? Also, in addition to wiping the grips with a silicone cloth, would you recommend spraying it with Remington oil before I wipe it down?

 

[DAinTX]

Man, you need to relax a bit! I agree with the two Mikes above. You're getting way too stressed about this, IMO. Stainless, while it can rust, is certainly not prone to do so. An AC'ed room is going to cut humidity considerably. Wiping down your 629 with any of the good quality gun oils/rust inhibitors is going to protect it very well. If you're that worried, wipe it down once a week...or even more often if it helps calm your nerves. Your gun, while it does need care, is a hellava lot tougher than you seem to think.

 

[Klein Helmer]

Man, you need to relax a bit! I agree with the two Mikes above. You're getting way too stressed about this, IMO. Stainless, while it can rust, is certainly not prone to do so. An AC'ed room is going to cut humidity considerably. Wiping down your 629 with any of the good quality rust inhibitors is going to protect it very well. If you're that worried, wipe it down once a week. Your gun, while it does need care, is a hellava lot tougher than you think.

That's why I'm wondering if perhaps the hygrometer is not working. The room feels comfortable, and the Hefty tub containing the Remington dehumidifier is still reading at eighty percent humidity.

When you're talking about rust inhibitors, to what specifically are you referring? Like I said, rust inhibitors, shields, protectants, barriers, etc, seem to be common knowledge around here. The gun shop guys I've talked to have had no idea what they are.

 

[MikeyB]

I've been using this stuff since the 1970's. Works very well in the hot, humid Texas climate. Rusteprufe.com Home Page

Stuff works great, even when sweating all over my conceal carry weapons.

 

[Klein Helmer]

I've been using this stuff since the 1970's. Works very well in the hot, humid Texas climate. Rusteprufe.com Home Page

Stuff works great, even when sweating all over my conceal carry weapons.

Thanks.

I'm looking at the site and can't tell if their product is just another gun oil or if it is specifically a protectant. I still can't figure out what the difference is.

 

[BJoe]

You are worrying about nothing. Here in Ohio it hits 100 with 95+% humidity, when I must leave my carry gun in my car the car temp hits 130. Winter hits -15-20. I have carried a stainless 940 for years with -N-O- problems.

 

[jaymoore]

Just don't get blood on it and then spend most of the rest of the day dealing with the carcass. Heh, heh, heh...

Really! Don't let it happen, especially if it's rainy.