Not rust but MOLD

T

turkeybuzzard

New member
I have one of those Sam's club Winchester safes. It is fine for what i use it for. I have it filled as full as I can get it with long guns and my pistols are stored on the top shelf. I have some desiccant on the shelf where the barrels of the rifles rest in the middle. It is a full gallon and it has a color chart telling when it needs attention. I have never had to do anything to it. All the rifles I use are on the front two slots on each side. Today I noticed some mold on some of the stocks. I will admit, I haven't shot as much this year as in the past. I would say 7 out of 20 had mold, some worse than others and the ones that had a cheap sock or cover, 3, had none. Why mold but no rust? Do I need one of the electric rods?
 
You've got some moisture in there, or it's in the wood when placed in the safe.

Change your dessicant or dry it out, put some in upper and lower level of the safe, and yes, do get the rod setup.
 
I have the same 'safe' and have never had a problem with mold. I just have a simple dessicant (Damprid I think) and it does the job fine. I live on a lake in FL so it can get pretty muggy but I've never had a problem.
 
The fire protection has moisture in it. Hence the mold. Get a dehumidifier/golden rod in your box. Before you do though, empty it and wipe down the interior with clorox to kill whatever spores there may be. Remember, because of the fire protection you might have to inspect the contents twice a year.
 
Consider getting a dehumidifier for the room where you have the safe. It takes quite a bit of moisture to get mold to grow. I'm a HUGE fan of dehumidifiers - they really work. Oh, and a goldenrod for inside the safe.
 
Remove guns and wipe both the guns and the interior of the safe down with a biocide. Be careful with Chlorox as it can burn you. Wear gloves.

I would pay attention to the room you are storing the safe in as well. The moisture levels may be related to the room and the lack of air movement inside your safe.
 
Mold on stock

I have extra wood grips and rubber that developed a white powdery mildew on them. They were polished with furniture polish, Behold or Pledge. My guns are fine. I suspect these polishes have some nutrient in them that feeds these critters. Humidity is near 40%, Temp 65 F
 
I have the same safe and have never had an issue, though I use only a plug-in refresh dessicant pack. I did recently move though, so I must continue to check on this as possibly new house=new problems.

BTW, get Rig Gun Grease and apply it to the metal. Renaissance Wax for your leather & wood.
Click to expand...
Got the RIG and use it. Need the Renaissance Wax though, thanks Gary!
 
Is bleach really a good idea around a bunch of metal? Does it affect bluing? I've spent time working around pools, and it seems any aluminum or steel in the vicinity gets eaten up eventually.
 
How do you install a goldenrod in a fireproof safe? If you open a hole you void the protection warranty, correct?
I think fireproff is a waste of time myself.
 
Bleach is very caustic. VERY. I would NEVER use it on a gun or gun part. But the inside of the safe is different and the vapors dissapate. There is no big secret about mold. You provide or allow an enviroment for it to develop and it will on organic material. As the President says.... period!
 
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