Safe Temps

My safe is in the garage due to size, weight, and lack of room indoors. A few years back I had my garage doors replaced. Insulated garage doors make a huge difference! Especially facing the west. Prior to that upgrade my interior safe temps really got high. So much that I would unplug the de-humidifying rod to not compound the problem. A revolver, let’s say would be so warm I didn’t hold on to it long. I’m thinking north of 120. I own a digital thermometer but failed to take readings. Things are better now but still pretty warm considering the temps we’re experiencing currently in North Texas.

I’m curious if anyone else is concerned about this? If so is there a remedy, less moving into climate controlled space?

I regularly look for oil or grease, depending on the gun, to make sure they stay lubed and nothing runs out. And I do not see any issues with wood or plastics.

My only concern would be optics. Specifically cheaper ones. I’ve had them blow the seals when left in the truck in the summer. All decent optics should do ok.

Think humidity is a bigger factor then heat. Old guns last forever in the desert

All optics are good. Any with batteries are pulled. I do have a humidity gauge and it’s always good.

Great points! Thx.

If it's not already done, insulating the ceiling above the garage will help some more. Exterior garage walls are not normally insulated either in Texas, doing this too will help but it is a pain and not as effective as the ceiling. If you have living space above the garage the ceiling should already be insulated.

I’ve considered the ceiling insulation thing. The garage is extended from the home, like an L. Storage above. And that’s a hot attic. It’s decked but sounds like a good dead of winter project. Clean the attic and pull the plywood.

It's usually easier to cut out a couple of strips of sheetrock from the ceiling. Go crossways from the studs. Push in batts of insulation with a long stick. Replace the sheetrock strips, patch, and repaint the ceiling.

My guns get pretty hot when I shoot them. I'm not concerned about ambient air temperature.

I'm not doubting you, but I'm doubting you. So you're suggesting if I go grab a wrench, for example, from my garage it will be hot to the point that I won't be able to hold it long?! In reality I can hold it all day long. 120+? Really? Now I'm going to have to get temperature readings tomorrow. I already checked my home automation system and it is recording 105-110 in my attic on each of two sensors. Regardless, my guns once in a while sit in the sun in Texas summer and they live to shoot again.

Not disagreeing Mickey, but enclosed in a safe with a rod on, plus a super hot garage could present significant heat. It’s not like a hot frying pan but warm enough for me to take pause. Guessing on temp.

Maybe I’ll leave a 686 in the sun for a couple of hours and take a reading.

More to follow……

Put a cheap window unit AC in the garage.

AC sounds great. I actually looked at portable units at HD last weekend. 10 gallon capacity. That would be more for me that anything else though. I rarely get to do any handloading in the summer. I’m in an HOA so a window unit would probably be prohibited being 20’ from the sidewalk and all the idiot neighbors.

Count down to a country place has started. 3 more years of college to pay for.

I think we can close this convo down. I put a GP100 in the sun for 20 min or so to try a replicate what I thought was the same temp I experienced prior to the garage door replacement. The digital temp was ~100 degrees. I could hold it but it wasn’t comfortable after 20-30 seconds.. that said I doubt my interior safe temp rose above 100-110 degrees. If I had better data maybe this would be more helpful. I did take a temp reading inside the safe this week as well. Outside air was 105 and the sun was beating down on the dark brown garage doors. 93.7 with rods plugged up. I’m good with that.

I do have a couple of AR grips (magpul moe+) that are sticky. Most likely for the heat and oil residue from use. Other than that all else seems good.

Thanks all.