Question on Climate Control Storage for Guns on a near off-grid cabin

gonzalezeb

5 year old buck +
As I've written about it before, I am slowly working on my dream of having a retirement cabin in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Over the past few years, I have build a small 20X24 Garage with an unfinished upstairs living area, ran electricity, and even brought in a 500lb propane tank and small propane heater to try to keep the place above freezing during the winters. The idea was, for the propane heater to keep the garage above 45 throughout the winter as I do have some rudimentary plumbing (a standalone sink with heat/pump, and a portable shower caddy with heat/pump). Well the hopes that this heater and 500lbs of propane would keep my garage above freezing failed me this year - as I ran out of propane in just under 5 months during that dreaded continuous week of <0 temps.

When I make it back out to the place this summer, my plan is to add insulation upstairs and downstairs and maybe start to finish off the upstairs - which really would be to close off the eaves. as I have a radiant barrier in place.

But here is my dilemma...I live 1700 miles from my dream. This year will be the first year I will be hunting on my land. Because of the distance I'm planning to add a gun safe here in a few week and leave a handful of guns at the property so I don't have to continuously transport them. I'm looking for any ideas/tips on what I can do to help create a better climate controlled environment for storing weapons - without having to buy an entire HVAC system. Any help with how I can create a "climate controlled" environment for keeping my guns there would be greatly appreciated. (On a plus, the summers don't get too terribly hot and humid, and the radiant barriers does wonders for keeping the place under 90 - so it maybe more of how to keep it warm, but I also figure once I finish the upstairs more, I might start to lose air circulation and now will have more heat issues than I currently have...)
 
Not climate controlled but these seem cool and cheap.
I've never tried one so ?

 
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As I've written about it before, I am slowly working on my dream of having a retirement cabin in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Over the past few years, I have build a small 20X24 Garage with an unfinished upstairs living area, ran electricity, and even brought in a 500lb propane tank and small propane heater to try to keep the place above freezing during the winters. The idea was, for the propane heater to keep the garage above 45 throughout the winter as I do have some rudimentary plumbing (a standalone sink with heat/pump, and a portable shower caddy with heat/pump). Well the hopes that this heater and 500lbs of propane would keep my garage above freezing failed me this year - as I ran out of propane in just under 5 months during that dreaded continuous week of <0 temps.

When I make it back out to the place this summer, my plan is to add insulation upstairs and downstairs and maybe start to finish off the upstairs - which really would be to close off the eaves. as I have a radiant barrier in place.

But here is my dilemma...I live 1700 miles from my dream. This year will be the first year I will be hunting on my land. Because of the distance I'm planning to add a gun safe here in a few week and leave a handful of guns at the property so I don't have to continuously transport them. I'm looking for any ideas/tips on what I can do to help create a better climate controlled environment for storing weapons - without having to buy an entire HVAC system. Any help with how I can create a "climate controlled" environment for keeping my guns there would be greatly appreciated. (On a plus, the summers don't get too terribly hot and humid, and the radiant barriers does wonders for keeping the place under 90 - so it maybe more of how to keep it warm, but I also figure once I finish the upstairs more, I might start to lose air circulation and now will have more heat issues than I currently have...)
This probably isn't an answer to your specific question. But I've been leaving an old coach gun that I sprayed with duracoat in a metal shipping container in Northern MN for years. Once a year I spray it down with CLP and let it soak, then wipe it down. It still goes bang more often than not. I don't think I'd leave "good guns" sitting this way though.
 
Not climate controlled it these seem cool and cheap.
I've never tried on so ?

Ordering those bags tonight! Thanks!
 
This probably isn't an answer to your specific question. But I've been leaving an old coach gun that I sprayed with duracoat in a metal shipping container in Northern MN for years. Once a year I spray it down with CLP and let it soak, then wipe it down. It still goes bang more often than not. I don't think I'd leave "good guns" sitting this way though.
Let me ask....is your place in Northern MN heated when you are not there? If not, good to know you haven't had issues with a good soak and storing.
 
Let me ask....is your place in Northern MN heated when you are not there? If not, good to know you haven't had issues with a good soak and storing.
No. It's a metal shipping container where I store my stuff. There's no climate control.
 
This is just a shot in the dark, but could you also use desiccant bags to absorb moisture in whatever container you store the gun(s)?
 
This is just a shot in the dark, but could you also use desiccant bags to absorb moisture in whatever container you store the gun(s)?
I'm definitely thinking of going this route....my bigger concern was more with potential extreme temperatures.
 
Is it synthetic or wood stock?
 
Likely both.

For synthetic stock you can oil the gun and put it in a bag with dessicants.

Wood is tricky because it tends not to tolerate dessicants. I've heard of people using vacuum bags but never tried it myself. I think insulation would be important because rapid changes in temperature can cause condensation on metal parts. Whatever you end up doing, be generous with the oil.
 
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