Mold on rifles in gun safe.

[CaptainFinn]

Okay, I hadn’t opened my safe in over a month (got out the .22’s one weekend around end of July when my kids were over, we went out behind the barn to the old pen and set up some spinners, soda cans, etc).

Opened the closet yesterday where my safe sits and a large codura Sig rifle case sitting outside the safe was speckled all over with mold, like a loaf of bread. Weird! Opened the safe and holy cow, four guns with wood stocks (oil finished) were covered in mold. My SMLE was covered the worst, and it had a web sling that was covered as well. Leather wrap on my Rossi carbine’s lever was absolutely furry with mold. On the other side of the cabinet, my 1100 buttstock and forearm (some sort of poly finish) had mold all over the checkered portions of the wood but nowhere else.

I’ve had the safe over 25 years, never had any rust or humidity issues. I took everything out, removed the moldy sling and leather wrap, and wiped all the guns down with mineral spirits l, dried them then followed by CLP. Weirdest thing is the rifle case outside of the safe, and there was even a spattering of mold on the inside of the door. I’m putting a dehumidifier hanger inside the safe. Just such a weird thing to happen, everything looked fine back in July.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[RIDERED350r]

I have two canister style dessicant dehumidifiers in my safe. So far they have kept all my firearms clean and dry.

[GunnyMack]

Could have been that the day you were shooting the mold spores were HIGH and airborne and when you put your toys away the spores fell off you and found a nice place to set up shop.

[mickbr]

yup spore loads in the air can be variable . Sounds like something virulent blew in one day and liked your conditions. I found one rossi I had was particularly susceptible to forming a green patina on the stock. It really liked that high grade brazilian rubberwood

[vancelw]

I had it happen once, back when I used a simple uninsulated metal cabinet.

Now I use a fire rated safe with desiccant and a heater rod in an area with better ventilation.

Scary sight to see mold on everything. Fortunately nothing was ruined when I cleaned the mold off.

[AJMD429]

.
Holsters and belts are my worst problem.

Too bulky to put in a container, and our house it just too humid...