Reloading and gun storage in a shed

[Amazingrandy1]

Hey everyone, it looks like I will be moving to a new home, and will need to build a shed as my reloading/gun room. The plan is to have it insulated and have electrical run to it. It would be climate controlled via A/C and heater. The safe would be bolted to the floor as well. My question is, has anyone else had experience doing this, and how does it work for you? Are there any other recommendations to add to what I already have? I live in New England with varying weather, hence the insulating and climate control. Thanks!

 

[straightshooter1]

Hey everyone, it looks like I will be moving to a new home, and will need to build a shed as my reloading/gun room. The plan is to have it insulated and have electrical run to it. It would be climate controlled via A/C and heater. The safe would be bolted to the floor as well. My question is, has anyone else had experience doing this, and how does it work for you? Are there any other recommendations to add to what I already have? I live in New England with varying weather, hence the insulating and climate control. Thanks!

Besides being able to regulate heat, be sure you can control the humidity as well.

 

[simonp]

Storage of guns no - if you are building the shed on a cement pad and the safe is bolted into the cement then I dont see any issues per se. If it is just to the floor of the shed I would think that a determined person could take it still.

As for reloading, I reload in a shed, its a fairly consistent temp and I run a humidifier 24/7, havent run into any issues yet other than running out of space! lol

 

[Amazingrandy1]

Storage of guns no - if you are building the shed on a cement pad and the safe is bolted into the cement then I dont see any issues per se. If it is just to the floor of the shed I would think that a determined person could take it still.

As for reloading, I reload in a shed, its a fairly consistent temp and I run a humidifier 24/7, havent run into any issues yet other than running out of space! lol

Good to know about the reloading, thank you. Even if I had security on the shed, locks, etc.,I shouldn't put the safe out there?

 

[simonp]

Good to know about the reloading, thank you. Even if I had security on the shed, locks, etc.,I shouldn't put the safe out there?

It really depends on where you are, where the shed is on your property, comfort level, etc. I dont know your neighborhood or property so I cant say, total judgment call.

You can add one or two camera's (Ring or the like) on the interior aimed at the safe if you are nervous then at least you will have evidence if anything happens.

 

[Amazingrandy1]

It really depends on where you are, where the shed is on your property, comfort level, etc. I dont know your neighborhood or property so I cant say, total judgment call.

You can add one or two camera's (Ring or the like) on the interior aimed at the safe if you are nervous then at least you will have evidence if anything happens.

I agree. The Ring unit was something I was considering as well.

 

[TurboTrout]

If the temp is stabilized and humidity low, sure.

Personally I like my guns to be closer to me, but that’s just me



Just finished up some recurrent training, one of the topics they covered was in a survival situation bringing your guns into your shelter by the fire or leaving them outside, sposed to leave covered but outside to keep them cold soaked vs going cold to hot and get moisture that gets.

 

[diggler1833]

I reload in my shop (insulated, no A/C) here in Oklahoma.

Since my conditions are less than favorable, I store all of my bullets and brass in my shop, and my powder and primers in my safe room back in the house.

I will go so far as to throw powder charges on my dining room table and then place the bullets in the case mouths before I take everything outside and finish seating the bullets. Works for me.

 

[Doom]

Since you are in CT you have a different situation than I do in SC. You will need to monitor humidity but not for the reasons most people think. You will be heating in a cold winter climate and since the shed is not normally occupied you have no real source of moisture to keep the shed from drying out. You will probably want a humidifier to keep the humidity around 60% to keep the potential for static electricity buildup from igniting a primer or powder when being handled. This needs to be your biggest concern.

FYI, I load in a metal uninsulated storage building in SC which is only heated when occupied.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

I reload in my shop (insulated, no A/C) here in Oklahoma.

Since my conditions are less than favorable, I store all of my bullets and brass in my shop, and my powder and primers in my safe room back in the house.

I will go so far as to throw powder charges on my dining room table and then place the bullets in the case mouths before I take everything outside and finish seating the bullets. Works for me.

Me too but I have a very stable reloading table in the shop and a separate and stable shelf for the powder scale. And very unsteady hands. Don't think it would be safe to carry charged rounds from the house to the shop. My milage does vary and the ground going to my shop is uphill and not even. I'm good with old age but still we do lose steadiness.

As far as building a dedicated gun shop; I have seen one built. The owner, instead of using safes bolted to the floor, he built a SAFE ROOM with a safe type door. Obviously the walls would need to be reinforced and properly insulated. If money was no object, I would do the same except hide the safe door behind a standard door/frame.

 

[sawgunner2001]

In Minnesota:

My reloading bench is in a heated & insulated 30'x40' pole building with concrete floor. No air conditioning, but I do run a dehumidifier in the summer and easily keep humidity at 45%. The dehumidifier gets emptied about every 2-4 days, depending how sticky it's been outside. Temps inside the building get up to about 76-77*F in the summer. I keep the heat at about 53-55*F in the winter. No issues.

 

[spife7980]

Why cant you do it in your house? It would be easiest.

 

[xsn10s]

I wouldn't store firearms or reloading equipment in a shed. I'd consider the firearms in a shed a serious security issue. And the cost of keeping the temperature and humidity stable in the shed wouldn't be worth it to me.

 

[Amazingrandy1]

Why cant you do it in your house? It would be easiest.

Not enough room. It will be a shared house with mother in law. Plenty of land to use, hence wanting to go the shed route.

 

[Amazingrandy1]

I wouldn't store firearms or reloading equipment in a shed. I'd consider the firearms in a shed a serious security issue. And the cost of keeping the temperature and humidity stable in the shed wouldn't be worth it to me.

I'm still not big on having my stuff in a shed, but I think its the route I need to go. I'm not worried about keeping the temp and humidity regulated.

 

[Lightning8]

I just moved with house with large basement to house with no basement. I had an 18x25 metal building installed on an existing concrete pad. One roll up door and one personnel door - no windows. I had the entire new building spray foamed. I keep all the junk/clutter from former basement in there along with reloading stuff I do not use often (extra brass and such). I converted one bay of my new house's 3 car garage to the hobby shop - had the attic over the garage spray foamed, installed insulation in the roll up doors, had ductless AC unit installed for HVAC and humidity control. I almost put the hobby area in the shop but decided to use attached garage instead.

 

[huntnh]

Do a concrete slab and wall hung split ac and heat in one unit. Much more secure and you actually not throwing money away on a crappy shed

 

[338dude]

If the temp is stabilized and humidity low, sure.

Personally I like my guns to be closer to me, but that’s just me



Just finished up some recurrent training, one of the topics they covered was in a survival situation bringing your guns into your shelter by the fire or leaving them outside, sposed to leave covered but outside to keep them cold soaked vs going cold to hot and get moisture that gets.

That makes sense it’s about the condensation going from hot to cold.