Gun safe question

[BUmmedic]

All right... searching and reading through threads posted on multiple forums is making my head spin. I have a fireproof/waterproof safe (read: no electrical cord passage) bolted to the floor in my basement. We have a dehumidifier, which is keeping the basement humidity in the 40's (also cooling off outside, so the humidity level is going to plummet naturally anyway). The basement is not temp controlled, and varies in humidity from < 40's in dead winter to > 60% in the heat of summer. Safe has other important stuff inside besides firearms and ammo, and between a large dessicant pack and two plug-in-to-recharge dehumidifiers, the humidity doesn't get below 60%. I open the door, and the thing plummets to match the room humidity. Close it and it goes back up (read something about fire insulation keeping things a bit wet inside). Temperature inside is also warmer than ambient (for now, at least). Have used for a few months and have not noticed any ill effect to any of the guns or ammo in there. I will admit, before the gun safe, things were kept in their cases in safe locations throughout the house, and none seem to have had any ill effect from massive temperature and humidity fluctuations inherent with living in the WI (and about as far from maintaining a steady temperature as possible... hot and humid in the summer and cool and dry in the summer). My 870 express has traveled through three states and had no more babying than (can't even say regular) cleaning and keeping in a plastic gun case with a (by sure by now) expired vapor/moisture eliminator bar (been about 7 years, so definitely expired).

Am I missing something or doing something wrong? Any ideas to make an ideal situation? Old historic home without great temperature regulation. I make sure to now inspect every week and keep everything lightly oiled (Rem-oil on a rag or a silicon cloth wipe-down), but I don't field strip and clean and lubricate religiously. I don't want to flush the investments down the toilet (and so far they seem fine), but can't really change the situation much either (at least not without massive investments). Come next summer, we're planning to install a passive ventilation system to maintain temperature and humidity down there.

PS - I feel like I'm going to get pummeled for this one... bring it on. I can only learn from it.

 

[MarkPA]

It is my understanding that a fire safe protects its contents by being built with (what amounts to) a water-jacket. Inside the walls of a fire safe (or fire-proof filing cabinet) is a sponge-like material saturated with water. In a fire, the water vaporizes and saturates the contents; typically paper in a file-cabinet or typical contents of a fire safe.
Assuming this is the technique of the design of your fire safe you are fighting a losing game trying to use desiccant or dehumidifiers.

You might achieve a desirable result if you seal your guns in a plastic bag with some desiccant. Or, possibly, build a plastic box inside the safe with a decent seal on its door; with desiccant inside the plastic box. Then, you would shield your contents from the natural moisture leaving the sponge material in the safe's walls.

You might contact the manufacturer to confirm my suspicion that your problem is caused by a water-soaked jacket in the walls of the safe.

Mark