Reloading in a garage?

[Munimula]

So I've finally got to the point I can build out a dedicated reloading space but the space is in my garage. I have a man door, one window, and the obvious garage door.

I plan on replacing the crap wood door with window with a security door this week thanks to habit for humanity. But should I put bars on the windows? I live in the city near a high school. All firearms are in safes in the house. As much ammo as I can manage will be in a safe in the garage that is bolted to the concrete floor. Just considering any extra steps I should take to secure this stuff.

 

[Trek]

How will you manage humidity? I didn’t see where you were located... but I suspect the variations outside a controlled AC area might present a challenge with your powder (metal surfaces)... good luck with your project!

 

[Munimula]

How will you manage humidity? I didn’t see where you were located... but I suspect the variations outside a controlled AC area might present a challenge with your powder (metal surfaces)... good luck with your project!

Noted. I live in a high mountian desert area which has pretty low humidity year round. I recently finished insulating the garage roof which has helped with temp swings. Hopefully this is enough to even everything out. Currently unused powder is in my indoor safe. I'd like to move it into the garage safe as I aquire more.

 

[jcam]

I keep my powder and autotrickler indoors. Decapping, Annealing, Sizing, bullet seating are all done on the workbench in the garage.

 

[Geno C.]

Don’t store powder in a safe. That literally is a bomb waiting to go off. If you’re going to store powder inside of something, look up the suggested powder storage guidelines for commercial businesses and copy that at home. The biggest thing for most loading the the garage is climate control. If you can keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter, in the desert you should be gtg.

If the guns are in the safe in the house, I wouldn’t worry about putting bars on the windows, unless you live in a high crime area and you just want the added protection for everything

 

[DellaDog]

I’d put a window ac/heater unit in the window instead of bars. I’ve got the combo in my garage and it‘s climate controlled year round. 95 outside and 75 in the garage. 22 outside & 72 inside.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I used to reload in the garage until I upgraded. Now i reload in a fucking tuff shed with no electricity. That is what the 50' extension cord is for. As long as it is not below freezing or above 110 I'm happy. Flies can be a nuisance but they force me to be still.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I'm too stubborn.

 

[Munimula]

I’d put a window ac/heater unit in the window instead of bars. I’ve got the combo in my garage and it‘s climate controlled year round. 95 outside and 75 in the garage. 22 outside & 72 inside.

One of those wall mount mini splits is on the wish list once I get all the shelving for the garage built and sorted. Its still messy and its driving me nuts.

 

[DellaDog]

wall mount mini splits

Even better

 

[Munimula]

Don’t store powder in a safe. That literally is a bomb waiting to go off. If you’re going to store powder inside of something, look up the suggested powder storage guidelines for commercial businesses and copy that at home. The biggest thing for most loading the the garage is climate control. If you can keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter, in the desert you should be gtg.

If the guns are in the safe in the house, I wouldn’t worry about putting bars on the windows, unless you live in a high crime area and you just want the added protection for everything

Your totally right. I overlooked that. I think I can scrounge up a chemical storage cabinet that is meant for stuff like that. They make smaller wall mount ones that could hold a few pound bottles. I only have 2 currently and they are indoors sitting on top of my safe. But was trying to move everything to one location for use.

Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[AIAW]

Yeah forget the bars. If someone breaks in, they aren’t going for your reloading gear most likely!

 

[Milo 2.5]

I can't help you with whatever security measures you need, but I load in my garage. It is heated but not cooled, gets hot in the summer, not well insulted. I do not have humidity problems, but I do not store powder out there, nor do I really keep loaded ammo on hand, sans pistol and 223 blasting ammo. Now I will bring 1K boxes of primers out, and use as I go w/o incident, 10+ yrs.
I quit powdering cases at around 85deg, seems here if it gets that warm with the garage closed off, humidity seems to rise and powders get sticky.
I myself would not get too concerned about buying some flammable safe container to store powders, doing so is just betting that room is where a fire will start. If fire reaches that room, you already have bigger issues.

 

[Geno C.]

My point was to get powder out of the safe. Mine sits on an open shelf

 

[Milo 2.5]

My point was to get powder out of the safe. Mine sits on an open shelf

Good call, lol, my powder does too.

 

[Munimula]

My point was to get powder out of the safe. Mine sits on an open shelf

What if my ammo safe has vent holes in it lol.

 

[Geno C.]

Locked out before?

If a guy has a bunch of powder in it, I wouldn’t trust those holes to be enough

 

[Ryridesmotox]

I reload in the garage. Its 100ish here in the summer and can get almost freezing in the winter. It does frost but rarely stays below 32 for long. All my stuff is in the shelves around my reloading bench. I leave all thebpowsers in the cans they come in. Hasn't seemed to be a deficit yet.

 

[Munimula]

Locked out before?

If a side has a bunch of powder in it, I wouldn’t trust those holes to be enough

I get it. Just looked at it again and was laughing at my own joke.

It was my fathers safe. He moved to Hawaii and couldn't take most of his stuff with him due to the strict laws there. So he secured them at a family members house. Forgot the combo after 2 years of island life.

I drilled the safe for him. Combo still works. Just looks shady as hell so I can't really sell it or trash it since it looks like a felony. So bulk storage it is.

 

[b2lee]

I load in my garage. I can leave a set of Hornady Dies on the bench for a week and they don't rust...so I'm guessing the humidity is ok in N. KY. My garage door is very well insulated. I keep my powder sealed in the original container inside a metal wall cabinet...one of many that I put tools, dies, scales, lead molds...whatever in.

It works for me...better than reloading at my couch like I used to do.

 

[Mike Casselton]

My point was to get powder out of the safe. Mine sits on an open shelf

Open shelf or a wooden container.
I know it sounds wrong, but look at the storage requirements and those are the correct methods