Lost everything in Santa Cruz fire. Some questions.

[Dave Hill]

I am sorry for the loss of your home.

[OCEquestrian]

Sorry for your loss and hope for a quick recovery. I purchased some low temp glue sticks that melt at 200 degrees and lined the inside edges of my safes to help determine how hot they got and possibly for how long during a fire if one happens. If they are mostly untouched or slightly warped I can safely assume the temp in the safe didn't reach very high temp and/or for long. If they are puddles then it was likely hotter than 200 for a while.

[Diversity210]

We have just been able to relocate to Los Altos Hills after the fire.
We were lucky and began loading up my truck and wife's car the day before.
I got out 12 long guns and 4 handguns.

In my safes were perhaps two dozen more long guns. Under the house was
46 .50 Cal ammo boxes filled with ammo.

We have not been let back in, but a neighbor snuck in and took pics of everyones place. Burnt to the ground.

These safes were cheapo Big 5 safes.

It seems in the rush to escape I lost 8-10 SKS's.

What are the chances of the ammo still being good, or the long guns surviving? I read years ago about a guy who bought a safe from someone who's house burned down.
Then, commentators said that the firearms have been "de-tempered"
and were destroyed, though still looked okay?

If I can find my safes, are the remaining guns toast?

Tommy

Ammo is ruined for sure. More than likely the guns are lost. My uncle is a retired fire fighter and gun enthusiast. Years ago I asked him why he doesn't keep his guns in a safe. He told me if I seen what happens to guns in a safe that has been in a fire I wouldn't keep them in a safe either. The safe pretty much acts like and oven in a fire and just cooks everything in it. So ive never kept my guns in a safe either. I also dont have any kids so Im not worried about that and everything in my home of value is documented photographed and well insured.

Had a couple fishing rod and real combos stolen off the back of my truck some time ago. I had left them there to run in the house for a few minutes. When I came back. Just that fast someone had stolen them. Just the 2 combos were about 1200 bucks. Insurance company sent me a check with 2 weeks. Insure your stuff people. Stop buying all this expensive gear thinking nothing will ever happen to it.

[MOA squirrel]

Man forest fires Suck. I hope your life will get back to a normal soon.
My great aunts cabin in the Dardanelles burned down a couple years ago. It was no longer in my family and it still hurt me as if it was my own. I had a lot of great times there.

[Like2fly]

Like all, I am sorry for whatever you have lost in this fire. Hope things work out in the long run for you, and who knows it may end up being a positive turning point in your life. I would mentally assume all your weapons and ammo are a complete loss and perhaps you will have a pleasant surprise if some or all or salvageable.

I am curious if your ammo is no good what would be the best or proper way (and legalities) of disposing of a large (or small) amount of non-serviceable ammo? Blue recycle bin?

[Enzo rules]

This is terrible. I sorry for the loss of your home and firearms.

[ar15barrels]

If I can find my safes, are the remaining guns toast?

If you recover guns, look for obvious charring of wood and melting of plabic.
If there is no charring or melting of plastic parts, check the springs for tension.
If the springs all have tension, the gun was probably not heated up enough to damage them beyond use.

If the springs have gone soft in a gun, the gun is not going to be fit to be fired with ammunition anymore.

[ar15barrels]

Gas Blocks, trunions, sights etc are routinely Silver Brazed onto barrels.
And that is done above 1100* F without ruining them.

Most soldering of gun parts is done in the 400-500 degree temperature range with soft (lower temp) solders.
That's how sight bases and ribs are put on barrels as well as how double barrel shotguns get the barrels joined together.

The ATF lists the 1100f specification for permanent attachment of a muzzle device to a barrel.
Hard silver solder flows around 1200f and is rarely used for anything else on guns other than perm attaching muzzle devices and even that is rare these days because of all the problems it causes with the finish of the barrel and muzzle device.

[Endless]

We have just been able to relocate to Los Altos Hills after the fire.
We were lucky and began loading up my truck and wife's car the day before.
I got out 12 long guns and 4 handguns.

In my safes were perhaps two dozen more long guns. Under the house was
46 .50 Cal ammo boxes filled with ammo.

We have not been let back in, but a neighbor snuck in and took pics of everyones place. Burnt to the ground.

These safes were cheapo Big 5 safes.

It seems in the rush to escape I lost 8-10 SKS's.

What are the chances of the ammo still being good, or the long guns surviving? I read years ago about a guy who bought a safe from someone who's house burned down.
Then, commentators said that the firearms have been "de-tempered"
and were destroyed, though still looked okay?

If I can find my safes, are the remaining guns toast?

Tommy

Sorry to hear about this. Good thing is you and your family are safe and unharmed. Guns come and go out of our life and in the grand scheme of things mean very little. Just my observation.

Be safe.