# Will heat damage the handgun? The ammo?



## Roscoe P. Coltrain (Feb 27, 2011)

If I keep a gun in my car for personal protection, will summertime heat damage either the gun or the ammunition?


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Pending on the type of gun, particularly it's finish and how you store it your only worry will be damage to the finish. In a high humidity environment you need to be sure that your gun is:

A: Not blued, by that I mean actual honest blueing of the metal.
B: Not stored in a leather or nylon holster that will attract/retain moisture
C: Secured against theft of opportunity.
D: Has a firing pin safety or is designed as such to have a method of keeping the firing pin from moving until it's supposed to. In the event of a vehicular collision you don't want an inertia caused movement of the firing mechasism

The ammunition should be fine.


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## Roscoe P. Coltrain (Feb 27, 2011)

Thanks VAM. So specifically it would be a glock 22 (40 S&W). I assume I am okay on your points A and D?


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## dayid (Feb 24, 2011)

Roscoe P. Coltrain said:


> Thanks VAM. So specifically it would be a glock 22 (40 S&W). I assume I am okay on your points A and D?


 Correct


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Roscoe P. Coltrain said:


> Thanks VAM. So specifically it would be a glock 22 (40 S&W). I assume I am okay on your points A and D?


Yes, Glock uses what they call a Tennifer finish which is different than bluing and the Glock has an internal "firing pin safety" whereby there's a mechanical blocker preventing the striker from hitting the primer unless intended to.


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

Roscoe P. Coltrain said:


> Thanks VAM. So specifically it would be a glock 22 (40 S&W). I assume I am okay on your points A and D?


All firearms produced since the 1980s have to pass a drop test. This is the California test requirements and I think almost all modern guns are built to pass this test. I would think you are OK if yours is a modern weapon:

12128. As used in this chapter, the "drop safety requirement for handguns" means that at the conclusion of the firing requirements for handguns described in Section 12127, the same certified independent testing laboratory shall subject the same three handguns of the make and model for which certification is sought, to the following test: 
A primed case (no powder or projectile) shall be inserted into the chamber. For pistols, the slide shall be released, allowing it to move forward under the impetus of the recoil spring, and an empty magazine shall be inserted. For both pistols and revolvers, the weapon shall be placed in a drop fixture capable of dropping the pistol from a drop height of 1m + 1cm (39.4 + 0.4 in.) onto the largest side of a slab of solid concrete having minimum dimensions of 7.5 X 15 X 15 cm (3 X 6 X 6 in.). The drop distance shall be measured from the lowermost portion of the weapon to the top surface of the slab. The weapon shall be dropped from a fixture and not from the hand. The weapon shall be dropped in the condition that it would be in if it were dropped from a hand (cocked with no manual safety applied). If the design of a pistol is such that upon leaving the hand a "safety" is automatically applied by the pistol, this feature shall not be defeated. An approved drop fixture is a short piece of string with the weapon attached at one end and the other end held in an air vise until the drop is initiated. 
The following six drops shall be performed: 
(a) Normal firing position with barrel horizontal. 
(b) Upside down with barrel horizontal. 
(c) On grip with barrel vertical. 
(d) On muzzle with barrel vertical. 
(e) On either side with barrel horizontal. 
(f) If there is an exposed hammer or striker, on the rearmost point of that device, otherwise on the rearmost point of the weapon. 
The primer shall be examined for indentations after each drop. If indentations are present, a fresh primed case shall be used for the next drop. 
The handgun shall pass this test if each of the three test guns does not fire the primer.


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