New gun has me thinking

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gf1723

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I need to start securing my guns. I'm about to acquire a new handgun this week, just waiting for the 3 day law to be over with.

I used to live with my parents, less than 3 months ago. We lived in a very small, quiet and safe community so we never worried about burglaries. We did lock our home when going to bed, even though many families we knew did not! This is how trusting our neighborhood is!

Anyways, my father and I always kept our firearms in a chest in our basement. Now that I have moved out and farther away, I took my firearms with me. They consist of three long-guns and three handguns. I still go home quite a bit on the weekends, leaving all my firearms except usually a handgun in my apartment. They are just pretty much tucked underneath the bed for anyone to grab, with no locks or anything. Now, I don't live in the ghetto or anything, lots of nice people around here. However I never can tell with some of them.

I absolutely can't bolt any sort of case or vault to the floor because I'm on the second floor, and it states it clearly in my lease. What I was thinking about, was getting one of the big vaults from gunvault.com and that could probably fit 2 or possible 3 handguns? That or get one big one and a couple smaller ones? Then possibly cable them to my bed frame or something? That way most burglars won't really bother with it since they would have to take the bed/frame apart? Then all I have to worry about are the three long guns. I really don't want a huge cabinet or anything, but it might be my only choice? I don't want anything really heavy in case I move in a year, but then again, it would be easy for someone to steal.

This is the one thing I wouldn't have as a problem, if I were a home-owner. However I'm still young and don't see myself buying a house for another 5-10 years if I get married or something.

Any suggestions?
 
A gun safe ain't a safe
Most of the quick access boxes can be 'quickly' accessed if you know how WITH OUT the code or key...

A simple RSC provides a basic layer of security for some who doesn't want to mess with it.
A quality gun safe or better a B rated safe, will last you a life time. LOTS of info here about safes, 'gunsafes' (RSC) Goggle and search are your friend.

Parting words, out of sight, out of mind.
 
Parting words, out of sight, out of mind.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that what's "out of sight, out of mind" to you likely will not be to a thief with even half a brain. If you've ever seen the show "It Takes A Thief" you know how thorough a burglar can be even in an extreme time crunch - and chances are they know all the usual "sneaky spots" that folks use to hide valuables.

So yeah, it's great to keep valuables (including guns) generally out of plain sight when storing them, do not hesitate to get some sort of lockable container for them. Even if all you can afford right now is an RSC, it beats just keeping it on a high shelf in the closet.
 
A good friend of mine just lost 3 guns (2 handguns and a Remington 700) ... a major life hiccup for him.
I have no real answers but I have a suggestion.
YOU know YOUR home/house better than anyone.
So YOU know the nooks and crannys.

Out of sight, out of mind?
Maybe.

In a place that nobody but you knows about.
Excellent.

Test:
Put your gun(s) in that place and ask a close friend or family member to find them.
If they find them in the average time a crook has to look then it's a fail.
Call it 20 minutes.

I know a guy who keeps his handguns in the bottom of his stove...or he used to. (the place where you keep the baking pans etc..it doesn't get hot down there).

Think like a burglar.

If I say any more you will know where my guns are.
But if I keep quiet you will find them 3 minutes after Hell freezes over.

Oh...Gun Safes just make it easier for a burglar to take all of your stuff at once.
Especially the ones with handles.
 
Do you have a book case-shelf? You can buy hollowed out books for your handguns. Also a gun magnet works well.
 
Thanks for the advice guys! I will try to look for some creative hiding places tonight. There is a nicely built storage unit that is locked on my balcony. Most crooks would overlook that. I could probably get some cheap storage cabinet in there . Although the weather would concern me about causing some rust issues.

I an going to use the trigger locks on the guns that have them. I would feel terrible if they git stolen and then used for another crime, when I didn't have them locked.
 
Just because you can't bolt to the floor why couldn't you bolt a decent safe in a closet corner and attach to the studs on two sides, upper and lower giving you 4 points of attachment. When you move those holes are easily repaired. I would still get something for quick access to your HD handgun.
 
Rather than trigger locks, a small cable lock, runthrough the action, and to an eye bolt in the wall, will at least slow them down.

Many inexpensive dressers have a light panel closing off the back- if it's removed, there is enough space to stash a rifle behind the dresser when it is flush to the wall.
 
Depending on the set up of your bed frame, you may be able to cable lock through the actions of the guns through two sides of the bedframe. That way a crook would at least have to take all your guns in bulk and two pieces of bedframe if they took your guns.
 
Consider buying a broken/non-functioning long gun and leave it out so that you aren't leaving a functioning gun to steal ... make it a decoy so they stop looking for guns. They'll think they hit the jackpot and they just might leave with their "prize." Put the long guns inside the couch or inside the box spring of your bed.

As I look around my house and I could get creative if I had to. I've got four big trophies that I could hollow out and put some handguns inside. Inside decreative pillows, bottom of the dirty clothes hamper, inside the rocks of my fake plant, etc... lots of places if you absolutely have to.

Good luck!!
 
"Armor" a closet by putting in a solid-core door, "pinning" the hinges, and installing a deadbolt lock. You might even put a safe in the closet. Then hide the guns somewhere else entirely. Remember, secrecy is your best line of defense.
 
I'd bolt a full size safe to the wall if you can. You can put something like masonite between it and the wall to minimize damage. Just be sure to bolt it to the studs. While this isn't the most secure it is more than the vast majority of burglars will be willing to tackle. Even if they pry it off the wall small safes weigh several hundred pounds so they would have a hard time sneaking it out unnoticed. You may need to put plywood, masonite or something more solid down on the floor below the safe though to distribute it's weight since you're on the second floor.
 
The first year I moved down here, I lived in an apartment like you. I had a wall type container that was easy to install and better than nothing. I just cut the sheetrock in the closet, then screwed it into the 2x4's, and re sheetrocked around it. It was just a door, with a lock. But at least it was a metal container that would require some amount of work to pry out. If you can slow them down for 15 minutes, you have a good chance they won't stich aroung and play games trying to remove or break it out.
Also if it's dark in the closet and your clothes are in front of it with just a lock, they may not even see it. Better than nothing.
When I moved, I just ripped it out, cut the bolts, and sheetrocked and painted over it. No problem , got back my deposit and all. They would have needed to cut 4 2x4's to get it out. Again it's all about time, if you have that and an alarm, you should be ok. I had a dog also. You may want to screw down the windows if you on't use them, a little paint and putty when you leave will fix that also. The windows are usually the way they get in if they are blocked by bushes or trees.
 
I've been searching for some of those 12"x12"x48" MilSurp steel boxes with rubber seal but can't find any locally. These only serve to keep moisture from long arms. I'll be using H2O and O2 absorbers in each box. I'll modify the interior to hold 3 or 4 each with the muzzles in the downward position.

These will be hidden behind a fake wall and stood upright. IMHO, this is a good option since, as stated before, safes aren't really safe and GOOD ones are terribly pricey but only deter or slow down would be thieves. If thieves don't ever see a firearm then theft is prevented. Fire, tornadoes, or other disasters... oh well...
 
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If you have access to a plasma cutter and mig welder it could be fairly easy/fun/affordable, I made a box out of 5/8in steel with some heavy duty hinges then some carpet on the inside, welded some D rings to the top and sides and have a cable running through it and a good master key lock on the door, the cable's attached to something heavy in my home.

You could be more discreet but if it's super hard to get into, plus super heavy, who's gonna mess with it?
 
Well I'm thinking about getting a Stack On or something. Just not real turned on about lugging that much weight up the stairs to my apartment. However, I guess this is the big deterrent towards a burglar.

I would definitely need someone else to help me move it.
 
I've decided I'm going to definitely get a fire-proof safe from either Stack-On or Sentry to keep a couple of handguns in and any other important stuff. Maybe bolt it to the floor or wall in the back of the closet. It's carpeted so the landlord probably won't even notice if I move out. The only thing is I have no idea how to do this properly. :)
 
If you have two bedrooms, find a old old television from the 80's or 90's and open the back of it and remove all parts that are in the way, you could put hinges on the inside of the shell, and a magnetic cabinet type of latch and store the hand guns in it, no one is going to steal a tv that old in these days of big screens and no pawn shop would take it either. It should be set up to look like it is in use in the extra room. Anyone who is thinking about hitting your place while you are gone, knows you live alone. Of course leave the screen in it and they will be out of sight and maybe safer than in a safe. Like any secret, only you should know your hidden location. I can say this from experience, dont tell a soul, lots of us have had a X wife or husband that told all our private information once the relationship has ended. Keep any good spot your own secret.;)
 
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