Under Desk Shotgun

[kje54]

I've been thinking about installing my Escort Slugger under my computer desk. No, I don't mean permanently mount I mean some sort of system that will retain the shotgun under the desk that I can retrieve quickly.

Please keep in mind this is about mounting a retaining system for a shotgun not a pistol or a rifle and no I don't need you to waste your time convincing me otherwise.

That said I'm looking for options & ideas. Thanks.

 

[kje54]

Just to give everybody an idea of what I'm envisioning:

 

[badkarmamib]

If the receiver is steel, there are non-marring magnets that can be screwed to the desk.

Amazon.com

 

[CopperClad]

I had a 870 mounted under my workshop bench. Used a no-mar magnet, and a flat piece of carpeted steel bar to keep it "ready".

Depending on your desk setup, maybe a open top scabbard?

 

[kje54]

If the receiver is steel, there are non-marring magnets that can be screwed to the desk.

Amazon.com

Yeah, I know about the magnets, exploring alternate ideas. Thanks

 

[kje54]

I had a 870 mounted under my workshop bench. Used a no-mar magnet, and a flat piece of carpeted steel bar to keep it "ready".

Depending on your desk setup, maybe a open top scabbard?

Magnets are definitively a option if I can't find the spring setup I drew. The scabbard idea is a good idea but it's a no go from the start, the desk (in the room) configuration rules it out completely. And relocating the desk will not work either.

 

[DustyGmt]

It's funny, I've been away from the forum for quite a while finishing up my house and getting moved and I have a punchlist of things to finish up but first thing I want to get on when I get the time is a new way to store my shotgun by the bed, for years now its just leaned right up in the corner of my bed side but was planning on getting a thread going to discuss some DIY retention/storage ideas some of you guys might have for staging different types of firearms around the home, and still may do so.

I'm thinking in your case, cutting a 2' or 3' secti9n of 2x4 and a couple of those red coated hooks you can get from any hardware store made for hanging ladders and bicycles could work if you fastened the 2x4 to the bottom of your desk, securely fastened from underneath while being careful not to pop your screw out the top of your desk. If you wanted it fully concealed from anybody who might have a vantage point to see under the desk you could use a lil more wood and get crafty with some hinges....

I can see it in my head but I don't know if anybody wants to read 10 more paragraphs about that and probably couldn't explain it right anyway.

 

[kje54]

It's funny, I've been away from the forum for quite a while finishing up my house and getting moved and I have a punchline of things to finish up but first thing I want to get on when I get the time is a new way to store my shotgun by the bed, for years now its just leaned right up in the corner of my bed side but was planning on getting a thread going to discuss some DIY retention/storage ideas some of you guys might have for staging different types of firearms around the home, and still may do so.

I'm thinking in your case, cutting a 2' or 3' secti9n of 2x4 and a couple of those red coated hooks you can get from any hardware store made for hanging ladders and bicycles could work if you fastened the 2x4 to the bottom of your desk, securely fastened from underneath while being careful not to pop your screw out the top of your desk. If you wanted it fully concealed from anybody who might have a vantage point to see under the desk you could use a lil more wood and get crafty with some hinges....

I can see it in my head but I don't know if anybody wants to read 10 more paragraphs about that and probably couldn't explain it right anyway.

I discounted the J hook idea as soon as I saw it before posting this thread. I probably should have mentioned in the OP that I'd looked at the obvious options, magnets, etc and pretty much discounted them.
The J hook option doesn't have the retention and hangs down way too low (for me). I'm thinking something "bent spring" like to hold it flat to the bottom of the surface.
Maybe hoping for someone to look at my drawing (up a few posts) and tell me "oh yeah, I know where you can get those......"

 

[Bwana John]

Screw 1” webbing into the bottom of the desk with mollee/pals spacing, then use the webbing to attach a shotgun scabbard that also uses the same mollee/pals attachment

 

[kje54]

Screw 1” webbing into the bottom of the desk with mollee/pals spacing, then use the webbing to attach a shotgun scabbard that also uses the same mollee/pals attachment

View attachment 1171205

Someone else on another board suggested that and while it's a great idea it won't work for me, overall space configuration issues, I wouldn't be able to easily draw it. Thanks anyway.

 

[Jim Watson]

There are lots of spring clip tool holders from shop hardware dealers, searchable on www.

 

[kje54]

There are lots of spring clip tool holders from shop hardware dealers, searchable on www.

Yeah but I'm really not sure what I'm looking for, what to call the items so I can actually successfully find them on www.....................

 

[Cvans]

Velcro. The only down side is it's noisy. Also they make hat hangers that can be attached to the ceiling of your PU. A couple of those might work. Something on this order might work if you modified the wires and used several to hold the weight.

 

[CopperClad]

Someone else on another board suggested that and while it's a great idea it won't work for me, overall space configuration issues, I wouldn't be able to easily draw it. Thanks anyway.

Which is why the 870 is no longer under the bench. I've chosen a different path.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Get one or two tool holding magnets from Harbor Freight. Screw them to the desk,
if the receiver is alloy the magnets will hold the gun by the barrel.

 

[kje54]

Get one or two tool holding magnets from Harbor Freight. Screw them to the desk,
if the receiver is alloy the magnets will hold the gun by the barrel.

Thanks, already been covered.

 

[doubleh]

Add a shelf under the desk and just lay the gun on it if there is room to do so. Old timey bartender solution although it might still be in use today. Since I do not frequest bars I really don't know.

 

[SKILCZ]

Thanks, already been covered.

Out of curiosity, what don't you like about the magnet idea?

 

[kje54]

Out of curiosity, what don't you like about the magnet idea?

I'd have to use two magnets to make sure the shotgun stays in place, more for stability than anything else. I don't trust the single magnet use and though not as bad as the J hook set up it still hangs lower than I want it to. Especially since it will be under the front third of the desktop so more easily seen than if the hardware was flush mounted to the bottom of the desktop.

 

[tmd16556]

I’d want to keep magnets away from computers anyway. Solid state drives should be ok, but they can interfere with old school hardware. I like the hidden ledge idea best. I can’t quite figure the drawing out. I see a snake spitting lasers and a Mercury space capsule docking into the back of the trigger guard. I spend a lot of time drawing with kids s my imagination is primed that way.

 

[kje54]

I’d want to keep magnets away from computers anyway. Solid state drives should be ok, but they can interfere with old school hardware. I like the hidden ledge idea best. I can’t quite figure the drawing out. I see a snake spitting lasers and a Mercury space capsule docking into the back of the trigger guard. I spend a lot of time drawing with kids s my imagination is primed that way.

The bottom drawing is the spring looking at it from the side. The things being "spitted" are screws............
Yeah I didn't think about the magnets but both computers have 2 SSDs each not the old HHDs so no problems with the magnets there.

 

[Zebraranger]

I'm with the vinyl coated magnet crowd, I have and use a couple of them, one under a desk for a handgun. The ones I use are 3/4" tall from the surface its mounted to, made by Tactical Concealment Products. If it's a wood desk, and if you have some woodworking skills, you could recess the magnets using a router or roto-zip. Even though they are very strong magnets, if you go that route, I'd definitely use two to hold a 12 gauge in place securely. Not because of weight, but because of the length. I can't imagine a quicker way to dismount a gun than to break it free from just hanging on a magnet.

 

[jmr40]

If I wanted to do something similar I'd buy a roll of velcro. Cut a couple of 1' sections off and attach them to the bottom of the desk top with a couple of wood screws. Then secure the weapon to the underside with the velcro.

VELCRO 25 ft. x 3/4 in. One-Wrap Roll VEL-30764-USA - The Home Depot

The VELCRO Brand 25 ft. x 3/4 in. 1-Wrap Roll is the quick alternative to rope, bungee or twine. Just wrap onto itself for secure hold. Increase the overlap to increase strength. Strap is great for bundling

www.homedepot.com

 

[a_canadian]

This talk about magnets causing the shotgun to hang low... I'm guessing you guys don't know about neodymium magnets and 'focusing' cups? A thin machined steel cup around a strong neodymium magnet forces the field of attraction about 90% out one face of the magnet. The cup side has minimal magnetic attraction - not relevant in this case, except that it means extremely little magnetism is going to threaten any computer drives on top of the desk. The cup is screwed into the wood, a small drop of glue put onto the magnet, then the magnet popped into the cup. I suggest glue, as you don't want the magnet coming off with the shotgun - something I've seen with a couple of fixtures in machining. A drop of CA is plenty to put the balance on the side of the cup, preventing the magnet coming out accidentally.

If you choose the largest size here, it fits a 1" magnet.

Steel Cups for Rare-Earth Magnets - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Steel Cups For Rare-Earth Magnets. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

This is the magnet it fits:

Steel Cups for Rare-Earth Magnets - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Steel Cups For Rare-Earth Magnets. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

You can further reduce the already less than 1/4" drop of the gun from the bottom face of the desktop by boring an appropriate shallow hole into which you screw (and glue, if you like) the cup. But of course of the steel isn't the most proud part, a grip flange for instance, or the pump grip, it's probably better not to counter-bore for the cups, and you may even need to add a washer or two to get the magnets far enough from the wood so that the shotgun's steel parts can get to them. Easy enough to measure this by just sticking the cupped magnets to the places on the shotgun you want to retain, then pushing it up against the desk to see if the cups make contact.

 

[trackskippy]

How about something like this screwed under the table on the muzzle end, and a bungee of some sort on the back end that is easily pulled aside to release it?