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Best way to move lots of guns?

pineoak

pineoak

Assistant Minion
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Minuteman
Feb 15, 2017
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Cary, North Carolina
If you had say 3 safes full of guns and NFA items... and were moving more than a few hours away and needed to move those guns to a new residence...

How do you ship/transfer/transport them?

If possible, makes sense to drive them yourself multiple trips, but if the distance was prohibitive of that option, what would you advise?

Sell off the safe queens? Guns, cans, scopes, that haven't been used in a year?
 
Personally, I would make a single trip with myself and enough trusted helpers to get it done. If I didn't have a vehicle large enough for a single trip, I would rent one.

In the event that was not possible/practical, I would hire a carrier experienced in valuable goods and have large amounts of insurance. Gun and Trophy insurance is a good option - https://www.gunandtrophy.com/
 
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Presses, bullets, and heavy non hazmat shit I make the movers take. Guns, powders, primers all go with me. Have moved halfway across the country a few times and it has always worked for me. Never moved a big heavy safe though, so that one is a new challenge one day for me.
 
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Multiple trips? You driving a Mini Cooper or something?
Passenger seat, back seat , back floorboard and truck bed/trunk come to mind for me.
 
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Transport the guns yourself even if you rent something. If you have to hire someone to move the safes after you empty them. I wouldn't let anyone else move my stuff that I didn't know personally or see what I have and where is it going. Possibly even rent a minivan fill it with the items in cases that way when you get to your new place you pull in the garage close it then unload it so all the new neighbors don't see you carry a bunch of gun cases in.
 
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pineoak said:
If you had say 3 safes full of guns and NFA items... and were moving more than a few hours away and needed to move those guns to a new residence...

How do you ship/transfer/transport them?

If possible, makes sense to drive them yourself multiple trips, but if the distance was prohibitive of that option, what would you advise?

Sell off the safe queens? Guns, cans, scopes, that haven't been used in a year?
Click to expand...

Just suck it up and rent a truck and do the drive.
Check all the truck rental companies and see who offers the best deal.
At most, it's a 4 day trip from just about anywhere in the USA to just about anywhere.

Plenty of folks drive half way across the country just for vacation.
 
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Move them yourself. Rent a moving truck, buy a box trailer (you needed the excuse didn't you?), trade a gun to a buddy with a truck/trailer that can haul all your stuff ( he wanted one of your guns anyway, and he get to handle the rest of them!). If you have time, the larger gunshows typically have the 4 or 5 gunsocks for $20 deal. Buy what you need for the move, sell them off when complete. Cheap insurance.
 
Rent a truck and move it yourself.
When I moved I rented an electric stair climbing hand truck to get my safes out of the basement.
 
I rented a truck and drove it myself. Try to rent an electric stair climbing hand truck if you need to go up or down stairs with the sage (or large furniture), worth every penny.
 
I lost an air rifle to movers once. An air rifle. Pretty sure professional movers can't move ammo and some won't move (knowingly?) firearms. The only problem I see transporting guns in a POV is if it's a trip that could entail an overnight stop somewhere. In that case I'd find a friend/relative or two and just keep driving through in rotation. +1 on letting the movers move the safe(s) though if possible. I helped a friend move a safe from his driveway to the back entrance to his walk-out basement once - not fun. I'm old enough now to know when to let the pros do the hard stuff.
 
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I stacked them in $15 Plano cases and put them in my truck. Hire movers to move the empty safes.


If you're worried they're not in a safe, just remember that only bought you 10 minutes if someone found it anyways. Unless you have a real UL listed safe, it's just a gun storage container.
 
Also - if you're going to move them yourself, check the rules/regs on legal transport in EVERY state you'll be passing through. No need to risk everything with an otherwise innocent run in with a law enforcement officer. At a minimum you'll likely have to transport all firearms, unloaded, enclosed in a case, and either not immediately accessible or broken down in a nonfunctioning state.
 
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i gun-socked and bubble wrapped my guns and left them in my safe. was just a local move and i followed the truck.
 
I think he want to sell off stuff that he doesn’t “need”. He might be having to drive through or moving to commie land, so maybe he can’t drag everything with him.

i would start a state specific ad in the classifieds and list whats for sale and how much. Class 3 shit is going to have to go with you until the stamp arrives or I believe an atf branch will hold them and hand them over when the stamp clears. Not clear on the last part. Call the atf for answers.
 
I rented a big Enterprise truck so it would have a lift gate on it. I had to move 16 gun safes. I left all guns in their safes - but covered all of them with “Goodwill gun socks”. The ammo safes were really heavy, but

Go to Goodwill and buy sweatshirts at $2.00 apiece. Cut the sleeves off and use those as the gun socks. Roll what’s left of the sweatshirts up as filler between shelves when you need it.

I rented a safe lifting rig that lifts the safe so you can roll it onto and off the lift gate. Just remember to set the safe flat on the lift gate for the trip up or down. Leaving the safe suspended with wheels under it is a recipe for disaster.

Get it done!
 
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I can't believe no one offered to pick up your things then, maybe, meet you at the new location.:p
 
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If you don't own truck/trailer, your best bet would be to rent a small U-Haul truck and move everything yourself. Depending on the cost of your safes and their age, you might consider selling them at your current location and having new ones purchased at your new location. Another option is to find a friend that has a trailer and see if they can help you move your stuff. A friend of mine recently moved most of his stuff back to Idaho and he used an enclosed car hauler to move his household goods and firearms.
 
I bought a heavy assed safe a few years back. Since I live in a well traveled area with lots of traffic , the seller drove it to my AO @ 0300 hrs. Just a few cars drove by during offload.
Had muscle (3 friends) and ramps ready...made a big breakfast for all 👍
 
I moved a year ago, did a covert move. Rent a truck with a lift gate, get a few buddies if you can. Load and go non stop. Off load as stated in the middle of the night. I'd put the high dollar stuff in the safe while traveling, bubble wrap it in case?? Ammo and my reloading stuff was moved at say, hours when no one was around. ;)
Oh 1" PVC pipe works great or a door mat up side down under the safe!
 
Eastern Insurance, in case something goes wrong. Move them yourself, less eyes.
 
I have rented a uhaul trailer to move shooting stuff, easy and cheap because you do not pay mileage. If it is close enough for a day trip, I return the trailer to where I got it from, much cheaper than a one way rental. Also consider renting a minivan from a car rental company, lots of room and unlimited mileage.
 
I would not move all of them in one move..... There is zero security in our current society. With the info you posted here, you are easy to find easy to watch. No one you could get to help you would be sworn to secrecy. Someone will brag about helping a friend move a "bunch of guns"..... As stated above, one rest stop, refuel, relief stop and the UHaul could disappear. Many of the team drivers carrying valuable cargo are required to have one member of the team in the cab of the truck at all times...... There are reputable carriers that move things much more valuable than your items. They would inventory, insure and transport for you.

You are searching for a perfect answer in a very imperfect world.

Best of luck.
 
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