Firearms storage for small apt?

[...]

So come September I am going to be moving to a 1 bedroom apt while I continue to look for a house in a freer state...

But that leaves me with around 15 long guns and about 10 handguns I need to secure in a small apt, that doesn’t really have room for a large safe.

I’m wondering if any of y’all had any wisdom as to a good storage solution.

I’m looking at some under the bed units, but haven’t seen anything that looked large enough.

Possibly a corner unit of some kind?

Not too worried about flood or fire protection, just to help prevent unauthorized access.

Budget under $2k if possible

 

[Veer_G]

American Security makes (or made) a unit that doubles as a padded bench. The other option would be to call Zanotti Armor in Iowa, get a take-down RSC, and live with the cramped quarters.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

why not just a normal safe? you need to get one eventually anyway. it will make great tv stand

 

[Maggot]

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and look at the Job Box. They are made for storing tools at the jobsite. Made out of heavy duty steel and designed so the lock is in accessible for breaking...you need a key. The large size is long enough for most long guns and once its full, including lots of ammo it would take a whole crew or illegals to move it. Plus, you can bolt it to the floor. they run about $400...Lowe's has it in the Kobalt brand for less.

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Truck & Job Boxes at Menards®

 

[Sniperwannabee]

thats actually a good idea, all though I wouldnt call it heavy duty steel

 

[...]

why not just a normal safe? you need to get one eventually anyway. it will make great tv stand

Almost 100% the missus would not be happy about a gun safe TV stand

 

[Veer_G]

why not just a normal safe? you need to get one eventually anyway. it will make great tv stand

With the tube sitting 5 or 6 feet in the air up on top of it?

 

[Maggot]

thats actually a good idea, all though I wouldnt call it heavy duty steel

Would you buy "medium duty"? LOL

 

[MtnCreek]

I'd buy @pmclaine lunch and see if I could work something out.

 

[FS1]

Almost 100% the missus would not be happy about a gun safe TV stand

Job Box is a great idea. Some have more secure locking systems then others too. Just throw a table cloth over it and instant TV stand. She will never know the difference.

 

[Veer_G]

Job Box is a great idea. Some have more secure locking systems then others too. Just throw a table cloth over it and instant TV stand. She will never know the difference.

A recent study has shown that women are capable of both counting up to and over one hundred, and distinguishing blued steel from both stainless and nickel-plated. Be advised.

 

[pmclaine]

I'd buy @pmclaine lunch and see if I could work something out.

My safe is maxed out but I can make arrangements a bit more secure than your typical one bedroom apartment if need be.

MCameron send a PM if you want me to find you some security.

 

[Strykervet]

What were you using?

A job box would be great for a temporary low cost solution, and disguising it isn't a bad idea.

Without going into too much, a TL30x6 is the best you can get (there's better but it's not necessary, over-overkill for our applications). Original's largest one comes with three different interiors including one for firearms. Uses a combo and a key. It's $11,000 but you can get a scratch and dent or whatever for $5000. They even sell the matching paint to fix the scratch! Find a large dealer, and negotiate with 'em. Be patient, may take a little bit to get the one you want for the price you want. But best you can get will be the largest Original TL30x6 vault with dual locks. It's a 3 ton monster. You'll need a slab but the installers are usually really good at getting it how you want it. If your apartment is a slab, you could get that now and just move it when you move. Moving 'em are a bit costly, something I'll have to do when I move, but you won't find a better gunsafe, period.

But with the cost of the tool box only being $400, and if the thief doesn't know it has firearms in it, it could be a good investment and you could get an appropriate vault when you move and still have the lock box to use for tools or other items. The lockbox will be less than the cost of moving the vault if you get that first.

Don't know what your rifles cost, but I couldn't leave the house when all I had was a stackon when I moved. I was constantly worried about it. When I got the current vault (technically it's not a safe but a vault) it doesn't cross my mind. But I'm gonna have to move in about a year and cost of moving those will be a bitch. I also have to find a house suitable for those.

You can also stash them in the attic if you have one. In an apartment, nobody looks up there and it's a great hiding place until you move and it doesn't cost anything. May be able to bag 'em and hide 'em under insulation. Installing alarms, I found a guy's entire NFA collection in the attic, I'm talking several WW2 belt fed MG's, rare full auto rifles, a suppressed Uzi, all sorts of stuff. You'd never know he had any of it --unless you went in his attic like me, to run wires for his alarm.

Just my .02.

 

[Clearlight]

Have you got built in wardrobe in bedroom ? A safe or two coach bolted through back and bottom
might work . I went OTT and Dynabolted mine to the concrete floor , and had a chippie reinforce the
wood beams behind the safe location , and attach securely .

You may be able to mount a long gun safe unconventionally ( horizontally ) , and have some kind of
wood structure on top of it as a disguise , like a side table / seat with a cover over it . Inconvenient
if you use your tools for work everyday perhaps .

Handgun safe might sneak into a low kitchen cupboard location ( or two ) . Bit of dicking around ,
but WAY better than having your tools disappear ... Multiple safes may be easier than one big one .

 

[...]

So where im at now, the gun safe is actually cemented into the basement wall....which is why i cant take it with me.

I do have family in MA still that would be able to secure them if need be, so that wont be a concern......ideally ide like to have them with me though.

@pmclaine, i appreciate that man, thank you! ill let you know......but lets get together and do some shooting sometime, lunch is on me.


im planning on staying in the Apt at least a year.....upwards of 2.....

im kinda liking the job box idea......im wondering how easy it would be to attach some wood paneling and disguise it as a coffee table....hmmmmm

worst comes to worst i can always just take a few with me and secure them in a small stack-on....not ideal but not the worst thing in the world either.

 

[Redmanss]

A few suggestions from someone who rambled the world and the US in rental space for the last several years:

First, have an alarm system, they're very effective on an apartment provided it's a decent complex. The last thing a burglar wants is attention of a neighbor who is only 15ft away. Even the door alarm types are better than nothing.

Inside the unit, I would actually opt more for the under bed type boxes. No, they're not heavy and no, you're not bolting them to the floor, but they will add a layer while being less obvious, and won't be taking up much space that is at a premium in a small apartment.

A decent alternative is also a good storage unit. Not one of those cheapie type places, find one that is both climate controlled as well as having alarms on the doors an onsite security. I had one where I stored my firearms for a few years post divorce while I was still working overseas, the keypad at the gate also disarmed or armed the alarm on the door of my individual unit. Keep it inconspicuous, in other words make sure nobody sees you loading/unloading your firearms at the unit (same goes for in the apartment as well). You can put a proper safe into it so long as it's on the ground level as well as bolting it, just cut off the bolts when you leave and nine times out of ten they won't have a clue what you did. You have to look for a place like that, but they're usually easy enough to find on the eastern seaboard.

As always, just have good insurance riders and store them however you want or can, stuff can always be replaced.

 

[AndreC]

@mcameron:

Back in my apartment dwelling days, I turned a small closet into a safe. A friend helped me install a steel fire door with low profile deadbolts, and we built a large bookshelf that bolted to the door frame on a piano hinge. The bookshelf was kept secure to the wall, using epoxied neodymium magnets. Obviously, going through the walls wouldn't have been hard for a thief to do, but you really couldn't tell anything was there.

I swear by concealment, as opposed to a big safe in a room - safes are instant targets to a burglar, and most gun safes are designed to protect against fire, not burglary, meaning they are relatively easy to get into.

I like the job box idea, but at the same time (like a big safe), it's totally incongruous to a bedroom (or LR), and will attract a thief's attention just on that basis alone.

Odds are, if a thief breaks in, they're either a random idiot looking for drug money, or someone who knows exactly what they're looking for, and where to go for it - the point being that the single best security feature anyone can ever deploy is a closed mouth. Nobody knows what nobody knows...

Best,

Andre

 

[Redmanss]

To a thief, JobBox = Tools = items even easier to sell off than guns.

I had a garage broken into once, they took my circular saw and a roofing nailer, started getting into the several cases of ammunition and misc. gun parts I had in there and looks like they bailed after that. Same goes for any signs of pain meds being on site, that's a big time flag for potential break-in, avoid if at all possible.

It's not the professional thieves you need to worry about, they're get your shit no matter what you do if they really want it, it's the junkies and the punk teenagers looking for easily moved shit they can grab quick and get out.

 

[Nik H]

A decent alternative is also a good storage unit. Not one of those cheapie type places, find one that is both climate controlled as well as having alarms on the doors an onsite security. I had one where I stored my firearms for a few years post divorce while I was still working overseas, the keypad at the gate also disarmed or armed the alarm on the door of my individual unit. Keep it inconspicuous, in other words make sure nobody sees you loading/unloading your firearms at the unit (same goes for in the apartment as well). You can put a proper safe into it so long as it's on the ground level as well as bolting it, just cut off the bolts when you leave and nine times out of ten they won't have a clue what you did. You have to look for a place like that, but they're usually easy enough to find on the eastern seaboard.

As always, just have good insurance riders and store them however you want or can, stuff can always be replaced.

I did this a number of years ago when I was living in a rental while renovating my house. It worked out really well and never had to worry about break ins

 

[oneshot86]

To a thief, JobBox = Tools = items even easier to sell off than guns.

I had a garage broken into once, they took my circular saw and a roofing nailer, started getting into the several cases of ammunition and misc. gun parts I had in there and looks like they bailed after that. Same goes for any signs of pain meds being on site, that's a big time flag for potential break-in, avoid if at all possible.

It's not the professional thieves you need to worry about, they're get your shit no matter what you do if they really want it, it's the junkies and the punk teenagers looking for easily moved shit they can grab quick and get out.

very well put, great point on the tools

 

[hermosabeach]

With a 2 K budget, you have lots of choices....

I simply say buy a used safe from Craigs List, install it in your bedroom and cover with a sheet.....

EASY

Not go find an UL Rated SAFE, not an RSC....

You can typically find a TL15 or TL-30 rated safe... for under 2K They are older, but who cares....

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/hsh/d/phoenix-safe-4620-series/6642332710.html


or here is a good RSC, but used, for $300
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/wan/d/5-3-3-american-security-gun/6641575598.html

 

[Maggot]

very well put, great point on the tools

The trick is to load it heavy enough they cant carry it. A few thousand rounds of lead and a dozen firearms should do it. Plus, if you bolt it to the ground theres no way to open a well locked one.

On the storage unit, some of them have an apt. for an on site mgr.

The trouble with the sare is, as noted above, it can be costly having it moved both in and out. My buddy paid $500 to have it put in his garage...theyre heavy.

 

[Strykervet]

With a 2 K budget, you have lots of choices....

I simply say buy a used safe from Craigs List, install it in your bedroom and cover with a sheet.....

EASY

Not go find an UL Rated SAFE, not an RSC....

You can typically find a TL15 or TL-30 rated safe... for under 2K They are older, but who cares....

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/hsh/d/phoenix-safe-4620-series/6642332710.html


or here is a good RSC, but used, for $300
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/wan/d/5-3-3-american-security-gun/6641575598.html

That Phoenix safe is big but I can't believe that cost $9000 new. Mine is about that big and four times thicker with massive locks the size of your arm, weighs 3 times as much with two locks and cost half as much, also an x6. Even used on CL you'll still have to move it. Seriously, a safe dealer is the way to go. I'm pretty sure you could score a used or dented TL15 for $2k. And when you move again you won't need another.

They also have used ones as well as the scratch and dent. A lot of times these safes don't sell --the one I wanted was a Diebold bank vault, it was FREE but moving it was a bitch and it needed a 9' ceiling so that was out.

Now I need to move and am limited on where I can go due that big motherfucker. But I wouldn't wanna be without it.

 

[...]

So I found a solution to part of the problem

Found a nice old cedar chest at an estate sale..... $30 later it’s mine

Going to serve as a coffee table/gun storage.

It’s a little small for my hunting rifles....but fits my MSR’s, handguns, and ammo great.

Need to fab up some shelving for my rifles and pistols...... and also figure out a locking Solution.... but I’m happy.

 

[Veer_G]

I would have rather taken up a collection for you to get something appropriate.

https://worcester.craigslist.org/for/d/gun-safe/6649098708.html

 

[SilentStalkr]

Where you located? Never mind, just read you wanted to keep them with you. I’d opt for hidden out of sight options in your case. The cedar chest is cool but not very secure. I just sold a safe that would have worked well for you. Or, if you were in the SE I know of some vault space you could have used.

 

[...]

I would have rather taken up a collection for you to get something appropriate.

https://worcester.craigslist.org/for/d/gun-safe/6649098708.html

well the main thing is, im trying to find something that does double duty, and wont take up any more additional space.

my main concern isnt "security"....its just to prevent unauthorized access.......and the fact that it doesnt look like a safe is a plus.....it just looks like hipster furniture.

i do plan on reinforcing the chest with stronger hinges, stronger lock, and bracing inside.

however this is just one step in a large security plan which involves hardening doors and windows, installing cameras, and a loud ass dog.

 

[Mr.Kirk]

While in transition, an option to consider is paying a well secured gunshop to keep them in their vault. They will have a better vault along with a better Insurace plan.