Rifle Storage?

[MikeD987]

Currently I'm stationed out at Fort Rucker. Being a single soldier we are not allowed to have weapons in our barracks. (Makes no sense when they trust us with their guns and 280 live rounds when we deploy.) I could ask fellow married soldiers if they can store my rifle equip with them but I hate being bothersome. I been looking up storage facilities and really don't know what are the policy with storing weapons in self storage locations. I had a few turn me down because it was for a weapon. Alabama gets really hot and humid so the main thing I am asking is if anyone thinks I should trust my pelican 1720 case will hold up as far as protecting my 10k investment? Or should I just fork out the extra money and get a climate controlled one? I don't want the moister or heat to destroy what I worked so hard to save for.

 

[VJJPunisher]

store it in the armsroom. Only problem is the Commander has to know every time you draw it out, and have to coordinate with the armorer since you will probably be wanting to draw it out on weekends to go shooting. its a pain in the ass but to be honest it's the safest for you, climate control wise, and also physical security wise.

Storage units are broken into all the time, there would be a very tricky fight involved if it was stolen trying to get any insurance to replace it.

Leaving it at friends is a possiblity but not advised, after quite a few years working in nail salons around alot of Soldiers I have seen even the best friends assrape each other when money gets tight, and thats one legal battle that would be tough as well since its a firearm being left with friends and it's supposed to be registered on post anyway, and is you, the owner's, responsibility to secure it.

Not too long ago a good friend of mine that i was "on the trail" with lent a rifle and a pistol to what he felt was a good friend of his to go hunting in Georgia. The guy went hunting with his family and when he got back we all were busy training.........nail techs, and a couple weeks went by before my buddy asked when they can link up to get his guns back. well the guy ho hummed around, made excuses, delayed the link up etc etc. Come to find out the guy was going thru a divorce and was hard up for cash so he had pawned my buddies guns. Long story short after a huge clusterfuck and a huge ordeal with the police and reports and whatnot they finally tracked down the pistol and my buddy got it back, he has never gotten the rifle back.

so, a case worth 10K is not worth all that to you then by all means pay more money monthly for a storage facility, or leave it with "friends" but I personally would deal with the pain in the ass armsroom and have peace of mind


P.S. don't leave Alabama without making it over to Anniston to visit the CMP South store and buyin a Garand or ten

http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/stores.htm

 

[MikeD987]

Punisher,

Thanks for the quick reply. I have thought about leaving it in the arms room which I would be perfectly fine with but our company does not have an arms room. I would have to store it in Brigade's. It seems to be a more difficult process than it needs to be. The storage facilities I will go with will have 24 hours video surveillance I think will give me more assurance I can claim insurance with that. Now that you mention about theft I'm more on the edge about where I'm going to be storing my rifle.......

 

[Flying Goose]

Storing it at the armory sucks but it really is the best set up. I had a standing agreement with our armor, I couldn't draw it before 0900 or return it after 1900 and every time I pulled it I bought him a 6 pack. It ended up that we became really good friends and I got him into it as well so we would just go shooting together and the 6 pack disappeared as did the time limits. There was still an exchange of beer but no longer in payment. As for the CO knowing when you draw your weapon, I can't think of a time that I wouldn't want him knowing as what we were doing was all above board and nothing shady was going on.

 

[VJJPunisher]

then my advice is ask lots of questions concerning insurance and what is covered by the storage facility folks. I know the local Storage facility where I'm from doesn't offer any type of responsibility for theft other than video 24 hours a day, they expect you to have your own insurance on your stuff. i know each place probably have different policies. As to the legality of firearm storage in a storage facility I'm not sure and hopefully smarter guys will chime in.


a note on the 24 hr video surveillence- I happen to know the family that owns our local self storage and I know their video is on a 7 day time loop, meaning it rerecords over itself after 7 days, so you would in essence have to identify any theft within 7 days and ask for help sifting through their recorded feed. When I asked about it I was told it's more of a visual deterrant, people are less likely to steal from a container if they see the video camera. Think about it though, if someone did it in broad daylight, and acted normal, who would think anything of a person going through what they can only assume is their own belongings? food for thought

 

[VJJPunisher]

As for the CO knowing when you draw your weapon, I can't think of a time that I wouldn't want him knowing as what we were doing was all above board and nothing shady was going on.

I didnt mean the CO knowing was a bad thing, I was just meaning that it can be a pain in the ass because some unit's require his Signature on a request, which sometimes is just time consuming and if he's out than thats a difference in getting to shoot that weekend or not

 

[Ucsspirit]

If you live on FT Rucker, go off post toward enterprise, and talk to Jerry or Lisa at Lock-n-load, tell them Brad the exploding target guy sent you. their shop is about half way to enterprise on the left hand side just before the chevron station. They are great people, and they own the storage lot right next to their store. They are always willing to help a good soldier. Pm me and I will give you more details. If I was still there I would help you out. but I'm in El Paso now.

 

[Flying Goose]

I didnt mean the CO knowing was a bad thing, I was just meaning that it can be a pain in the ass because some unit's require his Signature on a request, which sometimes is just time consuming and if he's out than thats a difference in getting to shoot that weekend or not

Now that you say that I do remember having to have him sign off on it the first few times then he saw me out at the range one weekend and after shooting together and having a little Cpl and LtCol bonding session he pretty much gave me a blank check to draw every weekend and wed nights.

 

[MikeD987]

If you live on FT Rucker, go off post toward enterprise, and talk to Jerry or Lisa at Lock-n-load, tell them Brad the exploding target guy sent you. their shop is about half way to enterprise on the left hand side just before the chevron station. They are great people, and they own the storage lot right next to their store. They are always willing to help a good soldier. Pm me and I will give you more details. If I was still there I would help you out. but I'm in El Paso now.

Yeah, That's the one gun shop I haven't been at I will have to check them out thanks for the tip!

 

[Ucsspirit]

As far as I am concerned, there are three gun shops in the area I will spend my money at, Lock-n-load was the one that got the most of it. The owners are GREAT people. like I said, if you want Ill give you all the details you like about the area stores. I send the better part of 3 years at Rucker, and still keep in contact with the folks at lock-n-load.

 

[MikeD987]

I walked in there the other day and I don't know if I snuck in or something but no one greeted me or anything which I don't mind but it was just like everyone who came in after me got a warm "Hello! How are you? Welcome!" I'm not saying maybe it was because I was the only Asian there but I sure felt out of place.... The gentleman behind the counter was pretty nice when he was able to break from his customer for a second to ask about rounds but the females walked by me as I stood by the counter I knew they saw me they made eye contact. I almost felt invisible.... The prices were pretty reasonable and they have a lot of the things I'd like a gun shop have. I just don't know if I would feel comfortable going in there again. As far as storage goes they said they had no vacancy. On top of that 45 dollars a month for a 10x10! Not even climate control.

 

[Ucsspirit]

Im sorry to hear that you felt that way, Ill make sure I talk to them about that. some of the people that work for them are a bit off. I always looked past it as I was there to talk with either Jerry or Lisa. They always seemed to want to look out for people, and took damn good care of me, and all of my friends. there are times they get very busy, and its hard to get anyones attention in the store. That however is not an excuse for pour customer service. Sorry you got that treatment. I can say avoid the guy in Ozark, and Daleville. They are both high priced tool bags that don't want to deal with soldiers. There is mikes in Pinkard, and hardens on the way to Pinkard. both of them are good people. Let me know if you need anything.

 

[Kenco Arms]

Most gun shops will store them for a small fee or maybe free if you tell them you are active duty. I do that at times when one deploys I put it in my repair log book and "clean it " so it can be kept here

 

[MikeD987]

UCSSpririt,

There are two in Daleville the one right outside the gate I think it's called guns and ammo which used a old bank for their store. It seemed very humid inside and didn't really have anything. Then there is Gun Ordinance which is on the way to Dothan and so far it's one of my favorite as far as customer service/friendliness. I will defiantly will give Lock and Load another try but just mainly because of the products they carry. They pretty much have everything a gun show would have and I like the variety.

Kenco,

That's Genius! However none of the gunshops around here don't offer it. I tried to even work up some kind of deal where I pay a monthly storage fee but they didn't want to budge.

 

[Ucsspirit]

I talked to the gun that opened the Gun store in the Bank once, He had just started it as i was leaving the area. As for Ordinance Depot, your experience and mine are 100% opposite. The was a douche to me. He talked to to me like he didn't want my business. and therefore he never got it. There is another store in Dothan, I cant remember the name, right across the street from Lowes on the circle. Its in an old gas station. The owners name is Sunny. He does a lot of gun shows and is a stand up guy. It might be possible to talk to him. Hope the information i have passed has helped you a bit.

 

[decider]

those damn officers always peddling in our personal lives... what an encouchment of our civil liberties... they should never know when I shoot or don't shoot, and I should be able to store my weapons and ammunition, including explosives and periphenalia in the arms room with no questions asked...

Oh and by the way, there is a little shop just off the beaten path, head down the road about a quarter mile passed the Aviation Credit Union and Lowe's, turn right on Main, then you will have to drive for a bit... 9.5 miles to a right turn on 248... then keep going veering left for another 12.5 miles... then on the right there is a dirt road, take it... the gun shop will be ahead on the left... good luck!