Safe Alternatives for Gun Storage

[Flint Lock]

I have a modest gun collection. A couple handguns, a couple deer rifles, a shotgun, and a smoke pole. Only two of them were purchased new- a pistol and the smoke pole. The rest were either given to me or purchased used. The point is, I don't consider any of my guns to be exceptionally valuable or irreplaceable. Even the cheapest gun safe would far exceed the collective value of my guns. Also, a safe in my home really isn't "geographically feasible" right now.

Anyway, I'd like to consider some alternatives to safes for storing my guns. Although I don't have a pile of money invested in my guns, I recognize the importance and responsibility of at least storing them somewhere secure. I don't have kids yet but plan to someday, and in my rural area the #1 target of burglars is guns. I want to find a way to store my guns securely so they are safe from curious kids and not a soft target for burglars, but I'm not too concerned with a container that will survive a nuclear explosion.

Right now I am simply thinking of keeping them in an upstairs closet with an exterior key-locking door knob, and pinning the hinges so the door can't be removed if someone pops the hinge pins. This is probably a good enough system to beat wondering kids, but it's worth consideration that any thug who finds himself standing at this closet door has already gotten past the same level of security on my front door. Along this same theme, I plan to finish my basement in the next few years and I'd like to build a secure closet down there for the same purpose. So, anyone have any suggestions on how to beef up a standard closet, or any other clever ideas for secure gun storage without a 1,000 pound safe?

One more thing to add is that I did recently consider buy a locking metal cabinet (much like a locker) from Cabelas or Bass Pro for locking my guns, but at $300 I figured I could spend much less to proof my closet.

[Seventy4Blazer]

remove the bolts and slides, wrap them in bubble wrap, store them in an ammo can with a lock on it and a desicant pack.

run cable locks throrugh the pistols and the rifle's. wrap them in a gun sock and lock them in a decent case. lock all cases to something firm.

even the best safe can be broken into with the right tools...

[ErSwnn]

Seventy4's idea is one alternative, particularly if time is of the essence. Gets it done quick and cheap. One that I used many years ago because I didn't have a safe and lived in a not so good area was cut out some drywall, put the rifle in there and slid a large, heavy cabinet over the hole. No, far from optimal but at least some measure of control. Another idea is contact an ATM service company and see if they might have an ATM safe available. They replace machines, keep the internal components and scrap or sell the safe. I have one and it's large enough to hold rifles, handguns, ammo and range bag. Most are small but there are taller ones. Mine is 48"x28"x18". I know of a much smaller one I'm considering purchasing for ammo & handguns, the tall one is starting to get cramped. There are also some light gauge metal safes out there for about 100$...Dick's has some, so does Cheaper Than Dirt.com.
I commend you on your objective to secure your possessions.

[CommonHighrise]

Easy, false back wall to the closet. Not fool-proof, but if the closet is filled with coats/bags and whatnots, doubtful a theif is gonna dig through all that to see if theres a false wall.

Also, on finished basements, consider putting a storage space up in between some floor runners. Simple plywood sides, and a removable chunk of ceiling material, and viola! Just put some hooks on the side of the joist to hold the guns, and you got both a clever hidaway from crooks, and a place kids cant reach until theyre at least partially grown.

[tdyoung58]

as long as the door is strong enough to deter someone from easily breaking it. You'd probebly need to fortify the door frame as well, I've seen some companies that do sell fortified frames and doors to do exactly what your thinking of

I kinda like the false wall idea, wouldn't take a whole lot to do something like that, and a whole lot less conspicuous than a fortified door.

[kevindsingleton]

Hardened closet entry tool:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/70...10_Claw_Hammer

You can make the door out of depleted uranium, but the wall is still sheetrock, on three sides. Putting a dandy lock on the door tells me there's something worthwhile, inside. With a claw hammer, I can make a hole I can fit through in 30 seconds.

Stack-on makes cheap lockable storage. It's not a safe, but it'll slow them down, and make lots of noise. Make it hard to get to with a two-wheeler, and too heavy to carry.

[theSaj]

Find the studs in a closet. When you do, bolt in some eye hole bolts. Then get some of those long locks. And you can lock your pistols to them. You could make some mounts for the rifles and do the same.

[Cyo]

Perhaps someone else will know what I'm talking about here.

Many years ago, I saw advertisements for a gun securing system that you bolted to the wall in a corner. It was a hardened frame that you drove into studs two studs at 90 degrees to each other. On one end it had either a hardened rod or cable and the other end had a lock which was part of the frame. You ran the cable/rod through the trigger guards of the guns and secured it to the wall. While someone could cut through the trigger guards to remove them, it would take some time. (I may have done a horrid job describing this but hopefully you get the idea.)

You might be able to make something like that on your own. If you put it in the back of a closet, then it would certainly take a while for someone to get your guns out.

[Frenchy]

Perhaps someone else will know what I'm talking about here.

Many years ago, I saw advertisements for a gun securing system that you bolted to the wall in a corner. It was a hardened frame that you drove into studs two studs at 90 degrees to each other. On one end it had either a hardened rod or cable and the other end had a lock which was part of the frame. You ran the cable/rod through the trigger guards of the guns and secured it to the wall. While someone could cut through the trigger guards to remove them, it would take some time. (I may have done a horrid job describing this but hopefully you get the idea.)

You might be able to make something like that on your own. If you put it in the back of a closet, then it would certainly take a while for someone to get your guns out.

You mean on of these http://gunracks.tylerrose.com/

[shefearsnothing]

Better then running cable locks through them....try putting some good padlocks on them after removing the parts suggested and storing them seperately.