Firearm collectors who live in apartments

[WWGunslinger]

I need to get my own place and I can't buy a house so I'm pretty much stuck renting.

I really want to take my guns with me but not sure how that would work in an apartment as I have 2 gun safes. 1 large and 1 small.

I'm looking for a 2 bedroom apartment so I can have my office in 1 room (work from home). Just worried about space and weight, especially if I have to go with a 2nd floor or higher apartment. Getting the safes up the steps would be a huge PITA and then is the floor going to be able to support them?

How are you apartment dwellers and firearms collectors going about this?

[glocke12]

When I had an apartment I basically left my gun collection at my parents house, only keeping one or two guns that I shot the most at my apartment.

There were a few reasons for this, but the main ones had to do with fear of theft, fear of maintenance men walking in when Im not there and seeing my guns and having them disappear, and the fact that I was on a 3rd floor apartment, only planned on being there for a couple of years, and didn't want to have to bother with a safe.

As far as the ability of an apartment floor to stand the weight of a safe, I am sure it probably varies, but I suspect you may be pushing it with some of the larger safes, and if you are on a second floor or higher it will probably be difficult if not impossible to get a safe up there unless there is a freight elevator.

If you do determine that the apartment floor can support the weight of a safe, there are safes out there that ship unassembled and you can put them together on site.

Another alternative would be to just get an inexpensive, light weight safe such as a stack on, and secure it inside of the walk-in closet of your apartment bedroom, than add a deadbolt to the door of the closet. It will be secure against most types of robberies but you wont have any fire protection.
Maybe even get some type of alarm system (if its possible in an apartment).

[IraqVeteran87]

While it's not the most ideal situation for sure I currently use a cheap smaller stack on safe. The closet it is int does have a key entry doorknob on it as well. While it may not hold your entire collection. It will offer a lower level of security and be much more manageable. Just what I currently do. Gotta work with what ya got

[tdyoung58]

If I lived in a aparment building (been there) a safe isn't pratical. First of all, everyone who sees you move in is going to know you have guns there. Second, unless your on the first floor it's gonna be a bitch to get up there. Some apartments places also have restrictions on guns, critters, and other stuff, check the contract carefully.

I wouldn't worry about weight, probably less than a fullsize waterbed anyways.

[reverserboy]

You could look for a 1st floor place....& take a safe with you. Just be careful about the weight. If you bow the floor....you likely won't get your security deposit back.

I wouldn't worry about weight, probably less than a fullsize waterbed anyways.

The waterbed's weight is spread over a larger floor area. There would be more joists coming into play. On the flip side...the safe goes up against a wall...closer to the ends of the joists...where they're supported.

I understand there are some landlords that don't allow waterbeds.

My safe weighs 920lbs empty. I'm guessing around 1050 to 1100lbs with stuff in it. I would not put that weight (concentrated on that small of an area) on a floor without reenforcing it....unless it was a commercial building....or a basement. I'm not an expert but I would worry that the floor would bow over time.

I believe someone makes a safe that lays down. This would spread the weight over a larger area.

The OP may want to look at a safe that disassembles for moving. But I'm guessing fire protection would not be a strong point on such a unit.

[wellcraft]

i would keep your guns where they are currently located and just keep something in the apartment for self defense. i'd be more concerned with theft at an apartment than i would that the floor wouldn't be able to support the weight. of course any apartment higher than the first floor is going to be a pain in the butt to get the safe up the stairs unless theres an elevator. if you can rent an apartment you might be able to rent a small house so you might want to look at houses too.

[dregan]

I understand there are some landlords that don't allow waterbeds.

Most landlords have a restriction on water beds more for the possible flooding that could occur, not all but most.

I would look to move the large safe to a friends house or relative you could trust. Or.. sell it to me apartments generally aren't the most secure places so the less you have to keep safe the better off you will be, also GET RENTERS INSURANCE. It is pretty cheap and, god forbid, would secure your investment in the case someone got a hold of it.

[Siobhra]

Look for a storage unit in the area. Not as secure as your home but can be very secure. Get a ground floor unit that can take the weight and has outside access. Move it in at a time when there are not a lot of others around. Since it is ground and outside you can move faster than in a building.
Be sure to pack boxes in front to block outside view when you open the door.

[dregan]

Look for a storage unit in the area. Not as secure as your home but can be very secure. Get a ground floor unit that can take the weight and has outside access. Move it in at a time when there are not a lot of others around. Since it is ground and outside you can move faster than in a building.
Be sure to pack boxes in front to block outside view when you open the door.

I would be concerned about moisture (condensation) unless you get a climate controlled unit. Make sure it has some sort of security. Camera's! Request a unit in good view of the camera. Still would be a last choice for me though.

[legendarylorot]

I live in an apartment now, and my wife wouldn't let me have the guns here without some sort of safe.

We ended up getting a very nice handbuilt cabinet that someone was throwing out, and I replaced the glass with acrylic and added some concealed bolts to it. Not the most secure, but it helps to have neighbors that care enough to look out for each other. They all know they can rely on me if they get themselves in a tough situation, and in return they keep an eye out for anyone near my apartment when I'm not around.

Your best bet is to make friends with the neighbors. If you're concerned about theft, good relations can be quite the added layer of security.