Long gun storage and protection...

[Kapow]

1000 lbs is a big carry out but a friend just got robbed while he and his family slept upstairs. Two gunsafes ripped off the wall, one full of rifles/ shotguns, the other full of ammo. All carried out in middle of the night.

The question is what plan do you have in place if you disturb someone in your house. And it is illegal in this country to own weapons for the purpose of self defense. That's why the mongrels who rob people have nothing to fear.

 

[roundball]

1000 lbs is a big carry out but a friend just got robbed while he and his family slept upstairs. Two gunsafes ripped off the wall, one full of rifles/ shotguns, the other full of ammo. All carried out in middle of the night.

Can't imagine how they could have slept through such activity.

The question is what plan do you have in place if you disturb someone in your house. And it is illegal in this country to own weapons for the purpose of self defense. That's why the mongrels who rob people have nothing to fear.

Fortunately gun ownership is legal in our country, and in my particular state, there is a law called "The Castle Doctrine" meaning you have no obligation to retreat, etc...if someone breaks into your home (your 'castle') you can take whatever steps you deem necessary without fear of breaking any laws...exactly the way things should be.
If I discovered someone in my house and I was able to make it happen...once I confirmed it wasn't another family member my intentions would be to permanently eliminate the threat to my family immediately...no silly "hands up" or "freeze" commands...just permanently eliminate the threat to my family.
Then call the police.

 

[nmdd]

"If I discovered someone in my house and I was able to make it happen...once I confirmed it wasn't another family member my intentions would be to permanently eliminate the threat to my family immediately...no silly "hands up" or "freeze" commands...just permanently eliminate the threat to my family.
Then call the police."

In Texas that is self defense....no charges...happens quiet often..... :thumbsup:

 

[tom deinek]

Intent to "permanently" eliminate crimnal leads to murder charges in MI.

 

[nmdd]

That is usually the case in most states, I was born and raised in NM. There, you can use deadly force only if you or you family are going to be physically harmed, you cannot use deadly force to protect property. But things are a little different in here Texas....Alvin

 

[mjulihn]

"If I discovered someone in my house and I was able to make it happen...once I confirmed it wasn't another family member my intentions would be to permanently eliminate the threat to my family immediately...no silly "hands up" or "freeze" commands...just permanently eliminate the threat to my family.
Then call the police."

In Texas that is self defense....no charges...happens quiet often..... :thumbsup:

"You feeling lucky, punk? You're probably thinking to yourself, did he reload that muzzleloader after his first shot?"

 

[GreyWhiskers]

A half mile from my house, another house was broken into and the safe stolen. I happened to see the safe laying in an orchard while on my way home. The thieves had used power equipment to cut open the door.

I'd bolt it to the floor and the wall studs. Put some kind of barrier between the floor and the bottom of the safe if you're worried about moisture. GW

 

[roundball]

I've been burning the mid-night oil on the pros & cons of leaving it in the attached garage or moving it into the house.
The attached garage is not used for cars, it's a workshop, walls covered with pegboard, walls lined with work benches and shelving units.
To put it there would be the most logical with its strong concrete floor but I was faced with a pretty hefty re-arrangement / reconfiguration.

But since I was told yesterday that the actual pickup / delivery appointment finally settled in at 2-4 this afternoon (not this morning) I had 6-8 hours to get the garage re-arranged and started in on it last might...and again this morning, just finished creating a permanent location.

It's permanent location will be just into the attached garage flat up against the house wall where it could be bolted not only to the floor but to wall studs as well.
I can't believe I had it but I actually had a spare piece of industrial rubber matting on hand that is now in place on the concrete and I'll have them set the safe directly on that without it's wooden pallet.

Hopefully they'll be willing to take a few minutes break so I can connect a power cord to the electrical access panel on the back, then they can set the safe in place. A lot of prep work but I feel a lot better about the end game now...

 

[Stumpkiller]

The problem I see is that a flintlock on the wall is "one of those old guns that's impossible to sell" vs. a safe "that may contain all kinds of great and valuable things if they went to all that trouble and expense to protect them."

You can see my custom flint rifle from the road through our front picture window. No robbers yet.

 

[putodebabylon]

The problem I see is that a flintlock on the wall is "one of those old guns that's impossible to sell" vs. a safe "that may contain all kinds of great and valuable things if they went to all that trouble and expense to protect them."

You can see my custom flint rifle from the road through our front picture window. No robbers yet.

I'm sorry but that's just a horrible idea. :shake: I hope you never have to endure the violation of a break-in and robbery, or God forbid a robbery that ends with you or your family being harmed, with the knowledge that you put out a billboard for the thieves. You're certainly entitled to do what you want with your property, but this is just bad advice to others.

For me a safe is peace of mind. I just have a puny little gun cabinet but I try to keep it deep within an inconvenient place bolted to studs (i.e., in a closet) where thieves wouldn't have much room to work. I also try not to advertise the fact that I have guns to strangers and people I don't know extremely well. But that's just me, maybe I'm paranoid. :idunno:

 

[ebiggs1]

This is a popular yard sign in Kansas where we also have the “Castle Law”. Yes, the way it should be!

 

[roundball]

Safe delivered this afternoon without a hitch, plugged the power cord into the socket on the back, took the 4 of us to walk it off it’s pallet onto the carpeted rubber mat in the space I made.

A 42" barreled long gun in its case stands straight up with room to spare and 8” of shelf space above it. Weather meter shows current humidity is 50%...when the heater rods are installed and the door closed it should pull down around 35-40% range which is in the ”˜dry’ range.

The 4 holes predrilled in the reinforced heavy steel corners were used to bolt the safe to its pallet, and are to be used to bolt the safe to a floor. Making good progress...

 

[roundball]

So your view is that the world wide safe industry is not only unnecessary but actually promote theft?
:wink:

 

[roundball]

I love it !!
:grin:

 

[ebiggs1]

It looks like you are all set! That is a fine looking safe. :bow:

 

[roundball]

Just got back from Home Depot...went there to rent a Hammer-Drill...store clerk said this might be my lucky day...they had a heavy duty 5/8" Makita Hammer-Drill on a special sale for only a few dollars more, and the carrying case also included a second Makita power tool, a rotary angle grinder...plus there'll be no additional round trip to return a rental tool.

The 4 corner holes in the safe base are 1/2"...got a 1/2" carbide tip masonry bit and four 3" Red-Head concrete anchor bolts.
About an hour from now that safe won't be able to be moved without ripping up the concrete floor at those 4 anchor points.

Ms. Roundball pointed out that if/when we ever sell this house, the safe will have to go with it...should be a good perk for a potential buyer...LOL

 

[Poor Private]

Intent to "permanently" eliminate crimnal leads to murder charges in MI.

I think you had better take another look see at the law in Michigan. My understanding is that it is totally legal to eliminate someone who is threatening you and yours- why else would Concealed Carry/Open Carry in Michigan be legal. Michigan is currently the only state in the country that has reciprocity with all currrent states that have Concealed carry. I think it is up to 39 right now.

 

[hanshi]

You have the best setup I've read about so far. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Makita Hammer Drill works as advertised...all four holes drilled and all 1/2" anchor bolts firmly in place. If anybody wants that safe, they need to show up with a jack hammer, back hoe, crane, etc...that safe isn't going anywhere without major intervention by heavy equipment.

12" Golden Rod heater installed on each side wall 3" up off the floor...(installed after this photo)...plugged them in and will let it sit for a few hours and see what happens with internal humidity.

This photo shows the interior with a 42" barreled Virginia standing basically straight up in its 62" case, with room to spare and an 8" shelf space above it. My 5'2" Ms. Roundball can stand inside it.
(other shelves came with it but I have them out)

 

[Zonie]

Glad to hear you decided to 'nail it down'.

I'm not sure what size the thru bolts are but even if they are only 5/16 diameter, if they are made out of a good hardened steel, each one of them will require a force of over 9,000 pounds to break.
That effectively gives your safe a "weight" of over 37,000 pounds before someone can lift it.