Options for Muzzleloader Storage

[mtmshieldshotmail.com]

Why not build a concealed gunroom? You don't have a basement but an underground "storm cellar" or "bomb shelter" w/ hidden access would not only protect your guns but any other valuable items from theft or fire. A moisture seal would eliminate "dampness" and you could even install a comfortable chair, sit back and enjoy a drink or two while admiring your flintlocks. If this isn't suitable, an alarm system would be my 2nd choice.....Fred

...and anyone having a home built has another option: there are vault door assemblies available that will convert a closet into a vault. Have your builder use steel studs around the closet to be converted, and heavy gauge steel liner between the studs. We have his&her walk-in closets in the master suite; I don't need a closet of my own, so we use it as a small office. It would be really nice to use as a vault. I think the vault doors are about $2k.
Regards,
Mike

 

[paulvallandigham]

While I like the idea of an alarm service, these often have offices connected by phone lines, to some far distant place. If I were going to use an Alarm Service, I would also want the alarm hooked up to lights and sirens and alarm bells inside, and outside the house to scare the Heck out of anyone trying to enter my secured area( like my entire house.) I want those house lights- indoor and outdoor-- blinking on and off to notify Anyone within miles of my home that someone is trying to break in. I want bells, and alarm sirens going off so loud they can't think of anything but getting as far away from my home as possible.

And, frankly, for the small additional cost of such a system, I would insist that alarm activated cameras would record the vehicles, and the persons trying to break in. Exterior cameras would be activated by motion detectors, which would light up the area for the pictures.

Today, you can arrange for such a security system to notify you by phone, no matter where you are, and you can view your camera pictures on many "blackberry"-type cell phones, or on a portable computer, wherever you are. I much prefer having the ability to call the police myself, than to rely on some minimum wage worker in some distant city to do that for me. Then I can call that neighbor who is a police officer, or just a very good friend with a gun, to help me out. :grin: :wink: I am not a fan of "silent " alarms.

 

[roundball]

Why not build a concealed gunroom? You don't have a basement but an underground "storm cellar" or "bomb shelter" w/ hidden access would not only protect your guns but any other valuable items from theft or fire. A moisture seal would eliminate "dampness" and you could even install a comfortable chair, sit back and enjoy a drink or two while admiring your flintlocks. If this isn't suitable, an alarm system would be my 2nd choice.....Fred

That's certainly another option but far more of an undertaking than I'm interested in investing in for this.
I did have another idea a while ago...there's a small narrow 2' x 2' linen closet in the hallway at the top of the stairs.
Perfectly sized 2' x 2' x full ceiling height, removeable wooden shelves every foot where we store sheets, blankets, etc.
Should be easy enough to line the inside of the walls with some kind of reinforcement sheets of metal or 3/4" plywood for added strength, reinforce the door frame and door as well, epoxy the heads of the hinge pins, install a couple dead bolt locks, etc...might deter the average grab & go low-life

(of course...there will need to be discussions with she who has been the Chief-of-Staff for 44 years)

 

[Zonie]

Roundball

I have also heard stories about freezers keeping stuff cool during a fire but I think those were usually old freezers that used fiberglass insulation.

Most of the newer ones use Styrofoam insulation or other similar foam plastics because they are designed to keep cold in, not to resist fire.

These foam insulation's will melt during a fire and if they do they will provide no protection at all.

 

[S.Kenton]

My Grandpa had a "false wall" inside his closet that was lined with fireproof paneling, fiberglass insulation THEN drywall to finish it off..the hidden room was about 3ft wide x 6ft long and about 7 ft tall and had it's own light and a small dehumidifier. He did all the work his self and had under 200$ in it. When I add on to my house I'm gonna duplicate it on a larger scale..As for now I have a Sentry Safe that holds 14 long guns..its about 5 ft tall. It's fireproof to an extent. I lag bolted it to the stud in the wall and to the floor. It's a great deterrent..but definetely not impenatrable.

 

[roundball]

Roundball

I have also heard stories about freezers keeping stuff cool during a fire but I think those were usually old freezers that used fiberglass insulation.

Most of the newer ones use Styrofoam insulation or other similar foam plastics because they are designed to keep cold in, not to resist fire.

These foam insulation's will melt during a fire and if they do they will provide no protection at all.

I'm sure that's right...I'll have to figure out something

 

[msuspartan]

As to Paul and Tiger, GREAT ideas!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I have a Detective living next to me and we have talked about this many times.
If it looks out of place, thieves will go for it.
They usually are only there for 10-15 min to snatch and flee.
A fridge though, awesome idea and you can usually buy one second hand for really cheap. $10-50!!
The other thing is put on a motion detector on the fridge with a remote off swtich and battery back up. If someone opens it up, a loud alarm goes off. If the wire is cut, it goes off.

Also a great tip, your car have an alarm???
Keep an extra key fob by your bed, if someone breaks in, hit the panic button, scares the crap out of an intruder.
(or just shoot the B#*@&*rd...preferrable)

Cheers, DonK

 

[roundball]

"...I have a Sentry Safe that holds 14 long guns..its about 5 ft tall. It's fireproof to an extent. I lag bolted it to the stud in the wall and to the floor. It's a great deterrent..but definetely not impenatrable..."

Probably the Sentry 14 gun model I was looking at online last night...referred to as Extra Tall.
I sent Cust Serv an Email asking if they had that or something close to that with a fire rating...probably don't but no harm in asking.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I have been collecting traditional muzzleloaders for many many years. One of the local gun shops in the area had a sale on gun safes. I bought a 72" tall "vault" for $1,200. I have several custom muzzle loaders that cost more than this, The shelves ran all the way across so I had to modify the inside of the safe so my long muzzle loaders would fit. I have more muzzle loaders than anything else but I also have a couple of modern shotguns and rifles and handguns. Once my firearm collection got to a certain dollar level, it was a no brainer for me to get a quality gun safe and lag bolt it to the floor joists. If the house is robbed they can't get in the safe, if the house burns to ashes the only thing standing will be my gun safe with my intact firearm collection.

 

[Stumpkiller]

. . . if the house burns to ashes the only thing standing will be my gun safe with my intact firearm collection.

You know how char cloth or charcoal is made? :shocked2: I've seen guns pulled out of intact gun safes that looked like rusted gun barrels packed in lump charcoal. They're time rated at any given temperature. I understand you want a 1700°F for 60 minute rating (and the temperature inside the safe only gets to 350°F at that time).

 

[doulos]

Why not build a concealed gunroom? You don't have a basement but an underground "storm cellar" or "bomb shelter" w/ hidden access would not only protect your guns but any other valuable items from theft or fire. A moisture seal would eliminate "dampness" and you could even install a comfortable chair, sit back and enjoy a drink or two while admiring your flintlocks. If this isn't suitable, an alarm system would be my 2nd choice.....Fred

That's certainly another option but far more of an undertaking than I'm interested in investing in for this.
I did have another idea a while ago...there's a small narrow 2' x 2' linen closet in the hallway at the top of the stairs.
Perfectly sized 2' x 2' x full ceiling height, removeable wooden shelves every foot where we store sheets, blankets, etc.
Should be easy enough to line the inside of the walls with some kind of reinforcement sheets of metal or 3/4" plywood for added strength, reinforce the door frame and door as well, epoxy the heads of the hinge pins, install a couple dead bolt locks, etc...might deter the average grab & go low-life

(of course...there will need to be discussions with she who has been the Chief-of-Staff for 44 years)

Roundball , Ive seen plans somewwhere on the internet for just the type of closet you are speaking of. It might just be the ticket for what you are looking for.
By lining the walls with something other than drywall no one will be able to just kick it in if they cant open a good quality solid core . They will have to spend time.
I spent 26 years as professional firefighter in a medium size city. We could get into anything quickly if need be. But in my experience the most difficult doors to open were solid steel doors that were set in steel jambs filled with concrete.Like you see in most high rise office buildings and aprtments. Without our special hydraulic tools(which could open them in seconds) we had to use a sledge hammer. These apratment doors opened inward. But doors that opened outward (like closet doors) of the same configuration were much more difficult Those types of metal jambs dont flex making prying difficult.
A closet with a door like that and walls lined with steel mesh is protection against any smash and grab low lifes. They would have to spend too much time icreasing their risk.

 

[BrownBear]

Having much or little do with this, we bought a commercial building that had been put together in the 50's, planning to do some remodeling for our own needs.

Holy cow! :shocked2: For whatever reason, the rock on all the walls and ceiling was backed with 1/2" ply. Based on what we went through, ain't a thief in the world that would go to the trouble to get through it.

If I was walling off a secure room today, I'd do that with ply on both sides of the joists, then use a metal cased door with dead bolt and metal frame.

Maybe a crew of thieves could defeat it, but not in a hurry and meanwhile making enough noise to wake the dead in the next county. An individual on a 10-minute smash and grab? :rotf:

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Yeah, and add some hardware cloth to the ply ... Makes it harder to smash through with a sledge ...

Btw my Brown Safe arrived today .., Sat I get to move the 1100 pound box inside and bolt it down!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I lived in a house that had horshair plaster on horizontal lath. We put a doorway in between two rooms and I can testify it would delay a thief.