gun storage in a college house

[conkill]

i'm a college student and i have a house with 2 other people. i'm trying to come up with a cheap but safe way to store my guns. i'm not worried about my roomates b/c they know that i have them, i'm worried about someone who doesn't know they are in the house finding them. sence the house isn't very big we use my bedroom as one of the rooms we watch T.V. and i know one of my curious friends will end up looking threw my stuff. i don't have a closet in my room so hidding them in there is not an option. also i want something that if someone breaks into my house they will not think it is a safe with money or something like that in it and go ahead and steal it. thanks for any advise.

[Jim Keenan]

Hi, Conkill,

With so many students in states other than their own, other problems can surface. So, think about these questions first.

1. Is possession of those guns legal?
2. If you are on campus, is possession allowed on campus?
3. Do you have permission from the landlord to keep the guns? It is his or her house.

If there are no problems otherwise, and assuming we are talking about handguns,
there are some small gun safes or heavy steel gun boxes that can hold 2 or even 3 handguns, that have a combination lock and can be bolted or screwed to the floor or wall. I suggest bolting to the floor in a closet or bolting to a wall stud on a closet shelf. Always keep it covered with dirty clothes (something normally available in a college student's room) or something similar so it is out of casual view.

If there is no hole in the bottom/side of the safe, you can drill one or two, then put in a lag bolt or screw from the inside. If the hole(s) is not big or evident, it will probably not cause a problem for the landlord, and can be plugged when you leave.

Jim

[RWK]

Conkill,

I support everything Jim said and would offer one additional option. If you are absolutely certain this won't get you in legal trouble, it's possible the campus (or loacal) police will store any weapons you wish to remove from your quarters (similar to personal weapons storage on a military installation). I realize there are real deficiencies associated with this alternative; however, it may be better than the potential of unauthorized handling/use of your firearms.

[ATTICUS]

Homak steel cabinet bolted to the floor or wall stud - $90 at Walmart. Not the best protection, but sufficient for your needs probably. Disguise it as you please - not hard to do.

[This message has been edited by ATTICUS (edited August 31, 2000).]

[conkill]

i live off campus and my landlord knows that i work at a place that requires me to carry a firearm and he never said anything to me about no firearms in the house. like i said i'm more worried about theft than anything else.

[JG]

I would personally advise not keeping these weapons in the house, especially if your in an undergraduate situation-generally more partying going on (I would think), more people walking around and being nosey (aquaintances and strangers).

Just my opinion, but I just don't think anything good could come of leaving guns in your house.

Good luck.

[PreserveFreedom]

If I was in your situation, I would keep the gun that I use for my job with me at all times possible and for the others, rent a safety deposit box and bring them, disassembled, and lock them up.

[suckersrus]

Many years ago I felt I needed a small safe but did not have the money to purchase one.
I found a surplus steel ammo can and bolted it to the closet floor. I modified the lid clamp for a hasp and padlock.
It worked great.
It can be hidden in a number of ways.
I pity the burglar that grabs it and heads out the door. He will leave his arm hanging from the handle.
It will hold pistols as well as cash, jewelery, etc. However, it not fireproof.

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Wear your PFD

[This message has been edited by suckersrus (edited August 31, 2000).]

[smoney]

I think a gun safe is the best bet, they make them small enough to fit under a desk, or bed. and are fairly quick access if needed. \

jim, the guy said he don't have a closet. and not having your personal protection is not an option for me, i don't know about you guys.

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454Casull when it absolutely Has to be destroyed.

[jason h]

This is a tough one. I'm a college student also, but live by myself so I don't have many of the concerns you have right now. Do you have an attic, basement or another room or closet that is not used much or is out of the way. Maybe you could store your guns there. The homak safe is a cost efficient way of protecting your guns, but is by no means burgler proof. However, it is enough to stop someone who might not have come prepare to break into a safe. Since you have housemates, probably the house is not left unattended for long periods of time, so this helps out. If your parents live in the same town, I suppose you could keep the majority of your guns there, and only keep the guns you use regularly with you at your residence. If you do find a place to keep a safe, make sure you find a way to disguise it.

One idea is to buy one of those 8 gun homak safes. Lay it down on its back, and build a frame out of wood or steel(depending on your skills) around it, with the sides of the frame closed off. Build the frame to the same dimensions as your mattress, and then use it as your base for your bed. The only way to get to your safe is by pulling off your mattress. This would keep your safe out of sight but would not allow fast easy access to your safe. If you use a box spring mattress under your regular mattress, then the frame would only have to support the outside of the mattress. Might have to get a lock box to hold your handgun, since you would need to get it out everyday.

[MP Freeman]

There are many good books about this at Paladin Press. I would recommend their web-site but I am too tired to look it up for you now.

[BigMike]

When I was in school, i locked mine up at the campus police department. I lived in a duplex just off campus that also had 2 roommates with friends over all the time. When traveling home for the weekend i would pick it up and became quite a regular at the o'l gun-checkin/out-window. However if you feel that you NEED to have it on/near you at all times, I would look into getting a safe. They can be pricey, but I like the idea of locking an ammo can to the floor-beautiful simplicity.

Mike

[Eric of IN]

Maybe not the best solution, but I used a toolbox. $19.95 at Wally World. I put a padlock on it, and stuck some Craftsman Tool, and NASCAR stickers to it, and no one ever thought twice about it. Hide's easily under the bed, and like the day-planner holsters, people only see what they think they see.
Eric

[HankB]

A lockbox is a good idea. As long as you live off-campus, and may legally own the firearms, the only restriction I can see to storing them in your room would be the terms of your lease.

[awisler]

One of Jim Keenan's comments leads me to another question -- do people really feel that they need the permission of a landlord to keep firearms in their apartment? I'm not talking about on-campus housing, which is clearly a different issue. I rent in a duplex (converted single-family dwelling) and there is no stipulation in my lease about firearms (or I wouldn't have signed it), and I don't consider it my landlord's business whether I have firearms in my apartment or not. Now, as a matter of common courtesy, one could make the argument that it would not be nice to intentionally deceive your landlord (after all, I have a very good relationship with mine, and he lives in the house next door; I'm pretty sure he knows I own guns, anyway), but isn't my right to protect myself in my home (although I'm renting, that's what it is, anyway) my business? I do ensure that my firearms are locked up, simply because there is a possibility that my landlord may need to enter the apartment when I'm away, and I feel better knowing they're not out where someone could easily lay their hands on them. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, just my .02.

Andrew

[bamf]

I'm also a college student...I keep my gun in a lock box that I got from Staples...I did the camouflage thing and put stickers and stuff on it and by looking at it, you would never know it had a gun in it. If you want to be really safe against nosy friends, get a cable lock as well. So someone would have to defeat two locks to get access.

As far as leases go, My lease has no problem with firearms. I'd hope you guys read and understand any legal document before you sign, its good practice.

~bamf

[TheBluesMan]

Hi Conkill,

I noticed from your email that you're at The University of Akron. I can think of about 5 other TFL'ers who live within 15 minutes of you and we would be happy to store your excess firearms for you. Free of charge in fact! Just let us shoot them once in a while. ;)

Seriously, here's a couple of links to some nice safes that I think would fit the bill just fine, especially the second link: http://www.handgunsafe.com/safes.htm http://www.palmersecurity.com/miniches.htm

If you're interested, the next Medina Co. gun show is Sept 9 & 10 and the next Summit Co. show is Sept. 30 & Oct. 1. You can usually find a few safes at these shows.


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RKBA!
"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4
Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website (http://www.ofcc.net)

[This message has been edited by TheBluesMan (edited September 01, 2000).]

[Jim Keenan]

Hi, Andrew,

I agree with you when it comes to normal rental/leasing. Only if a lease or rental agreement specifically stated that guns were not allowed would I be concerned. Otherwise, guns are simply personal property and I think you can assume they are OK unless otherwise stated. Normal precautions should be taken when children and guests are present.

But off-campus student housing is a little different. Tenancy is a revolving door, students are not always the most sober and reliable people, and the possibility of guests (read drinking and orgy friends) pawing through your stuff is pretty high. It is a different situation.

Jim

[Noban]

If college is the same as I recall, the best place to hide anything was in the laundry basket - no one ever touched it :)

[Dangus]

I would suggest you keep all your weapons in a small fireresistant safe with a combo lock. If you have a home protection weapon, you should put a key on a necklace, and wear it at night, keeping a locked metal box(ammo can will work) that you can get at quickly. Just put the gun, and one mag of spare ammo in it so fire isn't as much of a danger.

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The Alcove (http://www.alcovetech.com/)

I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me

[Normalizer]

I used to have a boxspring on my bed that had it's cover ripped off on the bottom. It looked normal from any view except underneath, and even then it was a small hole and not too apparent. It might have been possible to build a little storage area inside that would have been out of sight yet fairly accessible.

I currently use a little gun "hanger" I picked up at the local gunstore for around $10. It is mounted under and inside an aquarium cabinet, to reach it you just reach in and up - quick and easy. It is invisible to the eye and to actually see it or the 38 it holds you have to get on your hands and knees and almost crawl inside the cabinet, no easy task (especially with 55 gallons of water glass just over your head.)

Be creative, but most importantly - I'd advise you NOT tell ANYBODY that you don't have to that you even have the guns. I've been ripped off/burglarized on numerous occasions, everything from CD's and rolls of stamps to stereo's and an italian takedown 22lr rifle. EVERY time it was by buddies, room-mates, etc. I've never been robbed by strangers, always by FRIENDS.

[awisler]

Jim -- thanks for your reply -- I thought that is what you were getting at, just wanted to clarify.

Normalizer -- Your comment about the boxspring reminds me of a setup I saw once. Someone had removed the bottom fabric from a boxspring, and then built a framed rack and mounted it there on hinges with a concealed latch. The whole setup was recovered with the boxspring fabric, and only close examination from underneath revealed there was anything amiss. When you did press the latch (which was in a hidden location)-- the frame swung down to reveal a Winchester 1300. Hello there!

[KaMaKaZe]

My testimony:

I am a college student.
I own guns.
I kept a gun on campus.
I don't care about "your" gun/drug-free zone crap.

Some simple rules to live by:

Don't "stockpile" while at school, keep it to a minimum! (a single .38 for me)
Don't tell ANYONE about your gun(s) unless you would trust them with it.
Always make the extra attempt to hide/conceal it.

On a side note.. while on campus.. I had my own room with a heavy door and a deadlock. I never once thought twice about keeping a gun in my apartment. As much as I would like to abide by the law.. I am more and more increasingly not giving a damn about any law that requires me to go unarmed. Period.

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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!

oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"

[This message has been edited by KaMaKaZe (edited September 06, 2000).]