Hiding Your Long Guns?

[mkmckinley]

Get a cheap Costco or walmart safe and a by-serial-number scheduled renters insurance policy specifically for your firearms/optics/accessories. I have about $20,000 worth of shooting related crap and I pay about $450 a year for my total renters insurance policy which includes the scheduled policies for my valuables.

[rickp]

I agree, robbers will find the rifle, it's what they do.

A fake wall would be a nice hiding place. The wall has to look unaltered so the edges of the door have to blend in with the edges of something else.
Maybe a whole in the floor with a solid top hidden under the carpet. Just pull the corner of the carpet lift the door and there's the rifle.

Just 2 thoughts. Nothing is better than a safe though.

R.

[lovetashoot]

I find it essential to keep all weapons locked up. In addition to protecting my "investment," I also am protecting myself from potential litigation if one of my weapons gets loose. Although I do not have all weapons in impenetrable gun safes, they are, at least in metal "lockers" designed for gun storage and requiring keys to gain normal access-without a crowbar, cutting torch, etc. God forbid someone stealing a weapon of mine and using it in a crime, but if so, I hope to be able to argue that I did everything I could to be a responsible gun owner.

[jasonhgross]

As mentioned above, they WILL find it. No question about that. If you dont have a heavy bolted down safe, whats the point? Frankly, if you are in a safe building with decent locks on the front door and are several stories above, get yourself renter's insurance and stop worrying about it.

[BikerRN]

i'm surprised i'm the first to say this... but if you're not home, and your rifle is- you need to have it secured. hiding it is not acceptable, in my opinion. you can get cheap gun "lockers" at bi-mart/wal-mart and sporting good stores for like $90, or less on sale. might even be able to find a used one for like $50 on craigslist or something. stick it in the closet, and bolt it to the studs from the inside. this will not stop a truly determined individual, but it'll deter probably 95% of burglarizing crackheads.

you're gonna spent 900-2000 on the rifle... is another bill too much to make sure you keep it?

Spot on mate!

[D Golden]

AC ducts, if your apt. has a duct w/ enough width and a straight run from the opening.

[Pal]

Another good idea, especially if you don't have the luxury of a high quality safe, record the serial numbers of all arms you own. You'll need em to file a report if they're ever stolen or if you ever hope to recover or prove they're yours. I keep it written down in 2 different places.

The odds of recovering a stolen firearm aren't great, but its zero if all you can report is "S&W J frame revolver, blued, .38 cal." The odds of that are zero.

[EchoMirage]

echoing the thought of an AR is a BAD choice for home defense in such a tight area.....a shotgun will be much cheaper and better for said use. if you want an AR just to have an AR, then thats different. but any kind of rifle would be the last thing i use for primary home defense in a tiny apartment.

another thought of 'hiding' a long arm -with intent of quick access- is to screw 2 big hooks into the wall above a closet door (in the inside of course) and simply hang it there. someone may rummage through the clothes, but may not turn around and look up above the door.

yet another consideration: if your place is THAT small, chances are youre not going to have time to get up and go for a hidden gun. as soon as someone breaks in, hes going to be in the next room, or even the same room. youll need a gun right then, not one thats hidden or locked in a safe, which may take 30-45 seconds to retrieve.