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Old March 5, 2013, 07:45 AM   #1
Beretta686
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Join Date: May 11, 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 761
Apartment Gunsafe for Machine Guns?

As a happily degenerate bachelor living in an apartment with a rather large gun collection including multiple NFA items, I've been storing them in a fire-resistant Sentry Safe which gives me enough peace of mind from a smash-and-grab type break in.

However, I just purchased several new machine guns (they're "investments" not toys.... ) which about doubled my collection's value, so I'd like to upgrade my safe.

Obviously living in an apartment I can't be bolting things to the floor, so I'm looking for what my best option will be for something that'll maximize my peace of mind.

Does anyone have any advice on this?
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Old March 5, 2013, 09:04 AM   #2
ScottRiqui
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Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
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I'm hoping you have a rider on your insurance policy specifically for your guns, at least for the more expensive ones. If so, does the policy have any specific requirements as to storage?

I'd hate for you to get the "double whammy" of having your stuff stolen, and then finding out the insurance company won't pay out because the guns weren't adequately protected.
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Old March 5, 2013, 09:30 AM   #3
longlane
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Join Date: November 13, 2009
Location: South Carolina
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Friend in a similar situation took the following steps...

First, he procured a separate insurance policy for the firearms. I don't recall the name of the company, but he located them through NRA member services. Investments must be protected of course. The following steps actually decreased the cost of this insurance (due to the quality of the safe--it's burn temp and time and security features).

Second, he contacted his building's physical plant/supervisor/what-have-you and asked what his floor is load rated for (you can also check building codes in your area at the time the building was built and renovated). He explained that he had a bulky collection of items he wanted to protect with a safe. After several calm, reasonable conversations, he found out what the rating was.

Third, he purchased a safe with an appropriate footprint and weight rating (and double-checked his elevator's certificate for weight capability--he's a belt and suspenders guy).

Fourth, he had the safe delivered early one morning for an extra fee to avoid attention and blocking the foot traffic of his neighbors. The safe was placed in the closet farthest from the main entrance and he "hid" it with a bed sheet layed over it that closely matched the color of the closet walls and had clothes surrounding it on hangers. Of course, he has a vapor corrosion inhibitor (VCI) and dessicants canisters inside the safe as well--and maintains both properly.

Fifth, he took pictures, recorded serial numbers, and captured video of his collection (and his safe), encrypted this data on an SD card and a portable hard drive (and of course a paper copy for his own records kept in a separate location)--and placed these encrypted items in a safe-deposit box that he already rented.

A pain? Yes. Worth it? For his peace of mind and his collection, yes.
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Last edited by longlane; March 6, 2013 at 11:18 AM. Reason: VCI instead of VIC
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Old March 5, 2013, 11:07 AM   #4
1-DAB
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Join Date: May 5, 2010
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sounds like you may want to consider taking some of your next savings and moving to your own place where you can do what you please.
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