Safe gun storage in rented space?

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and get a locking door knob. Replace the knob on the coat closet with the locking one.

Waalaa.


-T.

Get rid of your deadbolt and, in its place, install something known as a Segal lock. It will take a bit more effort to install (at least, the "strike" portion will), but whomsoever wishes to break into your closet may just have to rip out the door frame, along with the door itself.

It's not for any silly reason that this type of lock is occasionally referred to as "Jimmy-proof" locks. Long-standing rumor has it they ("Segal" locks) used to be quite widely installed in NYC tenements, so early as 1912, or thereabouts. They ain't pretty (compared to "deadbolts", which have most of their "inner" workings concealed), but when and where "High-security" is concerned, they've got the "common" lockset beats hands down.

I'm Thinking... said:

Get rid of your deadbolt and, in its place, install something known as a Segal lock.

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He doesn't want to "damage" the apartment. Installing that would.


-T.

A Segal lock is surface-mounted (inside out outside of the door. A Segal-lock's strike may be/is mounted by way of removing some frame trim, cutting away some small amount of wood, then fastening with deep screws.

So where's the "damage" (upon leaving the apartment, replace the frame trim)?

Seriously; does it take a former locksmith(I speak from experience) to properly explain cylinder and lockset/hardware installation?

I'm Thinking... said:

...replace the frame trim...

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Right there.


-T.

Does the apartment have cheesy wall-to-wall carpet? Drill a couple of holes in the safe, and screw it to the floor.

An el-cheapo sheet metal safe is better than nothing.

Use a bass guitar case to carry long guns in and out.

Are there any other locksmiths, possibly waiting on the sidelines, who might wish to add their comments?

Replace the knob on the coat closet with the locking one.

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How hard is it to kick in a coat closet door?

I was going to suggest that if you're worried about damage to the door, you can always buy your own door ... and maybe you should get a stronger door while you're at it.

I once caved in the outer shell of a bedroom door by walking into it with a cardboard box.

Coat closets open out. So, not really easy to kick in.

Stronger door isn't a bad idea though. Still makes it a "drop-in" solution.


-T.

as for the carpet. place a sheet of 3/4 in plywood under the safe.
looks like a box was there for a long time. and apt's use very cheep carpet anyhow.


.

I can only recommend to invest in a steel cabinet or safe. The lighter Homak steel gun cabinets cost under $100 at sporting good and home improvement stores.

You seem to have several guns and the damage from theft would be a multiple of the cost for a steel cabinet and can be securely fastened to the floor or a 2x4.

Imagine, you'd walk into a burglary of you own home and would get shot with your own weapon? Or a policeman called to the scene by neighbors?

I would recommend getting one of those cheesy security cabinets like Homak sells and lag bolting it into the studs on the inside of the closet.

When you move, just putty over the holes, and if you feel it's necessary, touch-up the holes with some paint - nobody is going to notice it, and the security cabinet along with the deadbolt on the door is about as good as you're going to get for an apartment.

Also, look into getting a wireless alarm system that is monitored if you're that worried about things.

As for closet doors in apartments, they are pretty much made out of cardboard - you do not even need tools to get one open because you can punch and kick right through one.
About all the lock is going to do is keep the lookie-loos from peeking in there to see what you've got.
Some people recommend against even putting a deadbolt on the closet door because all it does is advertise the presence of something in there that you think is valuable.
Instead you can install a keyed entry lockset that looks like a regular doorknob but will still keep the door locked - of course it is not as secure as a deadbolt, but unless you install a solid 1 3/4" door and beef up the hinges, you don't really have a lot to work with using only a hollow door.

Insurance. Lots of insurance. Make sure the firearms coverage meets or exceeds the replacement value of your guns.

I'm in a rental myself. I have a StackOn gun cabinet in a closet. It's bolted to the studs with lag bolts. A little putty and the landlord will never know it was there.
Is it as good as a safe? NO! But at least some crank head can't break in and just walk off with my stuff. Now if I could only find some rattlesnakes to throw in there....

customize the base of a California king water bed. i forget the name of the style of hidden hinge i used but a very small hole with a long dowel pushed a sliding end piece that opened up the base. stored 6 long guns and about 3 dz handguns. as in a secret shared not at all..even when struck by the vacuum cleaner it would not dislodge. moved to house and converted it to store rifle cases & ammo. waterbed/ platform bed, same idea.good luck
do not leave NOTHING gun related laying about & tell none of you neighbors.
golf club bags hide in plain sight (and are lockable) and can store carbines & take down long guns. also good to be seen walking to your car with.
handguns conceal in work boots and (lockable) metal 4 or 5 draw tool boxes.

Don't buy the segal lock from home depot. I work there and have had a few customers complain that they used them to secure storage or electrical rooms in apartment buildings and the thieves simply jammed a screwdriver into the keyhole and pried out the inner workings and opened the lock or simply tore them off the door with a prybar. Obviously they had to destroy the door and lock but they got in. Maybe the ones HD sells are just not that great or maybe the thieves just knew what they were doing. Either way if somebody knows what is behind that door and really wants it it will only take seconds to smash the door down and take everything.

I'd just get a RSC/metal gun cabinet/"safe" of some stripe and use that - modifying the door probably won't work as well, and may cost more depending on how you do it. There are RSC's (Zanoti?) that you can assemble in-place. Maybe you could build it inside the closet & it couldn't be pulled out without disassembling it?

Probably best thing you can do is to be careful about who you tell about your guns - it's amazing how fast information travels & what screwballs come to find out about your possessions.

Don't buy the segal lock from home depot. I work there and have had a few customers complain that they used them to secure storage or electrical rooms in apartment buildings and the thieves simply jammed a screwdriver into the keyhole and pried out the inner workings and opened the lock or simply tore them off the door with a prybar. Obviously they had to destroy the door and lock but they got in. Maybe the ones HD sells are just not that great or maybe the thieves just knew what they were doing. Either way if somebody knows what is behind that door and really wants it it will only take seconds to smash the door down and take everything.

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bingo, there's a reason these locks are mostly figments of history.

the only way to secure a door is to use locking lugs, the way safes do it, and even then the studs are typically spaced 16" apart with paper thin drywall, you have to remember that the door on that closet is probably that laminated corriguated board that smashes with any force pressed against it, if someone wants in the closet, they are coming through, but you arent going to slow them down much with any lock you can put on that door.

your best bet is going to be buy a cheap cabinet from lowes or bass pro or somewhere similar, your insurance will treat it exactly the same as the $5,000 "gun safes" (residental security container) and it will at least slow down any prospective thief.

but if it's the best you can afford, then go with it.

Do like I did and double up.

I bought hanger vaults for the front closet, and a locking metal cabinet for the bedroom.
I then replaced locks already there with new deadbolts that not even the staff had a key for. The closet the lock box was in I also put a dead bolt on.
Put original hardware back on after you move out.

I'm in a very similar boat (and by boat I suppose I mean appartment) trying to secure my firearms without making changes I can't undo to a structure I don't own. Additionally, my apartment is all hardwood floors, so no hiding any holes for me. I figured I'd do the next best thing and bolt my little stack-on gun cabinet to a heavy work bench I built. The bench itself weighs over 150 pounds, and it's too big to fit through any of the doorways in the place. If you have any sort of large, heavy furniture which you are ok with bolting a safe to, that's definitely a decent compromise to drilling into your floor. as far as long guns....I haven't figured that out for mine yet, so I got nothing for you there. Good luck.

Also, I just recalled that a buddy of mine (also an appartment dweller) found an old, solid oak door on craigslist for $20. He just laid it flat on the floor in his appartment and bolted his safe to that. Just another idea for you.

If you buy one of the cheap gun cabinets you can bolt it to the wall studs or build a simple base made out of angle iron and wood that would be too long to wiggle out of the closet door. Of course they could demolish the entire closet to get it out but it would be enough of a hassle to deter smash and grab punks.

Otahyoni, I just called your local Gander Mountain for you, the gentleman said that they do carry the stack on gun cabients, he told me they range from $280 to $160, honestly, I think that would be your best bet.