Fortifying the gun room

[Zeebrahed]

I have been thinking thru my home security measures to see where I can stiffen my defenses against possible burglary. I have a two-story townhouse in which I utilize a downstairs bedroom with a walk-in closet as my gun/hobby room. In the walk in closet I have a Remington RSC which holds all the guns I do not have on me during the day.

I wish to fortify the window with either inside bars or a security window...I am really not sure what is out there for this task. The interior door is 30" and I want to replace it with either a steel door or a steel clad, solid wood core door. Since my house is of typical light sheetrock construction, I know that I must reinforce the material the frame must be attatched to. However, I am unsure how to go about this. Would a steel frame be sufficent, or could I have concrete poured..I simply do not know what my options are.

Now before someone says it, there is no other possible way into this room. So someone could not just kick thru an adjacent wall to gain entry. The only weak points are the window and door.

Any ideas on how I can do this?

 

[Car Knocker]

my house is of typical light sheetrock construction

someone could not just kick thru an adjacent wall to gain entry

These two statements seem to be mutually exclusive. Care to clarify?

 

[Zeebrahed]

Three of the foor walls of this room are exterior walls. The only doorway to the room is at the end of a hall. Unless someone wants to go thru an exterior wall, which I am sure is possible, they are going to have to only go thru the interior door or window.

 

[hso]

Isn't there 2 ft to each side of the door that is only skinned with sheet rock? That's the route I'd take around the door.

If there isn't by some means, I'd just strip the sheet rock from around the existing door frame and frame in a real vault door (~ $800 - $1,700) on a steel frame. The remaining space to either side of the door frame would be a series of 2x4s screwed together and toed in with screws. This insures that when the sheetrock is put back up no one will go through the wall to get around the door. If you have any way to camoflage the door I would advise doing it also. Something as simple at putting a false wall in front of it and a closet door to create a broom closet at the end of the hall way. You access your vault door from the closet.

 

[Zeebrahed]

hso,

There is really no way around the door, it is kind of hard to explain without pictures I guess. The door is simply hung in a regular 2x4 frame, this is what I really want to beef up.

 

[Q-Lock]

ISomething as simple at putting a false wall in front of it and a closet door to create a broom closet at the end of the hall way. You access your vault door from the closet.

I love that idea...love the way it looks too. My father has that same setup in his basement...only inside his hidden room are a very large number of containers and boxes filled with unopened HotWheels. He's also got two other hidden closets down there filled with more HotWheels. What an interesting hobby he has.

Quinten

 

[Car Knocker]

Nah, I'd go through the ceiling and shove all the good stuff through the bars and out the window. And yes, I've seen it done!

 

[Zeebrahed]

Nah, I'd go through the ceiling and shove all the good stuff through the bars and out the window. And yes, I've seen it done!

Car Knocker,

I can't prepare for every contingency! But I guess if they want to go thru the roof then thru the RSC, they want my guns more than I do. All I want to do is a simple upgrade of security. I am also considering getting a monitoring service in addition to training for our Akita and Great Dane puppies. Can never be too prepared.

 

[Car Knocker]

I know. That's why I had the Big Grin there. You can only do the best you can.

 

[bogie]

The most cost effective soluton is likely is to have an alarm installed...

What does a monitored alarm cost?

A safe door is going to set you back a grand. If you put in a steel door, and bars on the windows, you still have weak points.

 

[gazpacho]

3/8" steel plate, resting on the foundation, and bolted upright to the studs. Go about 4 feet high, then cover with wall paneling and top with a chair rail. Anyone trying to bust through the wall will go through low, because it's easier. Also, should you have to barricade yourself in the room, the steel plate will aford you some amount of protection.

 

[jnd42697]

If you have a safe and I assume it is bolted to the floor what are you worried about. The average thief is a smash and grab. They do not have the tools or time to fight with a gun safe. I would install the alarm with the loudest siren I could get. If you are worried about sheet rock buy some of the new lexan reinforced sheetrock and install it. I promise they will not get thru it.

 

[ball3006]

My gun room is at the end of the hall....

and the door fills the whole section of wall there. I replaced the wood door with an outside steel door and frame. The door and frame are covered to look like a wood door. Surprise to the person that tries to kick it open. Inside iron bars on the window that has a screen hooked into the alarm system. I have a monitored alarm system that is wireless so cutting the phone line will do no good. I will be retiring next year so I can get the heck out of the city to my place in the country........chris3

 

[civilian]

the more you secure something - the more you make it visible. good safe, good alarm, good locks and that's pretty much all you can do within reason.

If you have a safe and I assume it is bolted to the floor what are you worried about. The average thief is a smash and grab. They do not have the tools or time to fight with a gun safe. I would install the alarm with the loudest siren I could get. If you are worried about sheet rock buy some of the new lexan reinforced sheetrock and install it. I promise they will not get thru it.