I need an affordable plastic storage bin for my rifles.

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Rockworthy

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Hello helpful forum. I know, I know, I should be using a safe to store my guns in. However, right now the only place I have to store my rifles is in someone else's attic, and buying/hauling a huge safe up through the attic hole is out of the question, plus I want to be able to carry all the guns to the range at once if I want. So I'm looking for an affordable, plastic storage tub, with lid, that I can store my rifles in. I have a big long one (a shotgun: get your minds out of the gutter) so I need a bin that is at least 5 feet long. Is anyone out there doing this already? What are you using? Thanks guys,

Rockworthy
 
Plastic boxes and plastic gun cases are infamous for trapping moisture in attics (and by attic I presume an unheated, uncooled space below the roof, and not an upper storey).
 
Attics can get very hot too. Not a problem for synthetic stocks, but not an environment for nice wood - especially in contact proximity with oil/grease.

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Je Suis Prest
 
Like mentioned before you should be careful of locked in moisture and high temps. If you use VCI preservation bags like our ZCORR Bags you won't have to worry about the moisture but the high heat could still damage the wood.
 
If you are on a budget, and have a means of controlling the moisture I would consider a truck tool box. They are not quite "portable" but two grown adults can certainly carry them.

They can be locked enough to keep the honest out, they are rugged and big enough for any long gun as long as you purchase a full sized. Under $100.
 
The 'attic hole' just a people sized thing? There are safes that aren't huge. Not made to double as a case though.
There are 62" plastic bins available. These guys sell 'em. Canadian and they ship, but there's bound to be a U.S. source. http://www.globalindustrial.ca/
"...need a bin that is at least 5 feet long..." Like JohnBT says, not if you take the barrel off. Easier said than done with some shotguns, of course. A Marlin Goose Gun, for example.
 
An attic or garage is the WORST place to store guns. Steel is very dense and takes much longer to warm up than the surrounding air. When the temprature cools at night then warms in the morning the colder steel will "sweat" just like a cold glass of lemonaid and cause internal rust. Air tight containers are no good unless you seal them in a very dry desert because air contains humidity and that moisture in the air will settle on cold metal. You MUST keep guns in a climate controled enviroment where the temp can not change too rapidly. Do you have room under the bed? Under the couch? At a relitives home?
 
Owen Sparks said:
An attic or garage is the WORST place to store guns. Steel is very dense and takes much longer to warm up than the surrounding air. When the temprature cools at night then warms in the morning the colder steel will "sweat" just like a cold glass of lemonaid and cause internal rust. Air tight containers are no good unless you seal them in a very dry desert because air contains humidity and that moisture in the air will settle on cold metal. You MUST keep guns in a climate controled enviroment where the temp can not change too rapidly. Do you have room under the bed? Under the couch? At a relitives home?
Click to expand...
I do have room under the bed. I would still like an extremely long under-bed storage container however. The ones at Wal Mart only go up to about 4 feet in length, and I need at least a good 5 feet.
 
Sunray said:
The 'attic hole' just a people sized thing? There are safes that aren't huge. Not made to double as a case though.
There are 62" plastic bins available. These guys sell 'em. Canadian and they ship, but there's bound to be a U.S. source. http://www.globalindustrial.ca/
"...need a bin that is at least 5 feet long..." Like JohnBT says, not if you take the barrel off. Easier said than done with some shotguns, of course. A Marlin Goose Gun, for example.
Click to expand...
What bins are those exaclty? I wandered around that web site for a while and never found anything like that.
 
Are you really going to take 20 guns to the range at once?

If four or five is more realistic, look for golf bag covers. They're relative inexpensive, and discreet.

mbogo
 
When I was younger my mom bought be a long plastic storage container to go under my bed. It was at least 5 feet long, maybe a foot and a half wide, and 6 inches tall. They either came from wal-mart, lowes, sam's club, or some other similar store.

If you look hard enough you'll find some.

Different walmarts carry different things sometimes. Look at all the ones in your area. My area has atleast 5 of them. One of them usually has what I'm looking for.
 
Get a couple of cheaper golf bags, wrap firearms in VCI packaging?

Make sure they're long enough. Then you can sling it over your shoulder and carry the rifles to the range. The cover should prevent some of the dust from getting all over your rifles, but will still allow air to circulate.

You might also try to figure out a way to insulate whatever container you use - let the contents gradually adjust to ambient temperature. Air leaks and extreme swings in temps lead to condensation on the metal and corrosion. You either need to prevent the condensation, or allow the metal on the firearms to deal with it (well greased/oiled, VCI wrapping).

Can you buy a good vacuum sealer and jam some silica gel packets into the sealed bag? Those sealers can usually let you pull out as much bag as you need, even rifle length. Then just bungee cord them together, no other storage container needed. Just check to make sure the vacuum seal stays intact every so often - buy a good sealer, not the cheapest you can find.

You really shouldn't keep guns in your attic, though - keep it in a climate controlled environment if at all possible.
 
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Are you seriously thinking you'll put 20 rifles in the same long bin and then cart all that to the range? Maybe you don't care about dings and scratches, but I sure wouldn't want to be your firearms.
 
Hmm I like the golf bag idea for taking them to the range. I never bring them all to the range at once, that would be insane, but for bringing like 5 at a time that would be ideal, and discreet, like you said. I still need to find a way to seal them in a container so that I can add a chemical dessicant tub inside, to suck out the moisture. The temperature changing problem affecting the wood is concerning me now though. I'm thinking under the bed would be best, but I'd need to find some rediculously long under-bed storage tubs.
 
I'm thinking under the bed would be best, but I'd need to find some rediculously long under-bed storage tubs.
Click to expand...

If you've got a circular saw and a drill, your problems are already solved. Make a plywood box that fits exactly under the bed and use old carpet remnants as padding so the rifles aren't resting on something hard. If you're handy, you could probably knock one out in an afternoon.
 
If you have room under the bed just use "gun socks" and lay them on the floor. You really don't need a box.
 
They make a hard case for people who travel with golf clubs. Look around. I have one I bought from a Sporting Goods store and it even has good locks on it. Wheels and two handles, too.
 
Rockworthy said:
Hmm I like the golf bag idea for taking them to the range. I never bring them all to the range at once, that would be insane, but for bringing like 5 at a time that would be ideal, and discreet, like you said. I still need to find a way to seal them in a container so that I can add a chemical dessicant tub inside, to suck out the moisture. The temperature changing problem affecting the wood is concerning me now though. I'm thinking under the bed would be best, but I'd need to find some rediculously long under-bed storage tubs.
Click to expand...
There are some tubs out there for under bed storage. Keep in mind that they won't be air tight, though - unless you seal it somehow. The problem of temperature change is less the wood (though that would hurt too) and more the metal, which can "sweat" from humidity in the air and the right shift in temperature.

If a rifle fits under your bed, there's got to be a tub that will run the length of your bed's width, or close to it.

What is the exact maximum length you need for a rifle to fit into the tub? Down to the inch. You say at least 5 feet, so 60 inches? That will help really consider a tub, and/or a golf bag. Bring a tape measure and shop around.
 
The Cleveland police apparently use containers like those in the background for confiscated weapons .... ;)

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