Ideas for long term gun storage

[TheOtherOne]

Here's what I have in mind:

I've read through alot of the posts about safes and I'll be buying the best one that I can with the money I have budgeted. It's going to be stored in the basement of my parents house. It has never flooded down there, but of course I'll still put it up on a short base just in case.

I'm going to clean all my guns as usual, but leave out the last step of wiping off the CLP. I live in a dry climate, so that should be plenty to keep rust at bay.

I want to put all my rifles in gun socks so that should minimize the chance of them getting scratched up.

I have the original cases for all my handguns and they will stay inside those.

I'm planning to store all my ammo in the same safe as well. I hope that's not an issue?

I also want to add a little bit of extra security -- and this is extra security not so much for thiefs but to prevent family members from taking them all out and shooting them. They have their own guns and, with how they treat them, they can stick with shooting their own. I am planning on removing the bolts from all my rifles and putting them inside a small combination lock box and putting that in the safe (so it doesn't get lost). For the handguns I was going to use all the cable locks I have to wrap around the case handles. I would keep the keys for those in the same lock box as the rifle bolts. Of course that wouldn't keep a thief at bay but it would deter a curious family member.


Any other ideas or comments would be appreciated!

 

[Hkmp5sd]

If you don't want others messing with your guns while in storage, why not just keep the combination to yourself? As for the ammo, there is no problem storing it in with your guns if you have the room.

 

[TheOtherOne]

If you don't want others messing with your guns while in storage, why not just keep the combination to yourself?

I want my dad to know it, just in case. I can probably trust him that he won't let others in but with the "everything is everyones, share and share alike" attitude with alot of my family, you just never know.

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

Get an envelope, write the combo on a piece of paper, then seal the envelope in wax from a candle.

That way you will know if anyone has opened and/or used the combo when you get back.

 

[entropy]

Take the combo with you. If your Dad has his own guns, I don't see any reason for him to have your combo, giving the 'share alike' thing. Good ideas locking the bolts up separate, and cable locking the pistols. If they were to get in there and complain that you did that you can say, "That's exactly why I did it!"

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

I would definitely leave the combo with someone or at least the master keys with someone. At the minimum leave the combo in your last will and testament. If something would happen to you would you really want your family to have to go to the expense of having someone crack the safe? Just be smart...

I'm going to be gone for a month, I'm leaving the keys with my gf so that she can put a gun that will be arriving from S&W repair in the safe while I'm gone. Better that then just leaving the FEDEX box laying out for a month.