Linen Closet to "Gun Safe"

[DerbyDale]

I have an Idea that I wanted to run past yall.

Currently we live in a small apartment and as much as I want one, there is no room for a real gun safe. I want to keep the guns and ammo out of small hands mainly...

So what we do have is a small linen closet in the master bedroom that we don't fully utilize. I thought about taking the doorknob off and replacing it with a deadbolt lock. Then I would have a small space to put all of my guns and ammo that would be locked and could not be opened with a coat hanger or credit card... I realize that a burglar could kick the cheap door in easily and it would not offer any protection from fire. It would only keep young hands out, and only cost around $20.00. I could also put the regular knob back on when we move...

Home Depot Lock:

What do yall think?

 

[romma]

Better than nothing... In fact, I am in the exact same situation as you, and I am pusuing the same avenue!

I don't have young hands around anymore though.

 

[Bill2e]

That is not the worst Idea I have herd & certinaly better than nothing. You could take it a step futher & reenforce the door with steel angle iron or 2x4's. Good luck with the prodject & we need pics!

 

[Thernlund]

It'll be fine for your needs. As others say, better that nothing.


-T.

 

[chaim]

You aren't the first to consider something like this (though as a single guy, for me it was the walk-in closet; just a minor pain at 5am when I'm trying to get dressed for work and need my key to get my clothes).

 

[Six O'clock Tactical]

Medeco makes the best locks on planet earth. I strongly suggest investing the extra money to purchase one of these locks, as they are an amazing investment and can always be taken with you when you move on to bigger and better things.

Doors are only as strong as their weakest component. This means the lock, the hinges, or the carrier (the part the lock bolts into on the doorjam)

reinforce the jam with some well placed 2x2 angle iron if possible, and see if you cant make the standard 2 or 3 hinge door into a much stronger 5 hinge setup.

www.medeco.com

 

[Six O'clock Tactical]

oh yeah, another thing, you need to have a locksmith that has taken the medeco classes and is certified to smith their keys. You get a credit card with the lock so unless you have the card and a key the smith wont make a copy.

it also takes a good half hour for a professional locksmith to pick, so be really careful about doing something silly like locking your keys in the closet. :banghead:

 

[TAB]

I would not put a double sided lock on it. It won't keep anyone out, but it will stop a kid form getting in. another option is to put one of these one.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...roductId=100597321&N=10000003+527833+10401001

that way you don't have to mess with the jamb

 

[bogie]

I could be through that Kwikset lock in under a minute, with minimal noise (more of a "crunching" sound than anything else).

Medeco or Schlage, get a LONG bolt, and reinforce the door frame where it enters. You can also do the other side of the door if you're serious. Ask and see if you can get a steel door made to be a direct replacement for the existing wood one.

 

[TAB]

I think you guys missed the important word here...

Apartment

 

[TallPine]

for me it was the walk-in closet; just a minor pain at 5am when I'm trying to get dressed for work and need my key to get my clothes

Worse yet is when you forget the combination to the coffee

 

[zoom6zoom]

Lining the closet with an extra layer or two of wallboard will give you additional fire protection also.

 

[ColinthePilot]

I've been thinking the same idea. I was thinking a good sized closet with a metal door and a good strong combo lock, and definitely reinforce the door frame, maybe a complete steel door frame. I'll be in apartments for at least the next year, so it'll be a while.

 

[a1abdj]

For keeping a child or smash and grab burglar out, even an inexpensive deadbolt like a kwikset will work.

If you wanted to spend more money, they do make locks that operate off of remote controls, fingerprints, and mechanical push buttons. This would allow you faster access without having to worry about a key.

 

[scrat]

Well cant say much. you walk in my house open up the closet in the living room. The one your supposed to hang up you jackets in. Ya well thats where the gun safe is.

Bolted to the wall and ground

 

[Sir Aardvark]

Why don't you purchase something like a Homak security cabinet?

http://www.homaksecurity.com/GunCabinets.htm

They are more secure than your "cheap door", they are fairly inexpensive, and you can take it with you when you move.
Not only would this keep the children out of your stuff, but also give you a measure of security against a smash-and-grab type burglary.

Use lag bolts to bolt it into the studs in your closet, and when you move you can just putty over the holes and touch them up with some paint.

Given the situation you are in, you really don't have many options.
To properly secure the closet you would first have to replace the hollow door with a solid one, preferably thicker, which would also necessitate replacing the door jamb, then beefing up the deadbolt lock, hinges, and strike plate.

This would cost more than the security cabinet and would also get your manager wondering what the heck you're doing to the apartment - and you can't take it with you when you leave.

 

[Blarelli]

I would get one of those digital deadbolts. Something like this maybe http://www.comforthouse.com/deadbolt.html
Then you would have a quick access gun safe/linen closet thingie.

 

[cowssurf]

Only to prevent small hands, of course. Big hands with a screwdriver and hammer could pretty easily knock off the hinges and open the door.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

A locked closet door will keep small children out, but little more. There are also small gun safes and cabinets that will fit inside the closet. These would not be visible to service personnel (e.g., plumbers) at a casual glance and would offer a little more protection against opportunist "smash-and-grab" burglars.

 

[Bob F.]

Couple of thoughts: a dead-bolt, or any lock, might draw attention to a closet.
If you're just talking handguns, bolt, that is BOLT, a pistol safe into the closet as far back as possible and stack linens in front, even if you have to use a funky fold to make 'em fit.

I put a cheap steel gun cabinet in the end of a closet. Put extra sheetrock around and over it. Put another piece with trim moulding in front to look like the wall. Had to move hanging clothes and the false front to get to it. It could be found, but you had to look.

Sometimes those closet shelves are removable. Might could slide a gun cabinet in there and just close the door. Would certainly keep kids out.

In another house I had a walk-in with the door in one end of a long wall with hanging clothes down the back and far end. On the wall next to the door was a set of shelves with space at the end. Bolted steel gun cabinet there where it was out of sight without a close look.

Won't say where it is now.

Stay safe.
Bob

 

[brickeyee]

Just replace the lock with an exterior lock set with a key.
Attracts less attention and does the job.
The hinges can be replaced with ones with fixed pins for a little more security.

Interior hollow core doors can be smashed very easily, and the jamb is not going to do very much.

A better lock is a waste of effort.

Locks only keep honest folks honest.