Where to put a shotgun for HD?

[BCC]

I normally have all my handguns in in an upstairs safe, except for the one I keep in a locked storage case in our downstairs master bedroom for hd.

I've been wanting to get a shotgun to put in the bedroom too, but I absolutely don't want it to be easily accessible to anyone else. There are no kiddies in the house, but I wouldn't want a neighborhood kid or thief to easily be able to get their hands on it.

Any good ideas how or where to put/hide a hd shotgun, where it's accessible, if needed? I'v thought of over the door in the walk-in closet, but figure that's one of the first places someone would look.

Thanks,

BCC

 

[wrs840]

Lag-Bolt a lockable steel electrical cabinet, 60" tall, 18" wide, 8" deep, to the studs of your walk-in closet wall. Put guns inside, and a "High Voltage" and a "230 Volts" sticker on the outside.

I unlock mine every night when I put my S&W 442 and speed-strips to bed in it, and leave it unlocked till I get them back out in the morning. There's also three shotguns, a 30-30 levergun, and a S&W 5904 9mm stored there.

Works for me as the bedroom HD lockup.

Les

 

[06]

One cannot hide guns from scumbag thieves. Locking them up into safes gets mighty old every day. There has to be a happy medium somewhere. One that yields instant access and theft prevention when not there.

 

[RedAlert]

I don't recall where I recently saw a rack for just that purpose. It slides between the mattress and boxsprings and has a cradle that holds the shotgun just against the side the bed. During the day, the bed cover would conceal the shotgun from sight. At night the shotgun would be uncovered and easily accessible.

Ralph

 

[Baneblade]

The electrical box idea is brilliant. Nothing is fool proof, but a burglar is going to be very hesitant to take a crow bar to an electrical box.

Of course, it doesn't solve the "readily available" problem. If you can get to it fast, so can someone else. I have never come up with a good way for the shotgun. I haven't done it yet, but have seriously considered hanging it over the closet door.

 

[ants]

Lock it in the safe when you leave. Pull it out when you arrive home.



Does that sound inconvenient?

Ha! Tell the 'inconvenience' story to anyone who lost a gun to home theft.

Protect your guns. Period.

 

[Tiomoid]

I don't recall where I recently saw a rack for just that purpose. It slides between the mattress and boxsprings and has a cradle that holds the shotgun just against the side the bed. During the day, the bed cover would conceal the shotgun from sight. At night the shotgun would be uncovered and easily accessible.

Try The Back Up out. Think it will fit the bill.
If you are going to use one, you might want to up the size of your bed spread by one size. Full to Queen, Queen to King etc.

 

[ReadyRob]

Recently took a class in defensive shotgun. Great class and about the only missing link to the class was storage and access. I guess it comes down to individual circumstances and how your home is set up, so it makes it difficult to generalize.

I've about decided that it is going to take a couple of guns because they way my house is set up. One near front door and one in bedroom. The one by front door needs to be concealed somewhat (well not somewhat - completely concealed and still have access) and something in a shorter, BUT LEGAL, barrel length. Does anyone make a 20" or so barrel length.

I have a side by side and think a pump will be my next choice.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I take mine out of the lock up and stand it beside my headboard on my bed.

 

[rondog]

There's a feller on another board that has one of those tool boxes for trucks mounted under his bed. It's one of those flat drawer-type boxes that you access from the tailgate, mounted on roller slides.

He says it makes a great mini-gun safe, right under the bed. Has it bolted to the floor.

 

[psyopspec]

If you can get to it fast, so can someone else.

Bottom line up front. I bring mine out when I go to bed, lock it up again in the morning. Even a safe is no guarantee, but it will buy [some] time against most thieves and keep out garden-variety riff-raff.

 

[einvasion]

I think that keeping your shotgun by your bed ready for action is a good idea. Under the bed mounting is good but I saw somewhere else on The Firing Line that the army roll is a bad idea fro home protection. Don't want to turn your back on intruders. There is a video on YouTube that shows the bedside rack in use here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3GXYAzh8EQ

I think that within a second or less I could pull out the gun and be prepared to protect my home or go hunting.

http://www.the-back-up.com is the place you can buy it online. 40 bones and it includes shipping.

 

[cleardiddion]

I just have one next to my bed resting on the frame.
Fairly incospicuous, readily in reach, and out of the way until I need it.

 

[JKimball]

I used to keep mine in an unzipped gun case between the mattress and the wall, resting on top of the box springs. Just offset the mattress from the box springs a couple inches. If your bed isn't against a wall it might work as well between the headboard and the mattress.

 

[GojuBrian]

Mine stays over the inside closet doorframe.

 

[snorky18]

There's a feller on another board that has one of those tool boxes for trucks mounted under his bed. It's one of those flat drawer-type boxes that you access from the tailgate, mounted on roller slides.

He says it makes a great mini-gun safe, right under the bed. Has it bolted to the floor.

I saw one of those tool boxes on craigslist locally and thought of using it for that. It looks pretty secure, but probably makes some noise if you open it. There's a lot of stuff like that on craigslist around here from construction guys who are out of work.

Another consideration would be behind a curtain. But as previously mentioned, if it's fast for you to access, it's probably fast and easy for a thief to find.

There's the Mossberg Loc-Box, pictured in post #6 of this thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=57112
That combined with putting it out of sight (behind curtain, in closet) would be a decent combination of accessibility and security. You could simply have the key hidden somewhere nearby.

 

[dogngun]

We have no kids, are both retired. My Mossberg 500 is right next to my bed. I keep it unloaded, with a butt cuff with 5-00 buck shells, and a bandoleer with 00 and a few rifled slugs hanging off it , but not attached. I want my shotgun to be lighe and easy to move around-adding a lot of "tactical" crap adds weight, and makes more stuff I have to think about. The gun is unloaded because I have had tube mag shotguns-of different brands- have the shells get stuck after being left loaded for long periods of time. I'd rather have to load a shell or so and cock the gun than try to clear a jam in the dark with a lot of adreneline running. Keep it as simple as possible.

FWIW, I used to carry a 12 ga. in the Army in the '70's and have picked the Mossberg 500 years ago for my defender. I am certain others have other opinions, this is just mine.

mark

 

[VingThorr]

the back-up looks like a good idea. or try this if you have kids, you could mount it on your wall or bedframe.

http://www.mossberg.com/cgi-bin/com...es\MossPdgNav\SearchResult.html&category=SECU

 

[Lou McGopher]

My bed is on a platform about 36" high. I can stow a lot of stuff under there. I could very easily hide multiple long guns up under it (on hooks or something), and they wouldn't be visible unless one got down under and looked up. I've thought about doing it. Right now though, the loaded mossy sits on a wall rack in the bedroom. My kid knows where all the guns are, but also knows better than to even think about touching them. If someone breaks in while I'm gone, they'll get whatever they can carry. An effective safe is simply out of the question due to the size and location of where I live, as well as my present budget.

 

[benEzra]

http://www.the-back-up.com is the place you can buy it online. 40 bones and it includes shipping.

That link didn't work for me. Is this the same unit?

http://www.home-backup-protection.com/

the back-up looks like a good idea. or try this if you have kids, you could mount it on your wall or bedframe.

http://www.mossberg.com/cgi-bin/com...es\MossPdgNav\SearchResult.html&category=SECU

That interests me. Do you know if they make a version suitable for long guns with bulkier receivers and protruding handgrips (e.g., civilian AK, AR-15, etc.)?

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

Could've sworn I've read this thread before...






http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=409991

 

[Darkninja]

HD Shotgun stays next to my bed at night or within arms reach when I'm home. Other than that it is locked up.

 

[Knockdownpower]

The home defence shotgun belongs close to the bed. It's useless when unloaded and locked away. If a family is preasent than a shotgun isn't the best choice anyway. A fullsize pistol with a good light would be the way to go. Lock up at night and leave a dim light on near the doors and the rest of the house dark. This will make it easier to locate and attack the threat.

 

[einvasion]

That link didn't work for me. Is this the same unit?

http://www.home-backup-protection.com/


That interests me. Do you know if they make a version suitable for long guns with bulkier receivers and protruding handgrips (e.g., civilian AK, AR-15, etc.)?

Yeah my bad. It should be http://www.the-backup.com
I put an extra dash in there and yes that other link is the same thing (why they need two sites I don't know).

The Backup is better than under the bed or in the corner because you don't need to turn your back on intruders. Since I live in Nashville that is important to me. Got to be able to protect your home in 1 second in my view.

 

[einvasion]

The home defence shotgun belongs close to the bed. It's useless when unloaded and locked away. If a family is preasent than a shotgun isn't the best choice anyway. A fullsize pistol with a good light would be the way to go. Lock up at night and leave a dim light on near the doors and the rest of the house dark. This will make it easier to locate and attack the threat.

With the pistol, I think that bullets will go through the walls and hit other family members.

Shotgun is the way to go. More likely to hit something and the energy of the shot is quickly dispersed in the wall -- won't go past the immediate wall struck like a single bullet.