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Places to hide your weapons around the house

BJA

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
503
Location
SOuth Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Okay, turned 21 two months ago, and I am moving out on my own to an apartment. I wanna keep my WASR-10 (AKM) and Glock with me at my apartment and the rest of my guns back at my parents house in the safe. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to discreetly store guns around the house? I want my AKM to be "stashed" and my glock readily available in a spot where it is also safe when I leave my apartment for class or work or whatever. Couch modifications, desk modifications, clock modifications etc.... any advice is appreciated, and I am pretty handy.

Thanks!
 

Tawnos

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,542
Location
Washington
Okay, turned 21 two months ago, and I am moving out on my own to an apartment. I wanna keep my WASR-10 (AKM) and Glock with me at my apartment and the rest of my guns back at my parents house in the safe. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to discreetly store guns around the house? I want my AKM to be "stashed" and my glock readily available in a spot where it is also safe when I leave my apartment for class or work or whatever. Couch modifications, desk modifications, clock modifications etc.... any advice is appreciated, and I am pretty handy.

Thanks!

Find a big heavy desk. Buy a $100 gunvault mini. Bolt said gunvault to desk.
 

NRAMARINE

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
523
Location
Anywhere but here.
I use a between the studs wall safe for things I don't keep in the gun safe. It's cliche, but it works. The flush mount models can also be mounted to the floor and covered with an area rug.
 

Kirbinator

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
903
Location
Middle of the map, Alabama
If you think you'll need your gun in your apartment, you need it on your side. Doubtful you'll need the rifle, but consider your geography... where can I place a rifle where I can take cover while arming myself?

I believe it's best to arm yourself at the nearest sign of trouble... if someone knocks on the door after dark, without calling first... check the peephole FIRST but have your (fire)arm at the ready FIRST.
That means handgun.
 
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markand

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
512
Location
VA
You say you're moving into an apartment, so I suspect the landlord will take a dim view of your cutting a big chuck of drywall from between studs or cutting out part of the floor to install a flush safe, but those are good ideas.

I second the GunVault idea. I have one bolted to the bed frame. That would be great for the handgun.

Yet another idea can be seen on truckvault.com's web site. They make secure, locking drawers that were designed to be bolted into pick up truck or SUV beds. They also make one that can be bolted to your bed frame: http://truckvault.com/OtherProducts_BedVault.aspx This would provide a reasonably secure place for your rifle while still maintaining reasonably rapid access.

Not sure about the exact dimensions of your WASR-10, but I've seen some clever ideas for somebody who's handy with tools. One interesting DIY idea is to put a false bottom in a large dresser drawer. Cut a piece of plywood to fit closely, but not too snugly and you can have a space a couple of inches high and the entire width and length of the drawer. Add hinges or doors, etc. depending upon your wishes and woodworking skills, or just have a single slab hiding everything in the space below. Put light clothing on top that can be moved easily and quickly and you're good to go. Now somebody tossing your place may find your hidden rifle fairly quickly. Dumping drawers onto the floor is pretty much standard procedure in a burglary (or police search for that matter). If you're *really* handy and have the time and patience, you could design such a drawer that will keep everything in it from rattling and a lid that is locked in place until you insert a small pin in a tiny hole, or position a strong magnet in a particular spot to release the latch. That way they'd have to smash the drawer to get into it.

Another similar idea is a false bottom or false rear in a lateral file cabinet drawer. If you're handy with wood working and tools, you may already have furniture in your possession that you could modify to create a hiding place. For example, my kitchen table has the flat table surface mounted on a box like frame about 4 inches thick. The table legs bolt to the box frame. It wouldn't take too much to make a bottom for the box and create a place to store the rifle. Same could be done with a coffee table, entertainment center or the underside or rear of a dresser.

There are a number of firms that manufacture furniture with hiding places. You can probably get some additional great ideas from perusing their web sites.

http://www.greatstuff.com/furniture.html
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/5445
http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-secret-compartment!/
http://stealth-vault.net/products/
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/finding-secret-drawers-and-hidden-compartments/
 

Mas49.56

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
308
Location
Florida, USA
If you want the AK ready to go and to be most likely overlooked in a smash and grab apartment burglary, you can do what I do with one of my AR's. Get a good strong wooden coat hanger and a old zippered suit bag. Put your AK in with a loaded mag locked, zip up and hang it to the far left or right of you bedroom closet. A thief will part you clothes toward the center looking for stuff. If someone breaks in while your there, you can unzip, rack in seconds and apply lead as needed.
 

t33j

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,384
Location
King George, VA
Hmmm

I'm 21 living in an apartment.

There is a safe bolted to the floor with 4 lag bolts in my closet. It's not necessarily concealed by anything if the closet door is open, but it is strategically placed to make prying the door open difficult.

There's also a 12ga under my mattress ready to go.

I'm not too concerned about being discrete though. I regularly leave guns on my desk while I'm in my apartment.


There is a trade off between usability and security which you can't avoid.
 
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MK

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
396
Location
USA
You can attach a velcro strap or two underneath the coffee table or your kitchen table and stash the glock there.
 

MedicineMan

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
117
Location
Marion, Mississippi, USA
Okay, turned 21 two months ago, and I am moving out on my own to an apartment. I wanna keep my WASR-10 (AKM) and Glock with me at my apartment and the rest of my guns back at my parents house in the safe. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to discreetly store guns around the house? I want my AKM to be "stashed" and my glock readily available in a spot where it is also safe when I leave my apartment for class or work or whatever. Couch modifications, desk modifications, clock modifications etc.... any advice is appreciated, and I am pretty handy.

Thanks!

Gun hooks inside closet over door for the longarm.
(you reach IN and UP into the closet to get it)

Pistol ON YOU, or WITH YOU at all times.

Problem solved.
 

GlockMeisterG21

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
637
Location
Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Well there are any number of places for your pistol so I won't speculate on that. I had a 12 ga. on top of the cabinets above the sink in my kitchen. It seems like a good place for a long gun.
 
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BJA

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
503
Location
SOuth Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Thanks for all of the advice guys! Seems like I have alott of options to choose from when I move in on wednesday. Couldn't imagine one of my guns being stolen and used in a crime. The $5,000 firearm coverage on my renters insurance is only for the worst case scenario.
 
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since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
I'm not too worried about a criminal using my firearm to commit a crime, as it's either on me or with me at all times.

If you have multiple firearms, just check them daily, and if one comes up missing, report it as stolen. If you have a secure safe, that's easily done by looking at the safe. Still, check the inside periodically to make sure a professional burgler didn't crack it (unlikely these days, unless you're known to keep tens of thousands of dollars of jewels in there). Safety deposit boxes are much better for that sort of thing.
 
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