Home Made Gun Safes???

Juice1050

Juice1050

New member
I have seen a few different stlyes around now. Such as an old water heater or propane tank turned on its end, a "JoeBox", Electrical Cabinet, and a bench type to put at the end of your bed with a lift top disguised.

Also, i have heard sheetrock will fire proof it, but then if you put a "goldenrod" or any other dehy device in it then that defeats the purpose.

I would love to hear ideas and pictures would help a ton!!

Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
drywall has to have a certain amount of moisture in it to stop fire.

http://www.gunsafeinfo.com/sheetrock.htm

Sheetrock for Fire Protection
That’s right. Most gunsafe manufacturers use sheetrock for fire protection. It’s cheap, and highly effective. A typical gunsafe may have over 100 lbs of sheetrock inside of it. Moisture, normally trapped in the gypsum mixture, when heated above 212 F, turns to steam and escapes. Turning all that moisture to steam requires the heat energy that the fire may be putting into the steel safe body, and will hold the internal temperature of the safe at approximately 220 F until the sheet rock has dried out completely.
 
It would have to be a big box to hold a long gun, those are expensive. So why would a fellow spend the money on a "JobBox", "Knaack" box or other, then screw around trying to line it with drywall, then finish it over with carpet or something so drywall doesnt get all over your firearms. Then you would have to paint the outside of it so it looks nice and convince the ol lady it belongs in your bedroom.

She's going to see you working on this Rube Goldberg thing, and when your all finished and proud of your tireless accomplishment, she's going to look you right in the eye and say "why didnt you just buy a real safe"

Then its going to hit ya......she's right! we hate it when that happens dont we.

Seems to me it would'nt cost a bunch more to get a small safe of quality construction and put in the garage, a closet or other place and be done with it.

Have you got Murdocks stores down there in texas? they seem to run pretty good sales on gun safes every couple months. Nothing beats the real McCoy.
 
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Ok, let’s say that I’m not too concerned with fire protection but mainly theft protection. Anyone got a better idea than using an old propane tank I have? Was thinking about cutting a door in the side, welding some good heavy duty hinges on the INSIDE and rigging up a good lock system. Put a decent paint job on it, set it in the corner of a closet (don’t have a garage), and put some old tractor weights in the bottom of it. The only thing I will have to buy are the hinges, lock, and paint. ~$80
 
I'm with Furhunter, just buy a safe, save the headach and have a better finished product. I know that if I built one all I would end up with is a poor gunsafe that looked pretty ranchy and weighed about 5 ton.
 
How big of one do your need?

How big is this tank?

There are several lower cost options when talking safes. However some of them offer no more protection than sliding the guns under the bed.
 
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How big of one do your need?

How big is this tank?

There are several lower cost options when talking safes. However some of them offer no more protection than sliding the guns under the bed.



The tank i have in mind should hold about 20 rifles with room to put a shelf on the top or bottom for hand guns and other valubles.

Also, would you recomend storing ammo in the safe with my guns if it is not fire rated?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I just read a thread that talked about using an old upright Freezer for a safe but i think they would be safer under my bed like you said.
 
I rencetly went through this myself and ended up buying a safe. I was faced with much the same thing as you were and looking for protection mostly from theft rather than fire. But if you look at you insurance you will probably find that the contents of your home is only covered for a small amount unless you purchase an additional rider. When I called about insuring the value of my guns, they told me the cost was an average of $10 per thousand per year. At that rate I woould pay for my safe in less than 3 years.

I am not sure about storing ammo in the safe with the guns but I do it, along with my gunpowder and primers. The local volunteer fire deparment knows if my house catchs fire and into the basement to back up and watch the fireworks.
 
I made a gun safe out of 3/4 plywood. I put 2 different keyed locks on the front door. It's not fireproof, and someone could break or cut into it in time, but it keeps the kids from getting to the guns, and it will stop any opportunity thief who won't take/have time to break into it. I still plan to buy a real safe someday, but this was a fraction of the cost. Had to do something in the meantime.
 
I helped my Dad cut a door on a really old propane tank when I was still a teenager. Even though it was really old and probably hadn't had any propane in it for 20 years, I still wasn't really keen on the idea of cutting it open. I think I waited outside of his shed till he made that first cut.

Your pucker factor may vary.
 
Frontiersman, good job you did the right thing by building that plywood safe to keep the guns out of the kids reach.That will work until you can get a good safe. I wish more gun owners would have the responsibility you've shown.
 
i am going to play the devils advocate for a bit.
i have never locked up my guns out of the fear that my kida will "get" them. i normally have at least 1 in the corner leaning against the wall, and it is loaded. my kids learned when they were very small never to touch a gun unless i was there with them. the only time i lock up a gun is when youngsters other than my own are going to be in my house.
before you all rip into me, how many of you lock all of your kitchen knives into a safe when you are not using them? what about scizzors?
 
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i am going to play the devils advocate for a bit.
i have never locked up my guns out of the fear that my kida will "get" them. i normally have at least 1 in the corner leaning against the wall, and it is loaded. my kids learned when they were very small never to touch a gun unless i was there with them. the only time i lock up a gun is when youngsters other than my own are going to be in my house.
before you all rip into me, how many of you lock all of your kitchen knives into a safe when you are not using them? what about scizzors?



I dont have enough corners in my house. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Not to mention the fact that I have some major coin wrapped up in some of my firearms. They dont just sit around unsecured.
My 7 year old wont touch one either, he always asks first.

And......
Yes any self respecting, self preserving person keeps a hot one around!!!
 
Drink vending machines work good, and who would think guns would be stored in a vending machine. Father inlaw has a vending business, had a machine go bad. (compressor went out, was an older machine, not worth fixing) Took all the guts out, reinforced inner door, left front skin on with working lights behind it and bolted it to the floor in his garage. Looks like a regular vending machine and would be hard to break into. Not sure how fireproof it would be, but it is insulated very well. Myself, I went with a true gun safe.
 
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Drink vending machines work good, and who would think guns would be stored in a vending machine. Father inlaw has a vending business, had a machine go bad. (compressor went out, was an older machine, not worth fixing) Took all the guts out, reinforced inner door, left front skin on with working lights behind it and bolted it to the floor in his garage. Looks like a regular vending machine and would be hard to break into. Not sure how fireproof it would be, but it is insulated very well. Myself, I went with a true gun safe.



that would be really cool if it actually worked. drop in your chuck-e-cheeze token, punch a button and out pops a glock /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
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I am headed to my folks house this weekend to pick up the propane tank and begin my new project. I will try to take pictures, i found a GREAT lock idea at lowes yesterday. Still thinking about the hinges.

jsoukup, your dad should have filled it up with water first before he cut into it. It is VERY dangerous to cut into one if you dont!!! Even if it hasn't been filled in 20 years.

I do love the vending machine idea though! "DANGIT! I ment to hit C7 and get the 9mm clip, not the .357 one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif."

Also, YES i do always have a loaded pistol in the night stand, but i DO put it up when i have company.

Thanks everyone!
 
Sweatybetey,

I would never tell another person what to do. Part of the reason I lock my guns up is what if a person broke into your house snd found your gun just as you were walking in the front door? I trust my kids with guns and they know how to use them, it is their frinds i dont trust.When they are out of the house I will again carry.
 
There are commercial tool boxes that contractors use in the backs of their trucks that will make great gun safes. They will not be fire proof, but very affordable and the only way for someone to get in them would be to cut them open with a torch. Pad locks used on these Commercial Tool boxes are Impossible to get to with a set of bolt cutters.

What ever you do, get something.
 
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