Firearm Moving and Storage

[dmar]

So, I’m appealing to the collective wisdom and experience of the S&W brotherhood on a problem I’m trying to solve. I’m considering moving out of state due to a job opportunity and have a large number of guns (and ammo). Move would be to a gun friendly state (Central OH), but unsure of how best to handle moving the gun collection and where best to store them until we’re into a new home. I’m thinking about renting a home for a while and having a new home built, so thinking that I need storage options.

I’ve used my Google Fu, but have not seen any firearms-specific storage options (high security/vault storage). I’m leery of a traditional, climate controlled storage facility due to theft issues, or even rules against storing firearms and/or ammunition, reloading components, etc...

As for the move, I’m pretty sure that there’s moving companies that specialize in firearm moves, but I don’t have any experience with them... I’ve thought about just doing it myself, only about a 7 hour car ride, but would rather not. Visions of Clint Eastwood’s latest movie come to mind... . Seriously though, it’s a large collection and I’d rather just have it done professionally.

Do any of you guys have any experience with this type of thing? Best I’ve come up with after poking around on the Internet is to get a safe and put it in a trusted friend’s house until I’m ready. I have a couple of friends up there that might be open to this, but I don’t love the idea of asking, and the thought of possible complications make me prefer the commercial storage option.

Thoughts on options? Thank you!

 

[Muss Muggins]

How many guns are we talking about?

 

[paplinker]

This will be an interesting thread to watch unfold.

Personally I would say that there is maybe four strangers in the whole world I would consider letting them move my collection.

I would make the drive myself and bring a friend with me.

So many ways things could go awry with a stranger.

 

[URIT]

A couple of questions come to mind. First, is your current collection stored in safe(s) or a built-in vault? Second, do you plan to build a vault into your new home to safeguard your extensive collection or will you be using safes?

If you're using safes, do you plan to ship them to your new rental and eventually your new place?

I'd crate the safes to minimize damage and disguise them. Then I would have the crates stored in a rented storage facility along with the other household stuff I didn't need at the rental or have the crates unloaded into the rental's garage.

When we moved from AZ to NC we lived in a rental for 4 months before the renovations were completed on the house we purchased. We had the movers unload most of the heavy stuff into the tuck under garage. We had no problem and had a cheap DIY alarm system installed. It was the cheapest, easiest solution for us.

 

[rawlmark]

Lots of ways things could go wrong here. For example, don't put them in a trailer and use a cheap (or none) lock on the tongue and stay overnight somewhere. I know 2 people, and have heard of a number of others, in the last 6 months who have had trailers stolen from a parking lot because they used cheap locks and/or didn't park in a way the trailer couldn't be swung to another hitch. Seemed like common sense to me but figured it'd mention it here.

I wonder if someone at a gun store near where you're moving would be able to store them, or maybe point you in the right direction?

Looking forward to hearing how this works out as I'm sure others will benefit from the information.

MW

 

[johngalt]

A lot depends on whether it is a 1 day or multi-day drive. When I moved from Ohio to Indiana, it was only a 3 hour drive, although I did have to stay overnight 1 night in a hotel before I could take possession of my home. I just packed my stuff in my Tahoe and drove there. The back seat can fold down - I put the cased rifles on the floor behind the drivers seat and folded the back bench seat down over them to cover them up. I locked my pistols in a footlocker in the cargo area. Ammo was packed in boxes. I locked the car and left it over night, everything was fine.

The moving company would NOT take ammo, primers, or powder, so I carried all that. They would take my guns, but I decided I would rather take them myself. They did take all the lead.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

A lot depends on the answer to the question Muss asked - how many guns are we talking about?

A long, long time ago I didn't live in Texas and I had acquired, as I recollect, just three rifles and two handguns. Sticking to the rifles, which were stored loose in a closet, I had someone with some skills build a wooden box for them, with a padlock, like a steamer trunk. Three rifles, a sword cane, and some miscellaneous items were picked up by North American Van Lines and that box was the VERY FIRST ITEM off the truck and brought into the new house. It didn't look like anything special, I didn't mark it in any way, and they didn't mess with it. So there is that method.....but if I had had a safe to move that would have been different because that would have been a giveaway that firearms were involved.

I cannot recall if I moved any ammunition but it is possible the little that I had at the time was in that box, too.

Years later, I did store the bulk of my guns and ammunition several times in mini-storage facilities when I was either moving from house to apartment to house or re-constructing/updating my house. I didn't worry about it. First, I had insurance. Second, what had to be done had to be done; I wasn't going to fret over a problem that was unavoidable. I would do it again unquestionably and I'd always use indoor storage.

Here's a tip - you move the guns into the storage building when the office is closed and there is virtually nobody around to see you do it. I have never seen a "no guns" sign on a mini-storage but I guess it is possible, in which case I'd find one without that restriction just because.....and then nobody knows and you're good to go.

Sure, theft is possible. I had two guns stolen during one of those events I mentioned. Life goes on. And, again, how many guns are we talking about?

Presently, I would think that I have far too many guns to be able to move them all by myself but, still, as I picture it, I could get them all into the trunk of my car. The tires would need extra air and my shock absorbers would hate me but it is possible, handguns are small, long guns line up easily - if they fit into my safe they'd fit into my trunk. Any guns left over would go under a blanket in the back, on the floor o on the seat - - there's your one big issue - you don't really want to drive alone and have to make pit stops with the car like that. But two folks? Easily done.

That's my two cents...........FWIW.............

 

[dmar]

A couple of questions come to mind. First, is your current collection stored in safe(s) or a built-in vault? Second, do you plan to build a vault into your new home to safeguard your extensive collection or will you be using safes?

If you're using safes, do you plan to ship them to your new rental and eventually your new place?

I'd crate the safes to minimize damage and disguise them. Then I would have the crates stored in a rented storage facility along with the other household stuff I didn't need at the rental or have the crates unloaded into the rental's garage.

When we moved from AZ to NC we lived in a rental for 4 months before the renovations were completed on the house we purchased. We had the movers unload most of the heavy stuff into the tuck under garage. We had no problem and had a cheap DIY alarm system installed. It was the cheapest, easiest solution for us.

Good ideas, thanks. I’ve got them in safes, in a secure room currently. I’ve considered a vault room in the next house, but not sure if that would work out, or not, at this point...

I don’t think I’d want to have them in the rental, I just don’t feel comfortable security wise in a rental. Might feel differently when I see the set up of the rental. Also, I’m not even sure how much sense it makes to move the safes, or just sell them locally and buy new ones when I get in my new home...? I like the idea of crating the safes if I do move them, smart.

 

[dmar]

How many guns are we talking about?

I’m reluctant to go into detail, but there’s a lot, more than a trunk full... I’ve got a full size pickup and could make more than one trip. I could also rent a box truck, but again, prefer the idea of subbing it out.

 

[H Richard]

I had a similar situation a few years ago when we built a new home and had a 45 day period where we were technically homeless. A friend that had two homes let us live in one but didn't have space for the storage, so I did have a friend that had a walk in steel door storage room (safe room) and he stored them for me. (Except for the few I "had" to have with me). A trusted friend lets you sleep a lot better.

 

[Steve912]

Rent one of the "pods" type storage containers.

Load firearms in first, back fill the rest of
container with normal household goods.

 

[oneounceload]

I had the movers move mine when I moved cross country; they were all in one big wardrobe box, labeled and listed on the manifest with extra full replacement insurance - not the 60 cents per pound stuff; all came through just fine. That was $25K worth of guns at the time.
I had to move all the ammo, primers, powder, gasoline, etc. in my truck

 

[Onomea]

I think hire professionals and insure the heck out of the collection. I also think commercial storage, climate controlled and a secure facility, again insured, would work out fine.

I stored my collection in commercial storage in Hawaii for several years at one point. About ~$25K value. The facility had cipher locks, cameras, unique codes for renters, so it was quite secure. You might check with the facility also about their theft and fire coverage, as well as ask an insurance broker about buying your own.

You would want a technologically up-to-date, well run, very secure storage facility. I think the place I used was $160/month with a miniumum contract of a year...

 

[Sevens]

I think a solid idea if you don't know anyone that is geographically close... is to look up a known gun dealer in the locality.

I live in Central Ohio, been here 28 years. I have a dealer that is my go-to, but I have no idea what my dealer would have to say about this idea. Even so, if you like my idea and are interested in my dealer, shoot me a PM and I will give you contact info and I'll send him a txt as well.

 

[italiansport]

I am a strong believer in keeping my firearms collection my own business. When we relocated to Arizona several years ago all firearms,ammo etc. were pack into the trailer we towed out. When we stayed overnite( 2 nights) I backed the trailer up to a wall or something that would not allow the door to be opened in addition to having it locked with a quality lock. I also got up several times during the night to make sure everything was OK. They went into a storage locker until we got a permanent place to live. I checked the locker facility multiple times each week and never had a problem!
There is NO WAY I'd trust a moving company with my firearms. As an aside: When one of the auction companies picks up a firearms consignment the use their own staff and trucks to do so. That right there ought to tell you something.
Jim

 

[oneounceload]

I think a solid idea if you don't know anyone that is geographically close... is to look up a known gun dealer in the locality.

I live in Central Ohio, been here 28 years. I have a dealer that is my go-to, but I have no idea what my dealer would have to say about this idea. Even so, if you like my idea and are interested in my dealer, shoot me a PM and I will give you contact info and I'll send him a txt as well.

Getting a dealer involved means going through a background check on every gun

There is NO WAY I'd trust a moving company with my firearms. As an aside: When one of the auction companies picks up a firearms consignment the use their own staff and trucks to do so. That right there ought to tell you something.

And yet those folks are just trying to get this move done and move on to the next one, because that is how they get paid.
As I said above over $25K, 2500 miles, no issues. Bought the full insurance, was less than $100

 

[federali]

I moved about 16 long guns and a dozen registered handguns from NYS to NC in accordance with the Firearms Owners Protection Act. My son was already living in Apex NC so when it came time to relocate our automobiles, I loaded the long guns in the car and we made the drive, non-stop, to my son's house where both the automobile and the long guns went into storage. My wife and I flew back to NY to pick up the second car and the handguns. As we elected to spend an overnight in the northern Virginia area, I carried these unloaded guns in a locked, wheeled travel suitcase to our hotel room. The handguns never left my side, even during breakfast. These guns also went into storage until we closed on our own house and moved in.

I'm not sure if it was legal to spend an overnight with the handguns but the initial 500 mile drive proved too much for us and we decided to break up the subsequent drive in the interest of safety. We avoided refueling or stopping in NJ, MD and Washington DC due to their draconian gun laws.

 

[oneounceload]

While legal, a tad overkill, especially about the guns never leaving your side even during breakfast

 

[Abbynormal]

I have a friend who does "expedited freight from coast to coast." He's been known to handle "special packages" from place to place.

He's a dedicated 2nd Amendment guy who drives a "Plain brown wrapper" truck which doesn't draw undue attention. "Special Packages" are his specialty!

PM or email me for his info.

Hope that helps

 

[TTSH]

I'm going to have an interesting enough move on my hands if our retirement place ever gets built... and the land we bought is just a little over an hour away. I can't even imagine a cross-country move with a moderate to large size gun collection plus ammo. Some of my family heirloom guns I consider irreplaceable, so insurance for any move would solve nothing.

In our case, the bulk of the collection is probably going to have to go into some sort of commercial storage situation for a time. But for the most valuable (and irreplaceable) ones, I will leave them in safe deposit boxes until the new house and move are 100.00 percent complete... same as I do when the good wife and I take a vacation.