The Essential Guide To Moving A Gun Safe
Gun safes are invaluable residential and business items designed to store and protect firearms and ammo, as well as preventing accidental injury or even death. Many gun owners have made a gun safe a priority in their homes, having a wide variety of sizes to choose from to suit their own firearm needs.
Moving a gun safe to a new location can be a challenging task requiring a clear plan of action and attention to detail. Doing this the right way will help ensure the safety and security of you and your family. These are the best practices for gun safe transport.
Do Not Go It Alone
While it may be feasible to move a gun safe by yourself, it is not recommended. Gun safes are often heavy and quite cumbersome, weighing up to and beyond a thousand pounds, and moving such a heavy object can be dangerous if you are not experienced and properly equipped. Unless you have done this before and are in good physical condition, you should recruit some friends to assist or hire a professional moving company well versed in the handing of such items.
Do Gun Safes Move Easily?
This depends of course upon the size and weight of the gun safe being moved, not to mention the logistics of navigating hallways, steps, garages, fencing, etc. In addition, the weight distribution for the safe may be a problem, rendering it awkward to maneuver, maintain balance, and keeping control during the process. You need to be realistic about the size and weight of the gun safe as well as your own physical ability and experience.
Equipment Checklist
As with any move, it is necessary to assemble all of your materials beforehand. You do not want to get into the middle of a demanding situation only to discover you need something that you forgot. The tools required for proper care and feeding of a gun safe during a move are:
- Dolly or hand truck. Again, depending on the size of the safe. These provide much needed maneuverability and stability.
- Furniture sliders. These are places under the base or the individual feet of any safe or furniture item and allow them to be slid across the floor without undue stress or damage to the floor or unit.
- Ratchet straps. Thes straps provide a secure connection to the dolly, providing additional security during transport.
- Moving blankets/padding. Designed to protect furniture from scuffs, dents, or scratches during the move.
- Wooden planking. Often used to craft ramps or bridges across uneven surfaces or up stairsteps.
Once you have assembled the tools needed to transport your gun safe, it is time to begin the process.
Yes, It Is Heavy
Gun safes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the capacity. Some of them are:
- Small To Medium: 200-600 pounds, designed for moderate security and protection.
- Large: 600-2000 pounds and are more heavy duty in design, offering enhanced security features.
- High Capacity: These are designed for commercial use or gun collectors, may weigh several thousand pounds, with maximum storage capability and advanced security.
Knowing the weight ahead of time will help you to plan a proper and safe move.
Lifting The Safe.
Lifting any heavy item of furniture requires proper technique in order to prevent injury, and gun safes are no different. Bend at the knees, not your back, and lift with your legs, maintaining a firm grip on the gun safe. If this is more than one person can manage, do not push it. Hire a few friends to step in and help you. This minimizes and distributes the weight and lessens the risk of injury. Be sure to lift incrementally, a little at a time, so that everyone maintains control of the gun safe at all times during the move. If you or anyone in your moving party complains of pain or discomfort, gently put the gun safe down and move to plan B (discussed shortly).
Up or Down?
It may seem a bit easier to lay a gun safe on its back during a move, but this is generally not suggested, as gun safes are meant to stand upright. Placing them on their sides or back can pose a few risks.
- Structural Integrity: Gun safes have reinforced walls and doors, as these provide a level of security for your firearms. When placed on their back or sides, the integrity of those walls is compromised.
- Locking Mechanism. Gun safes have complex moving parts in their locking mechanisms, and positioning the unit on its back could damage those parts, resulting in difficulty opening or closing the safe door, and as such making the safe less secure against break ins.
- Shifting. As with any container, contents may shift when that container is placed in a new position or orientation. You do not want to risk damage to your vital firearms.
No, keep the gun safe in an upright position at all points during your move to ensure proper integrity and the safety of the contents.
Moving The Gun Safe
Ideally you will need at least two people to move your gun safe (although you really can’t go wrong with three). It distributes the weight of the safe evenly, you have effective communication as the safe is being moved, and most of all, it is a much safer process, reducing risk of injury, and makes for a safer relocation project.
Moving It In
Once you have arrived at your new location, you should already have determined exactly where the gun safe is going to go. Choose a room that provides easy access, which allows you to reach your firearms rapidly if required, and try to pick a room that has an extra layer of security, such as a bedroom, a home office, or even a dedicated gun room. You do not want guns stored in any area where unauthorized individuals might gain access to them.
Summing It Up
The key to a successful gun safe move is caution and safety. By prioritizing those two things, you have a good chance of successfully moving your gun safe across town or even across the country free of incident. Take breaks when you need to, make sure you are using proper lifting posture, and communicate openly with your moving partner.
And always remember, the safety of your firearm collection and that of everyone involved in the move should be your top concern. Doing so can make for a solid, efficient, and rewarding move.
