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I have a family member who is moving back to Oregon to be near her son, who is a young boy. She will be having joint or possible full time custody (long story that makes my head hurt and requires a lot of self control where her ex is concerned) of her son. She has a Sig P365 carry piece and also has an AR Pistol. Obviously she needs secure storage for both of them that will also satisfy the court and associated agencies. Trigger locks may be acceptable to .gov, but realistically are useless to anyone with a screwdriver and a minute or two.

I'm looking over cost effective solutions that are also effective for secure storage that her ex can't make a legal fuss over.

For the carry pistol I'm thinking along the lines of a Liberty HD-90 key vault she can keep by her bedside. no need for batteries and no reader malfunctions just when you don't need them. Also inexpensive at $65 or less.

Stack-On cabinets come to mind, but I've also thought about a FAA approved lockable hard gun case along with trigger locks to satisfy DHS/.gov. This would be a $50 ish solution that would have extra utility, but would not allow for ammo storage. Was thinking a locking ammo can for that along with a set of locks keyed the same to cut doen on the number of keys she has to carry and to make things easier in an emergency ( anticipating possible issues with the ex or his family)

She is probably moving at the end of the month.

Any other thoughts?

Summary:
  • SIG P365 storage bedside
  • AR pistol storage under the bed or in closet
  • Ammo/spare magazine storage
  • Actually secure
  • legally secure
  • Inexpensive
 
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How old the kid? Is the kid ever going to be home alone? If he is old enough to be left alone he is old enough to get into any of the gun box type things. If she is worried about this only a safe will really work. If she is not worried about kid breaking into the guns and it's just a matter of the courts? Then sure, lots of secure ways to go without spending much. If the kid can't be trusted with trigger locks though he can't be trusted with anything short of a safe of some kind. If he is old enough to use simple tools even a safe is not "safe" if the kid will be alone in the home for any amount of time.
 
How old the kid? Is the kid ever going to be home alone? If he is old enough to be left alone he is old enough to get into any of the gun box type things. If she is worried about this only a safe will really work. If she is not worried about kid breaking into the guns and it's just a matter of the courts? Then sure, lots of secure ways to go without spending much. If the kid can't be trusted with trigger locks though he can't be trusted with anything short of a safe of some kind. If he is old enough to use simple tools even a safe is not "safe" if the kid will be alone in the home for any amount of time.

Child is 8 years old and a good kid. He will follow rules as much as any 8 year old kid will and will be curious about guns like any other. Mom currently gets regular training and range time. She takes this very seriously. Dad is not exactly a great role model and has never held a steady job. He comes from money and has exploited that. His only interest in the child is his own vanity and the ability to use him to hurt my relative.

I don't think a full on safe is needed, though it is desirable. My relative will initially be living in an apartment. The goals are safety for the child, placating state agencies, and preventing the ex from using firearm ownership as leverage.
 
A long gun case with a couple padlocks and cable locked to something heavy/immovable could suffice. Remember that you don't want to store weapons long term in/on most types of foam as they can hold moisture and lead to rust. If you go with this type of setup, you could remove the foam for storage and pickup a couple Bore Stores and you would probably be fine. You could also throw in a can/pack of refreshable desiccant if needed/wanted.

Other cheap options include things like an old footlocker or trunk that you could retrofit with a couple of locks. Or a 2/4 drawer metal filing cabinet that locks. I see those all the time on Craigslist and such for $20 or even free. An AR pistol should fit in there with plenty of room for ammo and such. You could also probably retrofit it with a second hasp/lock pretty easily if you wanted and you could probably figure out a way to bolt it down to either the floor or the wall without too much trouble.
 
A stack on non fire resistant 12 gun safe will run about the same price as a decent pelican case (I wouldn't go with anything less secure then the pelican type) if you look around on CL or for a sale.

Mine has rifle storage (where you could stack Ammo cans, and a top carpeted shelf the I have used for handguns with mags before.

I do not like digital locks but that would be just as fast to access as any fast access safe.

Mine is 20" from my side of the bed.

A stack on 2 lock cabinet would be even better then a plastic case cuz it looks like a secure locker even if an adult with a crowbar would get in fairly fast.

There is cheap or there is good. If she is dealing with DHS then a safe will make a better impression then ANY McGyvered (but obviously effective to those of us in the know) appearing solution to a social worker.


Just my 2¢ - with a wife that works in the Juvenal court system
 
Not saying your wrong anywhere.. I like where you are going.

I had a former dumpster report my wife and I for abuse and DHS came to do their investigation. I have a rifle on the wall and not a peep was said. They sat opposite of me in the living room and I was directly below the rifle.

Now safety is a good thing, I do agree with that 100%.
Vaultek? For a pistol case.

I like the possibility of a hard case with locks. Cabela's hard cases are $170ish and they could be secured with master or combo locks. While no lock is immune to an attack, the hard case with the multiple lock points and an anchor to tie it down would be good.

Stack-On security cabinets are good if you secure them to the wall and secure the item inside of them for long term storage such as long guns or the AR pistol.

YouTube "The Lock Picking Lawyer Gun Locks"
Or click the link ^^^
 
Not saying your wrong anywhere.. I like where you are going.

I had a former dumpster report my wife and I for abuse and DHS came to do their investigation. I have a rifle on the wall and not a peep was said. They sat opposite of me in the living room and I was directly below the rifle.

Now safety is a good thing, I do agree with that 100%.
Vaultek? For a pistol case.

I like the possibility of a hard case with locks. Cabela's hard cases are $170ish and they could be secured with master or combo locks. While no lock is immune to an attack, the hard case with the multiple lock points and an anchor to tie it down would be good.

Stack-On security cabinets are good if you secure them to the wall and secure the item inside of them for long term storage such as long guns or the AR pistol.

YouTube "The Lock Picking Lawyer Gun Locks"
Or click the link ^^^

there are a lot of pro gun social workers but there are also a lot of anti gun social workers.

I wouldn't roll the dice.

But yea that lock pick channel has taught a lot of criminals how to defeat ones security measures unfortunately.

A skill saw and $10 metal blade will get you into most safes in under 5 min.
 
Child is 8 years old and a good kid. He will follow rules as much as any 8 year old kid will and will be curious about guns like any other. Mom currently gets regular training and range time. She takes this very seriously. Dad is not exactly a great role model and has never held a steady job. He comes from money and has exploited that. His only interest in the child is his own vanity and the ability to use him to hurt my relative.

I don't think a full on safe is needed, though it is desirable. My relative will initially be living in an apartment. The goals are safety for the child, placating state agencies, and preventing the ex from using firearm ownership as leverage.
In that case simple gun boxes like the ones made to keep a pistol by the bed with easy access when needed would work. For anything that will not fit in one of those anything that you can slap a padlock on would work fine.
 
Seems if this is purely for legal hoopla, the most basic stack on offering that suffices legal requirements would do. How mom actually stores them is her business, but she would have the showpiece of storage for legal purposes. Regarding stopping 8 year old from accessing guns in a dangerous manner, training would work better than any gun safe, there are far more guns outside the safe he might encounter throughout his adolescence than inside the safe.

(Previous child who had access to lever action .308 his entire growing up, handled it many times unsupervised, including loading and unloading ammunition, but because had a thorough knowledge of how it worked, never had a problem)
 
Thanks all, some very good information.

The father is going to do whatever he can to be disruptive. She is hoping the issue of firearms doesn't come up, but eventually he will know through interrogation. At that point it will be an issue where he will report it as a danger to the child. She is putting in time at a local indoor range where she is now living, but I'm going to suggest formal training where you get a certificate for documentation purposes. Hopefully something she can accomplish before she moves here.

I also grew up where rifles were stored on a wall mounted rack and a pistol and ammunition were stored in the lower part of that rack. We never had any problems and Dad would always show them to us if we asked. I don't think any of us ever touched them without permission. We also had to treat toy guns as though they were real. But then both my parents were in lock step with each other and taught us respect and responsibility through both their own actions and how they raised us.

In this case the father is not a good influence in those ways, so it will be entirely up to my relative to instill this. It's unfortunately been a few years while my relative worked through her issues and effectively grew up. That's part of why I'm looking for an inexpensive solution since she will have to decide and make the purchase.

If I just bought her a safe it could easily undermine her gains. She has to make the decision on how to budget her money and make responsible choices. Making it too easy could enable her to slip back into older bad habits. She knows this and is at the point where she would refuse help beyond a certain small amount.

I would, for example, buy her something I found as a great deal, but then she would have to buy it from me when she gets to town. It goes against my nature to not just give it to her, but it's not about me - it's about her and her son. So, yes, I have been looking on CL and in the classifieds here as well.
 
Thanks all, some very good information.

The father is going to do whatever he can to be disruptive. She is hoping the issue of firearms doesn't come up, but eventually he will know through interrogation. At that point it will be an issue where he will report it as a danger to the child. She is putting in time at a local indoor range where she is now living, but I'm going to suggest formal training where you get a certificate for documentation purposes. Hopefully something she can accomplish before she moves here.

I also grew up where rifles were stored on a wall mounted rack and a pistol and ammunition were stored in the lower part of that rack. We never had any problems and Dad would always show them to us if we asked. I don't think any of us ever touched them without permission. We also had to treat toy guns as though they were real. But then both my parents were in lock step with each other and taught us respect and responsibility through both their own actions and how they raised us.

In this case the father is not a good influence in those ways, so it will be entirely up to my relative to instill this. It's unfortunately been a few years while my relative worked through her issues and effectively grew up. That's part of why I'm looking for an inexpensive solution since she will have to decide and make the purchase.

If I just bought her a safe it could easily undermine her gains. She has to make the decision on how to budget her money and make responsible choices. Making it too easy could enable her to slip back into older bad habits. She knows this and is at the point where she would refuse help beyond a certain small amount.

I would, for example, buy her something I found as a great deal, but then she would have to buy it from me when she gets to town. It goes against my nature to not just give it to her, but it's not about me - it's about her and her son. So, yes, I have been looking on CL and in the classifieds here as well.

If money is tight any kind of "tool box" that has the place to put a padlock or two would be fine. If she wants she could even screw it down to the floor in a closet. If some nanny state wants to see where guns are secured that would fit the bill to a T as far as guns are secured and she could pick up what they needs at any Wal-Mart.
 
Thanks all, some very good information.

The father is going to do whatever he can to be disruptive. She is hoping the issue of firearms doesn't come up, but eventually he will know through interrogation. At that point it will be an issue where he will report it as a danger to the child. She is putting in time at a local indoor range where she is now living, but I'm going to suggest formal training where you get a certificate for documentation purposes. Hopefully something she can accomplish before she moves here.

I also grew up where rifles were stored on a wall mounted rack and a pistol and ammunition were stored in the lower part of that rack. We never had any problems and Dad would always show them to us if we asked. I don't think any of us ever touched them without permission. We also had to treat toy guns as though they were real. But then both my parents were in lock step with each other and taught us respect and responsibility through both their own actions and how they raised us.

In this case the father is not a good influence in those ways, so it will be entirely up to my relative to instill this. It's unfortunately been a few years while my relative worked through her issues and effectively grew up. That's part of why I'm looking for an inexpensive solution since she will have to decide and make the purchase.

If I just bought her a safe it could easily undermine her gains. She has to make the decision on how to budget her money and make responsible choices. Making it too easy could enable her to slip back into older bad habits. She knows this and is at the point where she would refuse help beyond a certain small amount.

I would, for example, buy her something I found as a great deal, but then she would have to buy it from me when she gets to town. It goes against my nature to not just give it to her, but it's not about me - it's about her and her son. So, yes, I have been looking on CL and in the classifieds here as well.

If that's the case, then a gun cabinet/locker, for a rental property. Keyed or manual combo, doesn't really matter.

Something you can help her get & deliver. Either buy it ahead of time & sell it to her (if she oks it), or go with her. Help her haul it in.

Craigslist, on here, bimart. Whatever.

Not a safe mind, just a locker/cabinet.

Does the job of keeping honest folks honest, & that's it.
Would keep kiddos friends out of being "curious" as he gets older. Assume kiddo is taught properly, never know about friends tho.

Could store all not on body "gun stuff" in it. Organized & out of sight.

If her budget allows, security system. Simply-safe, Comcast Home (where Comcast service) etc. Both are portable, Simply Safe does not require internet so huge plus there. Thinking rental & likely to move...
 
If that's the case, then a gun cabinet/locker, for a rental property. Keyed or manual combo, doesn't really matter.

Something you can help her get & deliver. Either buy it ahead of time & sell it to her (if she oks it), or go with her. Help her haul it in.

Craigslist, on here, bimart. Whatever.

Not a safe mind, just a locker/cabinet.

Does the job of keeping honest folks honest, & that's it.
Would keep kiddos friends out of being "curious" as he gets older. Assume kiddo is taught properly, never know about friends tho.

Could store all not on body "gun stuff" in it. Organized & out of sight.

If her budget allows, security system. Simply-safe, Comcast Home (where Comcast service) etc. Both are portable, Simply Safe does not require internet so huge plus there. Thinking rental & likely to move...

Hadn't thought about security. I wouldn't put it past the ex to find a way to enter while she is at work. He's very intelligent and know people in all the low places. I'm going to suggest some cams as well that she can turn them on when she leaves..
 
Hadn't thought about security. I wouldn't put it past the ex to find a way to enter while she is at work. He's very intelligent and know people in all the low places. I'm going to suggest some cams as well that she can turn them on when she leaves..

Simply safe can do cameras, with internet connection, no cameras without.

Comcast home can. ?4 used to come with the package, dunno about nowadays.

Edit,adding: ex has zero legal right to enter her domicile. She "should" never invite him in either.
 
Simply safe can do cameras, with internet connection, no cameras without.

Comcast home can. ?4 used to come with the package, dunno about nowadays.

Edit,adding: ex has zero legal right to enter her domicile. She "should" never invite him in either.

Agreed regarding her ex, but I guarantee he will make attempts in order to find or more likely plant something for the police to find after he makes a complaint. He has attempted to plant drugs in her vehicle previously when he had access to it. She now has a different vehicle, but it's not like it's hard to gain access. Yet one more thing for her to deal with.

Given time he will hang himself. Just need to document it in an admissible form.

I'll do some research on apartment friendly security and surveillance systems so she can decide if and what.
 
Agreed regarding her ex, but I guarantee he will make attempts in order to find or more likely plant something for the police to find after he makes a complaint. He has attempted to plant drugs in her vehicle previously when he had access to it. She now has a different vehicle, but it's not like it's hard to gain access. Yet one more thing for her to deal with.

Given time he will hang himself. Just need to document it in an admissible form.

I'll do some research on apartment friendly security and surveillance systems so she can decide if and what.

Both Simply-Safe & Comcast *should* be apartment fine, all wireless (except cameras need power source). Stick on, no drilling & such.

The/a camera(s) could be used to monitor her car when parked there, but not from inside a window. Night vision/IR just reflects the window glass back. So could stick on a camera outside (that'd probably be the no go for an apartment, but maybe...), or if can park in sight of a balcony, just set a camera on the balcony.
 
Both Simply-Safe & Comcast *should* be apartment fine, all wireless (except cameras need power source). Stick on, no drilling & such.

The/a camera(s) could be used to monitor her car when parked there, but not from inside a window. Night vision/IR just reflects the window glass back. So could stick on a camera outside (that'd probably be the no go for an apartment, but maybe...), or if can park in sight of a balcony, just set a camera on the balcony.

The SimpliSafe cameras need a Wi-Fi connection so it is very easy to disable the cameras by powering off the Wi-Fi router. The base station has a 24 hour battery so that is good. If she gets a SimpliSafe safe unit be sure you disable the base station light and if possible hide it out of sight.

The cameras have night vision and you can adjust the sensitivity for movement. You also need a more expensive plan for cameras but there is and app for both IPhone and Android phones so you can turn the alarm off before entering or you disable the alarm my entering the pin to disarm the alarm. Everything is configurable on how much time the alarm has before it goes off.
 
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The cameras for the SimpliSafe outdoor camera there is hood that goes over the camera and you need to have a A/C power to power the camera. You just buy the indoor camera and buy the hood and and everything for like $20. The connector is just a USB connector so a larger battery will work but not sure how long the battery will last.

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The microphone is good that I can hear birds chirping and you can talk as well.
 
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