Handgun storage in rifle safe

Semi automatic and single shot handguns, revolvers and other pistols

Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 08 Oct 2018, 11:10 am

Greetings,

New SSPC probie shooter here in VIC. I have a question for the forum on storage.

I'm collecting information on a rifle safe I need to purchase. I would like to store my future handguns ( intend buying a CZ Shadow 2 and Gen 5 Glock 34 ) with their respective cases in a rifle safe. I dont want to take them out of their cases and store them in the ammo compartment , rather I would like to have them in their locked cases sitting at the bottom OR I could make a few shelves with MDF within the rifle safe.

Also, I intend buying a couple of rifles. 22 scoped rimfire and possibly a scope centrefire 223 a bit later on.

I only have the space for ONE gunsafe.

What's the minimum size gun safe I could get away with? I've googled measurements of both the CZ and Glock cases and I've worked out I need at lease a "4 rifle safe" ? Is that correct?

cheers Z
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by No1Mk3 » 09 Oct 2018, 5:29 am

I feel you may be a bit crowded at 4. You're talking 3 rifles + room for 2 handgun cases, I would think a 6 gun minimum. The price difference would be negligible. You should also realize that things can get addictive, you may want a shottie at some point etc. so I would recommend you buy the biggest safe you can fit in the space you have available as it is no sweat having room to play in the safe but a pain in the backside to have too little, Cheers.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 09 Oct 2018, 7:08 am

So when they 4 gun safe they really mean you can store 4 thin firearms without scopes..maybe 4 single barrel shotguns. I have a 8 or 10 gun safe and honestly I don't think I could fit more than 5 scoped guns.

I don't a handgun but I read somewhere and I might be wrong, that handguns require a thicker walled safe and ideally required to be kept in a separate compartment, than your rifles and ammo.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by No1Mk3 » 09 Oct 2018, 7:42 am

G'day Ziad,
Schedule 4 does not specify any additional requirements for Cat H other than a steel safe (not hardwood which is the minimum for Cat A&B). Some individual clubs require a thicker safe for their members but this is a club requirement not a legal one. Cheers.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Boo » 09 Oct 2018, 7:44 am

In Q I believe ammo has to be kept in a separate safe place not in the gun safe.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by No1Mk3 » 09 Oct 2018, 9:35 am

G'day Boo,
Same here, unless the safe has a separate lockable compartment either within the safe or attached above the main compartment such as the Spika.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by JSS » 09 Oct 2018, 3:53 pm

Pick the safe to take the number of guns you think, then double it. Then double it again, maybe even triple it. Alternatively measure how much space you have and buy the biggest safe you can fit, i have never heard anyone say "s**t i wish i got a smaller safe".
When i build another place it will have a gun vault. :drinks:
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 09 Oct 2018, 4:42 pm

I see. Treat the quoted safe size like they quote sleeping tents sizes. Im only every going to have 2 rifles and 4 - 5 handguns so I might just get the 5 rifle safe and be done with it.

Now if only they could come out with a safe that could easily be concealed inside a coach . https://www.coolthings.com/gun-safe-in-a-sofa/
Then I wouldnt have to worry about sacrificing half my wardrobe space.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by bladeracer » 09 Oct 2018, 5:09 pm

Zappa wrote:I see. Treat the quoted safe size like they quote sleeping tents sizes. Im only every going to have 2 rifles and 4 - 5 handguns so I might just get the 5 rifle safe and be done with it.

Now if only they could come out with a safe that could easily be concealed inside a coach . https://www.coolthings.com/gun-safe-in-a-sofa/
Then I wouldnt have to worry about sacrificing half my wardrobe space.


I inspected two shipping containers today, a 3m and a 6m.
I need to investigate whether they constitute a "secure room" under the firearms Act.
I like the idea of sitting in a room loading ammo while having my rifles hung on the walls around me instead of locked away in gun safes.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 09 Oct 2018, 5:20 pm

Only in the good ol USA
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 09 Oct 2018, 6:17 pm

bladeracer wrote:I need to investigate whether they constitute a "secure room" under the firearms Act.
I like the idea of sitting in a room loading ammo while having my rifles hung on the walls around me instead of locked away in gun safes.



I think the weakest link would be the lock on your door and the security alarm you'll need to have. I dont think you'll need to have trigger locks on the firearms either - but dont quote me.
Any gun dealer would be able to point you in the right direction.

would this be underground ? aka prepper style? :thumbsup:
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Michael994 » 07 Nov 2018, 8:47 am

I'm in a similar position, I already have a rifle safe but am now getting my cat h licence and will be getting a handgun down the track. I'm struggling to find a safe that suits the requirements. As most rifle safes seem to be 3mm steel construction however handguns need to have 6mm steel. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good safe?
Also in terms of size-i agree with everyone else. My 11 gun safe would probably fit like 5 or six. Go as big as you can fit.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by bladeracer » 07 Nov 2018, 12:12 pm

Michael994 wrote:I'm in a similar position, I already have a rifle safe but am now getting my cat h licence and will be getting a handgun down the track. I'm struggling to find a safe that suits the requirements. As most rifle safes seem to be 3mm steel construction however handguns need to have 6mm steel. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good safe?
Also in terms of size-i agree with everyone else. My 11 gun safe would probably fit like 5 or six. Go as big as you can fit.


Just get a separate pistol safe.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by No1Mk3 » 07 Nov 2018, 2:30 pm

G'day Michael994,
Handguns don't need any specific thickness unless your Club Secretary asks for it. My own club requires a 6mm door, but 3mm walls are fine, most other clubs accept the Schedule 4 requirements which do not specify a thickness only that a handgun safe be made of steel, Sub-Section 2, Para 1 (a) says " of a thickness not easily penetrable" which is taken to mean no school/work lockers are acceptable, but normal rifle safes are, Cheers.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 07 Nov 2018, 3:59 pm

I think only NSW requires 6mm door with 3mm min walls.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Bent Arrow » 07 Nov 2018, 7:45 pm

Zappa wrote:I see. Treat the quoted safe size like they quote sleeping tents sizes. Im only every going to have 2 rifles and 4 - 5 handguns so I might just get the 5 rifle safe and be done with it..


Time for a show of hands...... How many people here once said "I'm only ever going to have 2 rifles......" bwah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah

I'm betting a 5 gun safe won't be big enough for what you want. I bought a 4 gun safe because it would fit neatly in a specific space. Two rifles was comfortable. Three rifles was a ridiculously tight fit. My 12 gun safe fits 6 comfortably. Eight is a squeeze......... I want a strong room. When my kids move out, one room is getting a conversion.......
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by zhuk » 17 Nov 2018, 9:46 pm

Zappa wrote:I think only NSW requires 6mm door with 3mm min walls.


Actually it's min 6mm all round...AND!

It should be fitted with a door not less than 6mm thick, swung on either
concealed pivots, or externally mounted sealed end hinges welded to the door
and body of the safe, with a clearance round the door of not more than 1mm;
and
* If hinged, have a locking bar or dogging bolts welded to the inside face of the
door near the hinge edge, which engages in a rebate in the container body
when the door is closed; and
* Be fitted with a pick resistant deadbolt locking mechanism that is activated by
either a six lever key, or pin/combination lock or biometric scanning (ie:
fingerprint etc). The lock should be securely affixed to the rear face of the door
and a metal strap overlapping the lock case with each end welded to hardened
steel anti drill plates (3mm mild case hardened to 60 Rockwell CO) which will
in turn be welded to the door; and
* Be constructed with a full length rebate welded to the side of the container
body. Locking edge to receive the deadbolt of the locking mechanism; and
* A pistol safe should be constructed to leave a 10mm skirt formed by the
recessing of the back plate from the outer edges of the sides, top and bottom
wall plates to prevent jemmying.


Just for comparison lol

Nothing to stop you putting a handgun safe on top of a rifle safe...in fact I've got two on top of one of my rifles safes :mrgreen:
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 18 Nov 2018, 4:49 pm

zhuk wrote:Nothing to stop you putting a handgun safe on top of a rifle safe...in fact I've got two on top of one of my rifles safes :mrgreen:


Are you saying that you can bolt a pistol safe on top of a bolted-down rifle safe and be legally compliant ? :?:
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by zhuk » 19 Nov 2018, 5:29 pm

Zappa wrote:
zhuk wrote:Nothing to stop you putting a handgun safe on top of a rifle safe...in fact I've got two on top of one of my rifles safes :mrgreen:


Are you saying that you can bolt a pistol safe on top of a bolted-down rifle safe and be legally compliant ? :?:


Nope I haven't bolted the pistol safe into the rifles safes (they come with 4 10mm holes drilled in the back)

Just position them on top and affix with the 4 backplate anchor points...immovable once the rifle safe is in. There is nothing in NSW regulations that stipulates anything other than 4 points in wall and or base for any safe, Cat A/B or H. I also keep a printout of the safe storage regs pdf in my ammo cabinet, for reference..

Note: I have always positioned my safes into a corner so any attempted jimmying would only be more difficult.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Grumpy » 19 Nov 2018, 8:03 pm

My CZ & Browning Buckmark using the optional shelves. They rate this as a 6-8 gun safe, so I’m not sure a 4 gun safe would be wide enough.
D63FBFDA-D460-4208-9BE8-B6AEF16F5BFA.jpeg
D63FBFDA-D460-4208-9BE8-B6AEF16F5BFA.jpeg (1.15 MiB) Viewed 5161 times

http://lokawaysafe.com/products/gun-saf ... -safe.html
Ps: the ammo boxes are empty & just for reference.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Zappa » 19 Nov 2018, 8:18 pm

zhuk wrote: I also keep a printout of the safe storage regs pdf in my ammo cabinet, for reference..


And here I am thinking i was a bit over exuberant doing this as well. It's called CYA in case the inspection officer raises questions.

Grumpy wrote:My CZ & Browning Buckmark using the optional shelves. They rate this as a 6-8 gun safe, so I’m not sure a 4 gun safe would be wide enough.


hmm.. looking at the spec on the LOK2K is has the body at 14 gauge and door at 12 gauge. Isnt that 1.6mm and 2mm respectively ? :wtf:
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by Grumpy » 19 Nov 2018, 8:54 pm

Zappa wrote:
zhuk wrote: I also keep a printout of the safe storage regs pdf in my ammo cabinet, for reference..


And here I am thinking i was a bit over exuberant doing this as well. It's called CYA in case the inspection officer raises questions.

Grumpy wrote:My CZ & Browning Buckmark using the optional shelves. They rate this as a 6-8 gun safe, so I’m not sure a 4 gun safe would be wide enough.


hmm.. looking at the spec on the LOK2K is has the body at 14 gauge and door at 12 gauge. Isnt that 1.6mm and 2mm respectively ? :wtf:

Compliant with W.A. regs.
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Re: Handgun storage in rifle safe

Post by zhuk » 27 Nov 2018, 5:21 am

Zappa wrote:And here I am thinking i was a bit over exuberant doing this as well. It's called CYA in case the inspection officer raises questions.


"Over exuberant" lol I like that :)

I've only had one inspection, but it turned out the officer thought that ammo had to be in gunsafe like storage (hey, we're not WA! yet lol)

So I like to think of it as being uh, prepared rather than paranoid :mrgreen:
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