Gun safe for RV

[don1911]

I have a 2005 Keystone Raptor 5th wheel toy hauler. I plan to keep most (if not all) of my travels in Texas and Louisiana. I know and understand the laws governing firearms in these two states. I want to install a gun safe in garage. I plan to live in my RV so safe will contain all my (20+ long and handguns) firearms. Does anyone make a good gunsafe for RV's? Any issues with installing them in toy hauler? Thanks.

[Bedlam]

I had a safe in my toyhauler and was able to bolt it to the floor because there was a storage compartment underneath. Use a steel plate on the underside and sandwich a second one between floor and safe if you need to distribute base weight. I used carriage bolts with lock nuts on the inside of the safe.

I would not worry too much about left to right weight balance in your TH unless it is a small one with low payload capacity. You could put one smaller safe in each forward corner if balance will be an issue.

BTW: I have seen a rolling mechanic's tool box bolted down after the wheels were removed. Locking cross bars secure the drawers in place and foam cutouts are in each drawer for the weapons.

[arhayes]

I pored over this when we began full-timing 2 years ago We sometimes deploy the porch and I did not want anything in the garage that looked like a safe, and I came to realize that a real safe is just not an option, so I opted to give my 2 sons all but 4 of my guns. I get to shoot the ones gifted once or twice a year when we visit them. I have found several places in our rig to conceal weapons/ammo and do so. I carry daily, so there's only 3 left in the rig any time we're gone. Of course when we're in states that my LTC/CHL doesn't apply, I have them all secured. The OPSEC is the main thing in my mind. There are no stickers on the rig, truck or motorcycle, and I don't own or wear any shirts to make one think I might own weapons.

[ramgunner]

One other thing I forgot to mention - re-key the locks on your RV. RVLocksAndMore is a good place to use. All of ours were re-keyed, are not on a common key, and we eliminated the master-keyed cylinders (marked with an M) on the handle locks as an extra precaution. Again, it makes someone take more time because a master key won't work.

[don1911]

SCVJeff wrote:
For "20+", are you kidding? That's a REAL gun safe size, and a medium big one. You might find a cheap steel one but you will probably need at least two. A real gun safe that size will probably weigh 400-600lb.+ empty. My SIL just bought one that might handle that inventory and it weighs about 550lb., and the weight alone kept him from installing it upstairs in the house. I doubt your floor is rated anywhere near that weight for such a small footprint

I got it down to around 20. Couldn't part with them. I sold the others. Actually, once I move into RV, I may use one safe or cabinet.The other two safe/cabinet will probably be sold. I'll probably keep the lightest one that will hold all remaining guns, unless I find something I like better. Then I'll be selling 3.

[don1911]

ramgunner wrote:
As has been mentioned, the floor loading is going to be prohibitive, Even if it wasn't, the weight distribution would really throw things off unless placed directly on the centerline.

Your best security needs to start with OPSEC. No NRA or other bumper stickers or logos on your tow vehicle or toy hauler. Get some generic cases that can be used to take them from the trailer to the truck - an instrument case might even be a good choice. If people don't know they are there, they don't know the payoff potential of your trailer. They prefer knowing their effort will be worth something.

Do you have an alarm system on the entry doors to your RV? Something loud enough to attract attention. I'd also recommend looking at the windows in the garage, as well as the ramp door.

Of course, make sure you always use the deadbolt on the doors when you leave. Bad guys don't like to have to take a lot of time to get in, especially if the payoff is questionable. Anything that makes them spend more time getting in makes your trailer less of a target.

Do you have any lights under the trailer? I mention that because they will cause anyone messing around your trailer to appear in silhouette - meaning that they will really stand out. Bad guys don't want to be seen. We have some downward-facing blue LED's under ours that don't intrude on other campsites, but add this element of security.

All of the above combine to make your trailer less attractive to someone, make it take longer to get into, and then really attract attention if they breach the physical security layer.

In an RV, given the floor loading and other concerns, having them concealed is your best bet. Does the toy hauler have a compartment under the floor in the garage? Does the bed flip up? Is there a closet? Is there a concealment method available for storing them?

If you really want to put in a "safe", I'd consider one of the green, lightweight Stack-On cabinets https://www.amazon.com/Stack-GCDG-9216-Convertible-Double-Door-Security/dp/B002TOKR3U/ref=sr_1_33/16... . They can be bolted down, and will take a bit of effort to open. Combined with all of the previous elements, they most likely won't want to stick around long enough to breach that secondary physical layer.

That's about the best you can do in a trailer.

OPSEC is good. Already thought about all that. Incorporating it in as well. Hiding is bad idea. Laws require firearms to be locked away from children. I don't have any, but children occasionally tag along when friends with kids visit.Trigger locks are acceptable by law, but If I'm going to that much trouble, then I'd rather they be securely locked up, not just inoperable.Lights under the RV, I have not considered. Good idea. Storing firearms in storage under RV would turn them into rusty scrap metal, unless I spent lots of time re-lubing.

I do have a Stack on cabinet like the one in your link also. I thought about using it.

[don1911]

Y-Guy wrote:
Could you build something that fits under the bed? Lift the bed, then a locking steel top with steel sides? Google "rv under bed safe" I found some ideas there.

Check out Monster Vault check out their Mid-Size/SUV Vault Images, maybe something like that under the bed would work if it's bolted to the floor and from of the bed frame/box is cut to fit it.

I thought about that. The slide-out parts take up the space under the bed in bedroom. Kinda killed that idea.

[BB_TX]

If you are not looking for a fire rated gun safe and no more than around 14-15 of your guns are long guns, then you can find a gun safe that is not overly heavy (under 150#) or overly large. You can put a lot of long guns standing up and hand guns and ammo on shelves around the perimeter of and behind the long guns. Check Walmart, Cabela's, Academy Sports, Dick's Sports, etc.

[Y-Guy]

Could you build something that fits under the bed? Lift the bed, then a locking steel top with steel sides? Google "rv under bed safe" I found some ideas there.

Check out Monster Vault check out their Mid-Size/SUV Vault Images, maybe something like that under the bed would work if it's bolted to the floor and from of the bed frame/box is cut to fit it.

[Old-Biscuit]

Check out gun safes at Walmart.....on-line not store
16 gun (rifle/shotguns etc) safe under $400 and safe weighs 168#
OR buy 2 smaller capacity and mount on opposite walls
LOTS of options and many ON SALE right now.

I also had a large collection of weapons ----sold some (Bows, large bore hunting rifles, some single action revolvers/lever action rifle ---cowboy shooting, small bore rifles etc) prior to hitting the road FT.
But there were many handguns/rifles/shotgun that were 'special' and no way was I going to sell them off.


I didn't use a standup safe in my 5th wheel when we went FT.
Some handguns went into a long flat metal lock box that required removing bottom chest drawer to access (keep sake guns)
Rifles/shotguns went in underbed storage area.

Course some handguns were readily accessible :B

Thing is..........RVs are NOT secure. Cheap door locks/easily broken into.
Large windows that can be used as entry.
Thief wants in they can easily get in.

So I had high personal property homeowners insurance coverage in case of loss.
Sure it would have been a real bummer ----- many of my weapons were passed on from my DAD, some are high valued Brands/Models hard to replace etc.
But they were fully insured.

A good gun safe (such as ones at Walmart) are difficult to break into and bolted down hard to remove so they can be a deterrent to common thieves.

[ramgunner]

As has been mentioned, the floor loading is going to be prohibitive, Even if it wasn't, the weight distribution would really throw things off unless placed directly on the centerline.

Your best security needs to start with OPSEC. No NRA or other bumper stickers or logos on your tow vehicle or toy hauler. Get some generic cases that can be used to take them from the trailer to the truck - an instrument case might even be a good choice. If people don't know they are there, they don't know the payoff potential of your trailer. They prefer knowing their effort will be worth something.

Do you have an alarm system on the entry doors to your RV? Something loud enough to attract attention. I'd also recommend looking at the windows in the garage, as well as the ramp door.

Of course, make sure you always use the deadbolt on the doors when you leave. Bad guys don't like to have to take a lot of time to get in, especially if the payoff is questionable. Anything that makes them spend more time getting in makes your trailer less of a target.

Do you have any lights under the trailer? I mention that because they will cause anyone messing around your trailer to appear in silhouette - meaning that they will really stand out. Bad guys don't want to be seen. We have some downward-facing blue LED's under ours that don't intrude on other campsites, but add this element of security.

All of the above combine to make your trailer less attractive to someone, make it take longer to get into, and then really attract attention if they breach the physical security layer.

In an RV, given the floor loading and other concerns, having them concealed is your best bet. Does the toy hauler have a compartment under the floor in the garage? Does the bed flip up? Is there a closet? Is there a concealment method available for storing them?

If you really want to put in a "safe", I'd consider one of the green, lightweight Stack-On cabinets https://www.amazon.com/Stack-GCDG-9216-Convertible-Double-Door-Security/dp/B002TOKR3U/ref=sr_1_33/16... . They can be bolted down, and will take a bit of effort to open. Combined with all of the previous elements, they most likely won't want to stick around long enough to breach that secondary physical layer.

That's about the best you can do in a trailer.

[don1911]

Oops. My bad. It does not necessarily have to be a safe. But at least a good metal cabinet that securely locks. However I do have a safe in the house, that holds them all and weighs in around 175 pounds. It is not a class one safe. I am not interested in that. Hoping to find easy to install and maybe lighter option than what I already have.

Also I am concerned about the difficulty and feasibility of bolting the safe to the floor. I have not yet looked to see what may be in the way under the floor. That may blow the whole idea. Although this is the only reason for me getting a toy hauler. My toys are the guns. I don't own toys with wheels. The garage is a space for bolting down the safe and carrying weight of the guns. I don't hoard ammo. I just keep a little for target shooting around. So ammo weight is not such a big issue, since I don't have thousands of rounds. Anyone else out there have experience installing/using gun safe in toy hauler?

[SCVJeff]

For "20+", are you kidding? That's a REAL gun safe size, and a medium big one. You might find a cheap steel one but you will probably need at least two. A real gun safe that size will probably weigh 400-600lb.+ empty. My SIL just bought one that might handle that inventory and it weighs about 550lb., and the weight alone kept him from installing it upstairs in the house. I doubt your floor is rated anywhere near that weight for such a small footprint

[donn0128]

Lot of weight. Most larger gun safes are going to weigh at least 600 pounds. Bolting that to one side might throw your weight balance out of kilter.