5 Tips for Moving a Gun Safe

Having a gun for the purpose of self-defence has many benefits and helps you protect yourself and your family against harm. However, not storing the gun in a secure manner and not being aware of the tips for moving a gun safe can pose a massive threat to members of one’s family, in case one’s children or guests stumble upon it and find a loaded weapon at their mercy. There have been numerous cases where this has often led to the death of a poor soul at the hands of an equally innocent individual, often a minor. This shows the importance of not only educating your children on the subject but also possessing a gun safe to prohibit access to the guns.

While there are many benefits to owning a gun safe, it has one major drawback. It is very difficult to move. Most gun safes are large and extremely heavy – they can weigh up to 950 lbs, which makes moving them an absolute chore. Even the smallest ones weigh about 300 lbs and moving them ends up being a costly venture.

Your reason for moving the safe may be as simple as getting it shifted to a better location in the house to something like relocating to another area altogether. It has to be a top priority for you to move the safe without someone getting hurt or something getting damaged.

To make the task a little easier for you, here are five crucial tips for moving a gun safe which you can use:

1. Get Your Hands on a Furniture Dolly

 

Purchasing a furniture dolly is a small investment that can help you whenever you need to transport your household items. If you do not want to buy your very own dolly, you can look into the possibility of borrowing or renting one when you need it. Learning how to use a furniture dolly to mount and transport a gun safe is a skill that makes the job much easier. Although it can’t help on a flight of stairs, it is an absolute godsend when moving your safe along a flat surface.

You can purchase furniture dollies from any place that sells moving supplies specifically or just go to your local Home Depot and start looking for one. You will find that there are a lot of options available with respect to their capacity and build. Some of the best ones can haul objects weighing up to 1,000 lbs while they themselves are extremely lightweight and easy to store. This is why they are an investment that will not only come in handy for this specific occasion but also one you can use in the future.

2. Devise a Good Safe Moving Strategy

You, as the owner of a gun safe, must be very familiar with its dimensions and workings, and so you are in the best position to devise a plan before you start moving it. This stage, where you create a strategy, saves you a ton of effort when it comes to moving the safe later on. You will find that improvising your actions on the spot when confronted with a problem will have you spending more energy and finances so it is better to learn about your safe beforehand and plan out each step accordingly.

First of all, you will need to consider a clear path. Study the dimensions of your safe and see which hallways and corridors it can easily pass through when planning the route (when you actually make the move, clear the pathway of any objects that could get in the way). All in all, this works best if you have a very resolute understanding your surroundings, such as knowing the kind of flooring you are dealing with, whether there are any flights of stairs involved, and so on.

One crucial thing people often neglect is cushioning for the safe when moving it. Keep some blankets on hand and wrap them around the safe because you do not want to damage anything during the move.

In addition, planning ahead for things going wrong too, which means looking up safety hazards, proper posture/lifting techniques, as well as having first aid around, in case an accident occurs, is a must. You also need to figure out how to disassemble the safe if it is a modular one, where to obtain the needed equipment and many other things so you are never at odds with the laws of physics when you have to move a big safe because, as you will come to learn, brute force just won’t do.

In addition, it is better to document your plan instead of just committing it to memory. This helps you get better insight, even if you’ve done this enough times before.

3. Hire Professionals

While you may want to get the job done yourself, there are teams out there that specialize in transporting very large and difficult-to-move objects. These special movers are equipped with the skills, as well as the tools to dismantle, lift, transport, and reassemble safes while keeping safety and all the necessary precautions in mind. By employing professional movers, you won’t even have to worry about the transport vehicle because all the arrangements will be taken care of for you.

While you may have to spend a significant amount of money for the service depending on the size of your safe, the level of expertise the professionals will bring to the equation cannot be matched. There are many gun safe moving agencies that you can opt for to make sure this stressful task goes smoothly.

4. Choose an Appropriate Vehicle

The kind of vehicle you go for has a massive role to play in how easily you can get the job done. Most first-time movers overlook this process and get just about the cheapest truck they can find. The trick here is to measure your safe and then get a vehicle accordingly. If your safe is on the heavy side, you should request a moving truck with a lift gate so that it can be placed inside the truck with ease.

If you are only paying the transportation company for the journey, you may need additional help to load and unload the safe. You will need to cover your safe in cushioning to prevent it from damaging the vehicle or getting damaged itself. You will also have to tightly strap it or tie it down so it stays in place during the journey. Never forget to double check whether you have taken all measures possible to keep the safe steady and in its place before the engine is fired up.

5. Dismantle the Safe if You Can

If you plan on moving your modular safe on your own without having to do a lot of heavy lifting, the surest bet is to first dismantle it, for which you need certain specific tools. Sure, it will take a while to wrap your head around the entire process, but it is a very rewarding experience and saves you a lot of money. After you’re done taking it apart, you can start moving the parts, making sure to not lose any of them in the process.

While one does not need too much expertise to understand the dismantling and reassembly of a safe, you still need to be familiar with the parts and how the interlocking of the components works. If you don’t, it might be a while before you figure out that you’re missing a part and even longer before you realize exactly which one. Afterwards, check the lock for the correct combination at least twice and incorrect combination several times to make sure that everything is working perfectly. Most modern modular gun safes involve wires and other accessories too – it is advised to not tamper with them unless you absolutely have to.

Ending Note

Following these five tips for moving a gun safe can help you get the job done with ease. While there are tonnes of hacks offered on the internet like stuffing golf balls under your safe, for example, they can be extremely dangerous, so it is advised to only go with safe, tried-and-tested methods that have lesser risk associated with them. With all this in mind, you’re all set to move your safe today or anytime in the future when the need arises.