Gun Room construction

[Pheroze]

Our gun storage laws include a provision that allows for the storage and display of firearms:

(iii) stored in...room that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into;

Does anyone know what building such a room requires? Is it a matter of fitting a metal door, lock and security windows? Or, is a bunker required?

The idea of a nice room, perhaps a bar, hung trophies, and the firearms displayed appeals to me over a bulky safe in the garage or basement.

Pictures of examples are always appreciated

 

[WAB]

Not sure on your laws. However, when we were building our home I had a concrete vault room poured. The door was sized to fit a Fort Knox safe door. When you walk in the guns are racked for easy access and display with the ammo on shelves below. It’s a pretty slick setup and I’m sure it would meet any gun storage requirements.

 

[Red Leg]

This was done on a second floor where concrete was not an option. It is the floor, ceiling, and wall Deadwood jail option. It will not stop a professional crew with power tools and unlimited time, but it will stop Jose' and Lebron with a sledge hammer.

 

[Pheroze]

This was done on a second floor where concrete was not an option. It is the floor, ceiling, and wall Deadwood jail option. It will not stop a professional crew with power tools and unlimited time, but it will stop Jose' and Lebron with a sledge hammer.

The steel strapping is a great solution to a second floor room. Basically, you could convert any room by stripping back to the studs and bolting it on.

Just beautiful carpentry work too!

The door was sized to fit a Fort Knox safe door.

Maybe a stupid question, but was the door and mechanism off of a safe, or did the company sell a door for the purpose?

 

[sierraone]

Most if not all companies that build safes, build and sell just safe doors also. A quick Google search shows safe doors from $1300 to $6800.

 

[Red Leg]

The steel strapping is a great solution to a second floor room. Basically, you could convert any room by stripping back to the studs and bolting it on.

Just beautiful carpentry work too!



Maybe a stupid question, but was the door and mechanism off of a safe, or did the company sell a door for the purpose?

Thanks. We used a security door rather than a "safe" door, but either will work. If you use a safe door, I would recommend a security door that doesn't scream gun room in front of it.

And yes, I think it turned out just about right.

 

[WAB]

The steel strapping is a great solution to a second floor room. Basically, you could convert any room by stripping back to the studs and bolting it on.

Just beautiful carpentry work too!



Maybe a stupid question, but was the door and mechanism off of a safe, or did the company sell a door for the purpose?

I used a safe door by Fort Knox made specifically for that purpose. The install is very simple if the rough opening is sized correctly.

 

[WAB]

One other consideration. We get a fair number of tornadoes. Our gun room doubles as our storm shelter. For that reason we bought a safe door that swings into the room. A door that swings out can be jammed by falling debris. We also keep a nice bottle of wine and a couple of glasses in it. No reason to be savages while sheltering out a storm!

 

[ZG47]

Be aware that, if you go for a full concrete room, you need to get a fair bit of moisture out of the concrete before you start using that room to store your guns. There is a reason why we carpenters prefer to leave a slab for thirty (30) days before erecting framing.
Former military personnel may have noted that regimental/brigade armouries built from concrete or concrete and brick tend to have a door at each end, in addition to wall vents and preferably an extractor fan. It helps with air circulation before, as well as after, the roof is erected and the doors are installed.

Get the best balance of concrete and/or concrete masonry drying that you can, before fitting the door.

 

[WAB]

Absolutely. I left mine bare with a dehumidifier running for six months for that very reason. I now keep the humidity at 40% which seems to work well.

 

[Corey0372]

This was done on a second floor where concrete was not an option. It is the floor, ceiling, and wall Deadwood jail option. It will not stop a professional crew with power tools and unlimited time, but it will stop Jose' and Lebron with a sledge hammer.

That's awesome

 

[rookhawk]

This is in no way the the quality of @Red Leg but with much interest in his decorating preferences (thanks for the pics!) this is what I came up with for my office. It's not very big and its a bit messy, but this is my "Sporting Room" and home office.

The only changes forthcoming is a removal of a chair in the corner for a pedestal buffalo, display of some hippo tusks, and hanging of a few horns on some open wallspace, and another snap-cap peg rack on the door to hang up my culling belts and gunslips. I wish I had room for more but its pretty overstuffed.