Posted: 1/2/2013 6:38:18 AM EDT
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My parents are moving from another state to the state I live in currently. They have asked for my assistance in moving their safe. So from anyone who has moved safes I have a few questions.
1- When moving safe I do not want to trip the re-lockers, should the safe be moved with door unlocked and roped shut or locked? (note they live on a bumpy dirt road a mile or more from pavement.) 2-Content of the safe. For the above reason and others I do not want to move safe with the firearms in the safe. They will be moving a few weeks after I move the safe.(work schedule availability for me) Can I legally move their firearms so they can be returned to their locked safe after I get the safe moved? Or do they need to store them in a long term friends safe until they make the move then move them and return them to their safe? All firearms in question are long guns. If I understand correctly they would have to move the firearms. and I know don't trust internet call ATF for sure just asking for reference. |
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You are over thinking this... just load the safe into the back of your truck and put the guns in the cab. When you get to where you are going put the safe where it belongs and put the guns in it...
As for relockers, they come into play is someone forces the lock open. I moved all of my safes with teh door removed as it just made the safe ligher so I could move it easier. I don't predict the doors were locked as it would have just made it necessary to unlock to put the door back on. Seriously, this is a simple problem... Now, before they put it in their new home, now is a good time to consider having a security system installed and wire a contact to the safe so that if the safe is opened or pulled from the wall that the security system would be triggered. It's cheap to do and best to wire from behind the safe before you bolt it to the floor. |
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How heavy is the safe? You may need to hire a company with specialized jigs to lift and maneuver the safe around.
If you have a pick up truck you need to get the safe up into the bed with a ramp or lift. I had a LOT of friends help me move mine, we tipped it back into a moving truck and slid it back in there. |
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take all of the internal shelves etc out of the safe and bubble wrap them, perhaps stack them neatly inside and then move it. I purchased a safe once, put it on a trailer and took it 25 miles home. Several of the internal shelves were broken when I got it home from bouncing down the road. |
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I am guessing how heavy/big is the safe will determine what needs to be done.
1500lbs or more empty that will be real hard to get it into a pickup no matter how many people you have to help, then you also have to get it out. In this case a low trailer and ramps would be a much better option. If it is a 300lbs safe no real issues to be had. I did a 60 mile move and just paid the safe guys to move the safe, it cost $$$ but my back was happy, it was amazing how quick they got the safe out of the family room and into thier truck. It weighs 1500 pounds empty, proved why ALL safes need to be bolted down. |
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Mmmm.
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| mine was in the 700 pound range and can be moved on an applience dolly. It actually fit in the back of the vehicle pretty well as i leaned it in and had someone push the top down as i lifted the bottom up and used the weight of the top pivoting to lift the bottom when I unloaded it, did the same thing almost. and just leand back into it and pivoted it out. Was easily moved with 2 people. |
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It really depends on how much the safe weighs. I have moved a few heavy ones for friends (actually four from 1000 to 4000 lbs).
If you are less than 1000 lbs then you can just move it with a pick up. I would leave the door unlocked and strap it shut with a ratchet strap. Fixing something which breaks is simple when you can open the door, but gets much more complex if it breaks with the door closed. If it has glass relockers (probably doesn't if it is a gun safe) they often can be disabled by placing screws/bolts in to block the relockers from activating. If there is not a spot to place screws or bolts in, then they can be tied or wired in place. Most other relockers SHOULDN'T be an issue, but always could be, which is why I wouldn't move it with the door locked. Removing the door saves weight, but trying to get a door lined up on the hinge pins if it weighs 3-400 or more lbs is a real bear, so I usually don't remove them. This is especially true if they use ball bearings, which can be difficult to get back in. For a "real safe" (not most gun safes) that weighs over 1000 lbs, I use a 5000 lb pallet jack and a platform lift trailer which I rent locally. I also use a lot of 2x4 and 2x6 cribbing, some metal plates to run on, a couple of come a longs, a big prybar which doubles as an anchor when run across a doorway and lots of heavy duty ratchet straps. I am sure someone who actually knows what they are doing could do it with less, and faster, but this method has worked for me to move some pretty heavy ones. If it is just a gun safe, check out this video from Sturdy on moving a safe with a pick up. Slow and steady wins the race, and momentum is the enemy. I don't know of any laws against transporting someone else's firearms, but then I have never looked for any either. |
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My solution - which i used about a year ago :
Bring a forklift on a trailer. Drive into garage with said forklift and load safe onto forklift (thank God i left the 'shipping ears' on). Attach safe to forklift by large heavy strap Drive forklift with safe on it back onto trailer Drive to new location Drive forklift into new garage and deposit safe |