My son will be living in an apartment next year near a major university where he attends. I of course want him to be armed, he has many firearms of his own but most of them are either pretty nice or have some sentimental attachment- I gave him a Wilson Modded Inox 92 for HS graduation for example. He has a 92 G that I gave him when he was 12 that he has shot a bunch, it was his first centerfire handgun and I know it has meaning to him- he's shot it at several classes etc....So I wanted to find something he could keep in his apartment that IF it was stolen etc....it wouldn't be that big of a deal- shit happens and you can't exactly go bolting a safe to the wall of a rental.....

Happened to mention what I was looking for to a buddy of mine and he says, "I got just what you are looking for!". He had bought about a half a dozen police trade in 92's several years ago when they were cheap and had kept all of them- I bought some at the same time but traded many of them off over the years....

Yesterday he produced a well worn 92 FS the right grip panel is pretty beat up, smooth in spots, the grip screws have "patina" the frame has lost it's anodizing in places, looks like it was dropped at least once as there is a little, light asphalt rash on the beavertail ...It's a US made gun in the 90,000 serial number range. A quick search on the Beretta website told me the gun was made in 1990, old FS.... Gun locks up tight, barrel looks good...Told him it was exactly what I was looking for...

He asked me what I wanted it for and I told him. He has known my son since birth and has shot with him in a couple of classes over the years. When I asked him how much he says, "Meh, didn't pay alot for those and I haven't really shot it, got several more, how about $300?" Sold.

I took it out and shot it last night, gun runs like a top. Very accurate, I shot a Dot Drill with it and managed a 44 at 7 yards which for me with a DA pistol is pretty sporty. When I got the gun home I took it apart to clean and inspect it and several things stood out to me- this gun was owned by a serious shooter at one point, a Gunny.....The recoil spring was newish if not new, the takedown lever had been shaved down to prevent the slide stripping move, it had a D spring installed already and it had the Wolff Trigger Spring, the locking block is the newer dished corner style--which was not how it would have left the factory.....This gun belonged to a cop that knew what he was about....

It may not stay ugly for long. I have a local gunsmith that I handle a few routine legal matters for, he owes me a favor or two..... He has been perfecting his Cerakote for a few years now....I think a black barrel and matte Green frame and slide might work. I placed an order last night for the Beretta G kit as well.....

Now I need to build up that $49 Palmetto blem lower and he's all set....

Good job dad, well done.

It's sure not a vault but something like this might help.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TONRU9S?tag=vglnk-c102-20

It will at least slow someone down and they'll probably make some noise trying to open it.  They sell them with key or combination locks.  A big chain through the trigger guard, wrapped around a pipe with a pad lock to secure it works pretty well too.

*like*

Yea, we'll find some way to moderately secure it but I just don't want to take the chance on him losing something he really cares about that can't be replaced. His Wilson stays at home with Dad until he graduates and gets his own place etc.......He took his G with him and it's locked up at Grandpas just down the road from school. He "visits" it once a month or so when they go shooting together.

This will be a gun he can always have at hand and not worry too much about-- Not a piece of shit but just a tool. Going to build him an AR too for this purpose. I have a Palmetto $49 blem lower I bought a month or so ago and they are running their Melonite Mids and M4 uppers pretty damn cheaply right now- well under $200- I can throw him something decent together for under $500 I'm pretty sure.....His 6920 with Comp M4 stays with grandpa too.

Yeah, not so much about the financial loss or your son losing something of sentimental value, it’s keeping a firearm out of the hands of someone who shouldn’t have it.  I’m sure you know this, I’m just saying…

Honestly, I'm of the opinion that criminals are going to steal shit, it's what they do.

Even GT Distributors in North Austin- whose store looks like a fucking Fortress- bollards, bars- they are a Law Enforcement Dealer etc... had an F350 rammed through the wall and a bunch of guns stolen last year. McBrides, one of the other big gunshops in town had the same thing happen a few years ago. Ask any ATF agent who has done an audit how many FFL's have guns stolen even with cameras, alarms, hardened doors, employees working right there etc.....Fucking thieves are what they are.

You make a reasonable effort to secure stuff but I'm not going to worry about what a thief might do with a gun they steal. I'm only interested in making sure my kid has access to a decent firearm to defend himself with that's going to be completely replaceable at reasonable cost. You control what you can and don't worry about the rest of it. So in a nutshell, I am more concerned about the monetary and sentimental value of the items than the idea that someone might use them for nefarious purposes at some later date.

It’s not just about criminals, although that certainly matters.  College, right?  Drunk and stupid can be just as dangerous as criminal intent.  I’m not suggesting your son drinks or isn’t the brightest bulb in the room but other people, maybe people with no firearms experience, are going to end up in that apartment.  Sometimes it’s just about keeping the honest folks honest.  

Your choice, do what lets you sleep at night.

That is also a concern though it was obviously not what I had thought of. Fortunately for me, it's not something I have to worry about, my son doesn't drink. Never has. Now stupid? Can happen to anyone for sure. Kid he's rooming with has been a friend since High School, they are pledge brothers through a Christian Fraternity. I don't worry much about either of them, or from what I've seen, most of their friends either.  But, better "safer" than sorry...

We'll find some kind of vault for it and cable it down somehow.....Hell, I may just buy one of those cheap and shitty Homak cabinets and we can screw it to the studs in a closet. Not much but a little spackle and nobody will ever know it was there....

I would look at something like this


Have had one for several years as a bedside safe and it holds an AR and pistol perfectly.

Forget a $49 lower from PSA

$390 deal they are running for a complete upper and lower and just snap them together.

You're a good father. My dad got me a candle for graduation

Creates a number of options.  

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_5_4/171385_Car_CCW_Lock_Box___Technical_Specifications_for_Protecting_the_Special_Handgun_So_Carefully_Selected.html

Yeah, good job.  

My Dad has always kept me well armed.  They weren't always gun that I wanted, but it was a huge blessing because I was too broke to shell out a lot of money for guns and having one for defensive purposes at least helped with peace of mind.  

When there was an incident with a Cocaine addict at the place my wife and I first rented when we were newly married, my Dad quickly gave me his Colt Detective Special without batting an eyelash.  And a few other not too long after.

My first el cheapo 92 type gun was a Taurus 92AS.  Had adjustable sights, and shot well.  And never a malfunction.  We eventually got Berettas and you can tell the difference in quality.  But the Taurus worked just fine for as long as I shot it.

I plan to do the same for my kids.  And possibly even my Nephews....  Although I've given my Brother in Law some of my guns from my Dad so he should have them covered too.

My boys have gotten guns for presents all their lives.  They were killing game at age 6. When they got into their early teens I started taking them with me to shooting classes. They have met and taken classes with Louis Awerbuck, Mas Ayoob, Tom Givens, Paul Howe, John Farnham etc......They shot Appleseed over and over both making Rifleman before they were 12. They are kinda like John Connor, "What do you mean everyone doesn't spend their free time loading ammo and hanging out with men shooting guns?" I dunno if you are a religious person or not but one of my favorite Scripture passages and one I subscribe to is-Proverbs 22:6

" Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it."

My very first 9 mm was an old Taurus 92- it was one of the ones with the bottom magazine release, bought it for $150. There was a company in Illinois at the time that was a huge importer of ammo and surplus, can't remember the name, they aren't around anymore but they used to advertise in Shotgun News and had really funny little adds with Cartoons in them.

About the time I got that Taurus they had a shit ton of Egyptian, Corrosive 9 mm ammo come in. It was subgun ammo but not too hot- Nato Spec essentially. It was brass cased, came in funny little triangular boxes holding 36 rounds. It was $89 for a case of about 1600 rounds as I recall. I used to buy a case every pay day...Shot tens of thousands of rounds of it......One day after I had shot as I was cleaning my pistol I noticed a crack in the frame....I sent it in to Taurus and they sent a nice note back saying they no longer made that style frame but were replacing the gun with a brand new one. When I got the gun in I took it to the next gun show and swapped it for Glock 19......

Wow, you made out on that deal.  You basically shot that gun for free.  LOL.  Meaning the cost of the gun.  LOL...  Obviously the ammo wasn't free.

Yes, I'm a Christian and like that verse and I'm envious of your life.  I was gearing up to start taking classes when my son was about 5 and life had different plans.  I got lyme disease and it really kicked my butt.  Had all kinds of health problems and I never have taken a real class.  I've gotten a little bit of instruction from people that have taken classes, and a little bit here and there from other teachers.  And shot a few competitions.

 But my body can't handle the rigors of a class yet.  I'm getting better.  But still got a ways to go.  

I'd like to find a class geared towards the elderly or physically handicapped.  I'd probably fit right in.  LOL.  I have this thing called POTS that if I stay upright for overly long my blood pressure drops and keeps dropping.  It's a neurological problem.  So I can't stay on my feet very long without sitting down to regulate it.  I can do like 1/2 hour stints on my feet.  Yes, it's a big pain in the you know what.  


Anyways....  I'm going on about my sob story again.