I will be living with some friends in a house this summer, and i want to have my AR with me, possibly a pistol.  i dont want my roommates knowing i have them, because that could just cause complications.  and i definitely dont want to just sit it in the corner of my closet behind some clothes.

and dont worry, i'm researching the regulations for where i am living.


i think it says you cant have a magazine with "20 or more rounds" - so i'm assuming thats their way of making ppl have 10 rnd mags for guns like an AR.  bastards.          but thats ok, i have a 17rnd mag for a 92fs

i was thinking of making some sort of bookshelf or dresser/cupboard (or better yet, modifying one i already own) and making an extension on the back.   i figured i'd use magnetic catches to put the false back on, and inside would be my rifle.

i dont really want anything that locks so i can get to it in a jiffy, and i also dont want it somewhere where a robber would find it if noone was home.

any ideas/suggestions?

guitar case

no, that can just be picked up and taken with someone.  plus, people who might be over would be curious about said guitar.

Either tell them you have them and to deal with it (keep them locked up somehow) or find new room mates.

A hidden gun is a dangerous situation.

A false bottom in a dresser drawer might also work.

I'd shy away from a guitar case.   Everyone and their mother is an amature guitar player and roomates have a knack for borrowing your stuff.

Quoted: Either tell them you have them and to deal with it (keep them locked up somehow) or find new room mates. A hidden gun is a dangerous situation.

well, the door to my room locks.  and i know there will be a few parties over the summer, and i dont want some drunk dipshit saying "duuude, 'soccermike7' has a gun in his room"

THAT would be a dangerous situation.          i'm sort of subleasing this house, so i dont have an option of finding somewhere else to live for the summer.  i've already thought about the problems accidentally stumbling on something like that could bring.

however, this thread is not asking what i should do, just if anyone has good ideas about how to build something similar to what i'm thinking of

Quoted: no, that can just be picked up and taken with someone.  plus, people who might be over would be curious about said guitar.

They make decorator chests/gun safes.  Depends on how much you were looking to spend.  I suppose you could even build it yourself.

The one I saw looks like the chest that goes at the foot of the bed for blankets.  It had a cushion on top.  Lift the lid and there was a removable shelf, lockable, for you to stack blankets and crap on.   This one cost a grand, but it was a steel lined vault model.  You could probably build something similar for cheap.    

Quoted: A false bottom in a dresser drawer might also work. I'd shy away from a guitar case.   Everyone and their mother is an amature guitar player and roomates have a knack for borrowing your stuff.

i thought about that, too.  but a false bottom would need some way to get ahold of it to pull it up (like a hole to put your finger in).       a robber going through your stuff would likely see something is different.  or if a friend was looking for something.  noone looks at the back of stuff like that.

and yes, i know some ppl who carry beer in a guitar case to get past campus security (smart kids...).      and a bunch would love to try and play it.. plus, they all know i dont play guitar.

Paint the end orange and tell them it's an Airsoft.  Keep the fire control parts with you when you aren't shooting it.  Or keep the bolt/carrier with you.


tell them it's "classic Army" airsoft. made to be real.

or tell them you are a prop collector and bought it from a movie and that it's non functional. Again keep the bolt/carrier separate.



Or just tell them they're pussies and get some real friends.

Suggestions?

Yes.  If I were your roommate and I found out you were concealing a potentially dangerous weapon I'd kick your ass out.  Being truthful regardless of the "complications" is the high road.  Try telling your friends, buy a cheap gun locker from Wally World and you're good to go.

Quoted: Either tell them you have them and to deal with it (keep them locked up somehow) or find new room mates. A hidden gun is a dangerous situation.

I concur.

You have two issues.

One is physical security and the other is concealment.

Physical security is easy, a safe or gun cabinet is vastly superior to any wooden type enclosure.

The other, concealment is tougher.  If you're trying to simply hide your guns in plain sight or use a "security through obscurity" method, that will NOT provide any real protection against someone determined.

One of the chest safes that Martlet described is the best solution that covers both of your needs.

Anything else is going to sacrifice one need for another.

Tag

If you play a sport get an appropriate bag, hockey and golf come to mind.  Outfit it with accessories such stinky socks or a jock hanging over the zipper pull nobody will touch it.  For extra security use tighty whitys with a streak.

I played tennis and used a tennis bag for my pistols in my day of similar circumstances.

Just make sure the firearm is locked / disabbled in the bag in case someone doesn't mind touching skid streaks to see what is in the bag.

Kent

Just get a gun case for it. And make sure it has a lock on it. I would also put locks on the weapons as well. Most people won't ask what is in the case. And if they do, just say its none of thier business. What are your plans for bringing the weapons? Do you CCW? If so I would lock up the rifle tight and keep your pistol on you at all times. Or if it is just for target practice then lock them both up. Or if it is for home defence, then only take out the pistol when you go to sleep and put it under your pillow.

Quoted: Just get a gun case for it. And make sure it has a lock on it. I would also put locks on the weapons as well. Most people won't ask what is in the case. And if they do, just say its none of thier business. What are your plans for bringing the weapons? Do you CCW? If so I would lock up the rifle tight and keep your pistol on you at all times. Or if it is just for target practice then lock them both up. Or if it is for home defence, then only take out the pistol when you go to sleep and put it under your pillow.

well i dont have my ccw yet.  i turned 21 last summer.  i need to figure out what pistol i want to get (i'm sure i'll have some threads coming up soon about recommendations.  i really have no idea what ppl are talking about with glocks and constant trigger pull, other than the obvious.)

i plan on taking the class this summer, but first i'll need a gun and a good holster.  i cant take it in where i work, but i can probably keep it in my car/glove box.  although i'm sure the car will reach like 100 degrees inside, but i guess thats not the end of the world.

i suppose the most ideal thing would be to take a class asap and submit my paperwork for the ccw.  if i wait till summer and dont get it for 45 days, that kind of defeats the purpose seeing as its only 90 days long.  

maybe a 5 gun safe from walmart or something isnt such a bad idea.


so in short, i suppose the AR would be backup if i got my ccw, so it wouldnt matter if it was locked up.

False bottom drawer with a small piece of 1/8 steel attached to the bottom of false bottom. Then get a strong U magnet to place over steel to pull out said bottom. Problem solved and you have a kick ass hiding place.

there are a couple companies out there that make small safes that look like pieces of furniture. i think they are expensive though.

Quoted: Just get a gun SAFE for it. And make sure it has a lock on it. I would also put locks on the weapons as well. Most people won't ask what is in the case. And if they do, just say its none of thier business. What are your plans for bringing the weapons? Do you CCW? If so I would lock up the rifle tight and keep your pistol on you at all times. Or if it is just for target practice then lock them both up. Or if it is for home defence, then only take out the pistol when you go to sleep and put it under your pillow.

Fixed it for you.