Gun Safes

[John1959]

Hi

I understand that a new law comes into force on Feb 10 which requires all airguns to be kept in a locked secure cupboard. I don't really have anywhere like that in my house. So I'm thinking of either building a lockable unit or purchasing a gun safe.
Does any one have any views or even plans for a safe I could make.

I only need it for a pistol.

Thanks

[magicniner]

Get a small houshold safe that uses a mortice lock & rawlbolt it to a structural wall, you can put it in the back of a wardrobe etc.
The discussions on here feature much cock, you must take reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorised access by under 18s - I can do that by locking my house doors
ATB,
Nick

[blooregard]

All of my kit is kept up in our loft, my plans for the 10th of Feb was initially to put a padlock on the loft hatch but thought that may draw attention to it.

Thankfully we have some storage built into the walls in the loft so I will be putting a lock on the door for that (Its basically a cupboard door in a stud wall).

I do have 3 kids running around the place and while the guns are kept well out of their way and are inaccessible as they cant pull down the loft ladder, I dont think this will be enough for the new legislation.

[skygrowler]

if you read section 10 , i dont see how putting them in the loft wouldnt be a reasonable precaution


Storage at home when not in use

8. A key issue is the presence, or likely presence, of young people under the age of 18. Many people either have young children themselves or are visited by friends and relatives with young children. In order to comply with the new provisions they will therefore need to take reasonable precautions to prevent those children gaining unauthorised access to any air weapons stored in their home.

9. In many cases, this can be achieved by using an existing, suitably robust, lockable cupboard and by keeping the keys separate and secure. Alternatively, they could use a lock or locking device by which an air weapon can be attached to the fabric of a building, or to a fixed feature, or a security cord, lockable chain or similar device attached to a point of anchorage within the building.

10. Where children are very young, it might be sufficient simply to store any air weapons up high and out of their reach, but some form of security cord or similar device would be preferable to guard against a climbing child or older children. This also applies where someone lives alone and they are not normally visited by children.

11. If someone keeps a number of air weapons, perhaps as tools of their job, it might be useful to look at some of the security measures set out in the Home Office’s Firearms Security Handbook 2005 (new window). Although that publication is aimed at the security of licensed firearms, they might find some of the Level One security measures suggested for certificate holders equally relevant to the safe storage of air weapons.

12. Anyone who already holds other firearms could use their existing gun cabinet for their air weapon, provided this did not compromise security of those other firearms.

13. Air weapons should be stored within the occupied part of a building and not in an outbuilding, such as a garage or shed, where there is no regular presence to check that the weapons remain secure.

14. Air weapons should always be unloaded when stored. However, this would not be sufficient in itself since the new offence relates to unauthorised access to the weapon. Neither could it be relied on to be safe since air weapon pellets can be accessible to young people and they could be in possession of some at the time they gain unauthorised access to an air weapon.

[shooter43]

if its just for a pistol get a small metal box from some where ,try a scrap dealer,and put it in your wardrobe, you could bolt it or screw to that,least then its out of eye sight.