Anyone mount a gun safe in a 5er?

JamesD

Member
Since I'm thinking about full timing this is an important issue for me.
When I first started looking I didn't even think about it but now I want a 5er that has a place I can bolt down a gun safe (long guns). Nothing huge but a solid one with fire protection would be nice. Sadly, the only places I've fount to mount one is usually a closet where the W/D hookups would be and it would require some work on many 5ers.

Anyone out there do this?
 

Bighurt

Well-known member
If I mounted one it would be over the running gear. Or in the case of some toy haulers with a space for a rear fridge that would be good spot.

Might want to call heartland and see what the floor is rated at in terms of PSI. Safes have a small footprint associated to a large overall weight.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Depending on how many long guns you want to keep with you, you can look at an air line gun locker for transporting long arms on a airplane. I am unaware of any that are fire rated, but you can bolt them down under the bed, in the closet, etc.. I have one I can get 2 or 3 long guns in it and when locked, is very secure. To get one that is fire rated, the insulation is usually 2 layers of 5/8" fire rated Sheetrock, would be very heavy if not impractical for a RV. I have mounted a large document fire save mounted in ours in where the washer/dryer could go. I don't carry long arms with us, but need a place to store my carry weapons when we go places that don't allow them.
 

Snakebite

Member
As Hoefler said, you could use an Air Line travel case if you only had a couple of long guns, but you would still have to attach it or they would just take the whole thing... also, I think that someone with a big knife could cut one open in short order...even the aluminium ones. I have two of them that I use for Air Line Travel. I am a competition shooter and travel with MANY guns in my 5th wheel. I don't know of a good way to protect them from fire, and given enough time a thief WILL get just about anything. So.. if you can find a way to slow him down, you have gone a long way in protecting your Iron. One approach that I have taken is to use a quality cable that is run through each gun and attached to the trailer frame. I do this under the bed. Drill a hole down through the floor, into the chassis or cross member and then install a hardend I Bolt. Now, run a cable through your guns, and attach the cable to the I-bolt using a quality lock that resist bolt cutters. This will certainly "Slow Down" any Perp. I also attach a small fire proof safe to the chassis, and under the bed.

Snakebite
 

JamesD

Member
A pry bar will open an air line travel case in short order and I have a set of bolt cutters that will go through a heck of a thick cable or lock in about 2 seconds.
I had to cut off a very heavy lock once and it was almost like cutting through butter with those big bolt cutters. It would take a lock with a fully concealed shackle to defeat them. I was shocked at how easy it was.
Those methods might slow down someone that just sees an opportunity to grab some stuff quick but I wouldn't trust either to slow anyone that came prepared.

The safe I was looking at weighs about 137 lbs, holds 10 long guns, and can be bolted to the floor.
In this case I'd try to go to the frame if I could.
It would take a cutting torch to get into it so I think it would be pretty secure but it offers minimal fire protection.
My concern would be whether I could actually bolt it to the frame somewhere and where to put it.
It's over 55" tall so I almost have to put it in the front wardrobe or a closet near the entry.
I suppose I could have someone weld in a metal bar to bolt to if I needed it.

I was just wondering if someone had actually done something like this before.
<edit>

BTW, if I don't mind another 100lbs I can have 1200 degrees for 20 minutes fire protection.
I think a trailer might be burned to the ground in 20 minutes.

And I can just about fill a 10 gun safe so that's another reason I can't use an airline case.
 
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James, we have a Road Warrior 405, which has a small couch across from the dinette. We store our long guns under there, with bags of Absorb -dry pack pellets that they ship in the bags of motorcycles, our mechanic gave us 5. We also are looking at cutting a hole in our bed frame (ours does not lift up) for a small coffin inside to hold the hand guns and medications, etc. My Dad is a builder, so I have a pro finisher at my disposal. He's also going to rehang my crooked pocket doors. This was also a great concern of ours as we decided to full time. Good luck with finding the perfect spot in your rig...just takes some imagination. Talk to a local motorcycle shop and see if they will give you some Absorb bags...gotta keep the rust off the metal!
 

JamesD

Member
Well, I found a 5er with a layout I like and it has room to add an additional "wardrobe" in the bedroom that could conceal a gun safe.
I'd have to take it to a local shop that specializes in RV woodwork to build the wardrobe. Who knows what that would cost, probably $500-$1500.
I did find a safe manufacturer that makes safes that are user assembled, which would make them much easier to get in the RV.
But the price is twice what I can get a normal one for from someone else.
Here's the link: http://www.snapsafe.com
 

Sandpirate69

Well-known member
I know many of you have thought of just about anything possible. I had a professional wood/cabinet builder/finisher make a me a hidden compartment the hight and width of the wardrobe. Or a false wall. The type drug smugglers would use or still use for transporting illegals. Anyway, my theory is if you can't see it you won't take it. I have seen numerous illaborate compartments made in my career in Law Enforcement, so I put it to practice. jamesd said it best in his post, there is something out there to combat what you have used for protection. I do plenty of hunting and I carry several types of rifles, most are custom built. Good luck on the method you decide.
 

DW_Gray

Well-known member
I certainly don't want to publish for all to see where I keep mine. Each RVer has to be creative and decide where to store their own weapons.
 

Hastey

Oklahoma Chapter Leaders
I haven't done it yet, but, have been brainstorming putting one under the bed. Our bed raises and has two compartments. I'm thinking of putting some type of lock on the bed so it cant be raised.
 

TXTiger

Well-known member
Don't have a rig yet but getting close to pulling the trigger. I am looking at the Cyclone line of toy haulers. Was thinking of bolting a safe to the floor in the garage if it can hold the weight. Not sure will have to check on how much weight a garage can handle. Only problem is that the safe will be in plain sight every time I drop the back ramp! Will have to think of a way to cove it from public view.
 

MaxOwner

Active Member
We're only week end types. Looking for a place to put one rifle and one shotgun for animal type stuff.
Sentry makes cabinet style gun lockers. Thought about getting one and putting horizontally under the bed. And lining it with a foam style insulation.
The roads up here are horrible and the long guns would get beaten, bouncing around.
 

Grey Ghost

Well-known member
I put a small pistol safe in under the bed in my greystone 29mk and it works just fine. I don't carry anything bigger than a 44mag with me.

Since I'm thinking about full timing this is an important issue for me.
When I first started looking I didn't even think about it but now I want a 5er that has a place I can bolt down a gun safe (long guns). Nothing huge but a solid one with fire protection would be nice. Sadly, the only places I've fount to mount one is usually a closet where the W/D hookups would be and it would require some work on many 5ers.

Anyone out there do this?
 

SeldomSeen

Member
I have a lockable area in the truck and a small safe in the unit in the closet for pistols only. Carry the 9 mm in the truck and a .38 special in the unit.
 
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