Because of its bulky size and weight, moving a gun safe is a difficult process. Our house safes for sale come with a variety of features, from fire protection to military-style locking bars, making them essential once installed, but getting them inside can be a challenge. Using professional movers with experience in safe shifting is the safest option. However, if you do need to relocate yours, following guidelines will show you how to move a large safe while minimizing the danger of injury and damage to your property and safe.
It’s not the same as moving a couch when it comes to moving a gun safe. It’s not as simple as grabbing it and dragging it to where you want it to be. If you try to move it, it will either collapse over on you or refuse to move at all. Before you do this, you must first learn how to move a heavy safe. The first step is to understand the preparation required so that when it’s time to move the safe, you’ll know you’ve covered all bases.
Create a Plan
You don’t want to have to move your gun safe on a regular basis. It is a challenging process that necessitates a great deal of effort and forethought. So, before you start moving it, be sure you know where you’re going. It would be ideal if you had a definite destination in mind and a concrete plan to get from point A to point B that followed the guidelines outlined in this article.
Measure It
You’ll need to know the exact path you’ll be travelling as you move your gun safe. Because gun safes are substantial goods, you’ll need to measure them to make sure they’ll fit through the entrances and corridors you intend to move them through. While most of them can fit the safe through, measuring will allow you to determine how much clearance you have while moving the safe around choke spots and around tight corners. If you want to find out gun safes in different measures, see the best long gun safes under $1000 guide.
Clean It
If the safe is free of dust and debris that could lessen your grasp on it, it will be much easier to move. As a result, you should clean it and allow it to dry completely before attempting to relocate it.
Remove all of the contents (including ammo) from the safe since you want it to be as light as possible while moving it. Keep the contents in your presence or store them in a secure location where only you, the registered gun owner, may access them. Unload all loaded weapons and ensure that minors cannot gain access to firearms and ammo. Keep in mind that required gun storage regulations exist in some states, including Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, and New York.
Remove any shelves, drawers, or attachments that can be removed.
Secure It
While moving the safe, you don’t want any doors or drawers that can’t be removed to swing open. You also don’t want your safe’s hard surface to scratch any walls or furniture it may come into contact with when moving it. Wrap the safe in furniture covers and tie them in place to prevent both of these things from happening. This will protect your other belongings by securing loose parts and providing padding.
Get The Right Equipment
By reading the best small gun safe dehumidifier article, you will also learn you need the right equipment to keep the right humidity level in your gun safe.
You can’t move a gun safe like you move other things, as mentioned before. It’s not a good idea to try to move it with your arms. It will be nearly impossible because to the weight, and you can potentially damage yourself attempting to operate something that massive and heavy. So, rent or borrow the tools you’ll need for the work. Use a hand truck or a furniture dolly with a high enough weight rating to handle the load. Rent a stair-climbing dolly if you’re moving the safe up or down steps.
Protect The Floors
You’re about ready to start moving the safe. However, in order to avoid property damage, you must first learn how to move a gun safe on carpet, linoleum, tile, and other flooring surfaces. Carpet might snag your dolly’s wheels and make them difficult to turn. Tile is prone to cracking under the weight of a gun safe, especially when the weight is centered on the dolly’s two wheels. You’ll be able to protect yourself and your floors safe during the relocation if you plan ahead.
Get Help
When relocating a gun safe, we said that individuals are a valuable asset. It’s time to call those people over now that you’re ready to start relocating your safe. To assist you in lifting, manipulating, and navigating the safe to its location, you’ll need two or three good assistance. Because gun safes can be quite heavy, it helps if one of those individuals is capable of moving a 2,000-pound safe. Even if your gun safe isn’t quite as weighty as that, the knowledge will be useful.
Use The Hand Truck
It helps if you know how to utilize a dolly before transporting a huge object like a gun safe. It’s possible that many people will be required to tilt the safe in order to slip the dolly underneath it. Secure the supporting straps once the dolly is in place, and have your helpers assist you in tilting the dolly onto its wheels.
Make Sure Your Stairs Can Take It
If the safe is on the second floor, you’ll need to know how to bring a gun safe downstairs. It’s not always as easy as loading it into a moving dolly or hand truck and lowering it. Stairs, unlike flooring, aren’t designed to support a lot of weight. It’s not unusual for someone to find up with a stair repair fee after attempting to move something too heavy up or down them. Here are some pointers for bringing gun safes down the stairs safely using a hand truck:
- Approach the stairs with the wheels straight ahead to avoid a horrible tipping situation.
- Do not tilt the hand truck too far back while going downstairs
- Make sure that nobody is downstairs in the path of the safe just in case it falls
Conclusion
Moving a gun safe isn’t an easy process and it usually requires the help of others and especially equipment. But if you plan ahead and are smart about it, the chore won’t be nearly as hard as you fear. Just go slow, be careful, and know that it will take some time.
Jerry Miculek is an experienced firearms and optics expert. Guns are not just a hobby for him, they are his passion and life. You can learn more about Jerry on our About us page.