Securing a car/truck/trunk gun effectively and efficiently.

[Gray222]

Lots of talk recently about keeping a long gun that is dedicated to your every day vehicle, not a lot of talk about securing it effectively and efficiently, along with your kit.

We all have different vehicle types, SUV's sedans, sports cars, if you leave a gun in your car, how do you secure it? Box? Lock? Etc?

[Gadfly]

In my G-ride (take home gov owned car) we were issued a "tuffy" lock box. It is about 3 ft long by 20" wide, and about 8" tall. We use a large bike cable to secure the box to the frame of the car. Mine is actually looped around the back seat mounts. The box is big enough for me to keep a lot in there (vest, rifle, raid jacket, flash light, mags and 300-500 rounds of ammo). Having a small SUV, there was really no "secure" spot in the car except for this lock box.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/09/98575fa97a4c1382b111c5523a7f3e74.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/09/e31f8c94c509480bbf6dd366801d7083.jpg


When I had a car with a trunk, I disabled the push button trunk release that was inside the car. That way you could not smash the window and pop the trunk. So I needed the car key or key fob to get in. The AR or MP5 was stored Mag out, bolt back and a bike cable was put through the mag well, out the ejection port and a lock as attached. not very fast to get into service, but pretty secure from theft. Our agency has never been real big on buying quick release gun racks... some guys have them, but they are the big exception to the rule.


On my personal vehicle, I have an extended cab pick up. No place for a tuffy box in the cab, so I use the bike cable lock method....

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/09/0365525ffc02066257e1a2828624261e.jpg



**A quick side note on dealing with the "LCD" in the my agency (AKA lowest common denominator, AKA dumb ass). When you give a basic M4 Class to an LCD agent, you really have to slow it down and put training wheels on the information. When you see the LCD storing or retrieving the gun from the vehicle, and you notice that they put the pad lock through the trigger guard, or front sight of the M4, it is hard not to strangle them. "But, its locked up!" (and I walk over and swing the trigger guard open and take the rifle from the trunk in about 10 seconds...) They sit there, mouth open, and say "I never thought of that"... Well, I covered it in the training class... LCD dumbasses.

[KevinB]

I have a Daily Long Gun -- but I pull it from the SUV at night - yes I live in the country, in a secure area, but...
I found it is much easier to put one in a day bag along with AS gear that can go from place to place easily without a lot of eyebrows raised.

When I lived in FL, a group of thieves hit the neighborhood - pried my hard top tonneau locked cover off my pick-up, and made off with hard and soft armor and a bunch of ammo and mags - and a few doors down the 870 in the rack from a SO cruiser...
I have also seen G ride Subbies broken into and the installed Gun Vault broken into as the top was not steel but plywood...

That really took my interest away on leaving guns in vehicles, unless it is a lockable metal box welded into the vehicle.

[El Cid]

I was actually thinking about starting a thread like this today. I've seen a couple of these in person and they are well built.

http://www.bossstrongbox.com

My problem is I'm space limited because I chose poorly with my POV. It has the spare tire inside which severely limits my options.
My goal is to be able to have a PC, rifle, and spare mags.

[NEPAKevin]

In my pickup, I have a steel lock box that a friend who is a fabricator built for me that sits under the back seat and has a large compartment for long guns and two smaller ones that straddle the hump for hand guns or accessories. Its similar in design to the one that Truck Vault (http://truckvault.com/) used to sell but I do not see it anymore on their website. I have some pics on my work puter and will post when I get a chance.

[Lon]

A few years back I decided I wanted a trunk gun for my little Ford Focus. But I was not happy with just throwing a long gun in the trunk since you can enter the trunk by smashing out a back window and pulling the rear seats down. One day I was discussing this with my buddy and he gave me the idea of using a old shotgun mount from a police car. So we found one and installed it in my trunk. It's hard mounted to the bracket behind the rear seats. We wired the mount to a simple toggle release switch that hidden behind the insulation in the trunk. It will only release if the car ignition is on. It worked ok but the shotgun would rattle around with just the mount we put in. I intended to put some atv type gun brackets in there as well to hold the shotgun more firmly into place. Not too long after we did this I ended up getting a take home g-ride so the focus sits in the garage largely unused. And I've since sold the 870 I had in there. I was hoping an AK would fit in there but it won't. So now I'm either gonna get another 870 or a different bracket to hold an AR.

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[RoyGBiv]

Ok..... I know there are some CAD folks here.... Sounds like a good business opportunity.... Somebody design something...

ETA: I wonder if something could be done with magnets... Like those door-lock magnets. When the car is on the magnet is disengaged. Car off, magnet is locked.

[Malamute]

So far I've probably been lucky as much as anything. I nearly always have a long gun in the vehicle. Living more than an hour from an Interstate Hwy, more than an hour from a large town or anything that could be called a city, and usually have one or more large dogs in the vehicle that seem to discourage people from getting close or looking in seems to help to some degree. Still, would like to upgrade the security potential of on-board hardware. One long gun is only accessible from the rear barn doors of the full size SUV. The doors have no inside handle, only the outside locking handle. Needs at least another layer though.

[HCM]

. We use a large bike cable to secure the box to the frame of the car. Mine is actually looped around the back seat mounts.


Is this because your spare tire is under the box? I ask because i once had to unbolt a box in the back of a Ford Expedition with a multi-tool in order to change a tire. ......

[cclaxton]

Consider adding unbreakable glass
https://youtu.be/jdlCsuLSFOc
Cody

[cclaxton]

This guys shows how easy it is to break into a vehicle...and get to the trunk.
https://www.facebook.com/denverpolice/videos/757789817659337/
Cody

[Hambo]

Consider adding unbreakable glass
https://youtu.be/jdlCsuLSFOc
Cody

Too many canals, rivers, and lakes around here for that. We keep glass breakers attached to the driver side seatbelts in our cars just in case.

I've got a four door Tacoma which is not the best for interior space or security. I do have a small lock box behind the rear seat and cable locked to part of the truck. For long guns/more than one handgun I use a Pelican case, padlocked and cabled locked to seat mounts. I do not leave guns in the truck overnight nor do I leave the truck out of sight for long with guns inside it.

[nycnoob]

I have been using this system for several years now and really like it.
The down side is that they have no US distributors so shipping costs an arm and a leg and takes a while to get here.
I had to find a competent body shop to install the receiver in the trunk of my car.

Also they use many different email and web addresses so dealing with them always feels like you are talking to a fly by night company, but they were very upstanding in all my dealings and I had several issues due to shipping that they resolved for me. So no complaints from me.


http://www.weapon-safe.com.au/

http://hideawaysafe.com.au/

http://www.hide-away-safe.biz/

http://www.laptop-safe.com.au/


This PDF file shows various car/van/SUV installations (http://www.hideawaysafe.com.au/pdf/various-car-installs.pdf)



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[RoyGBiv]

Interesting but won't fit a carbine.

[Gadfly]

Is this because your spare tire is under the box? I ask because i once had to unbolt a box in the back of a Ford Expedition with a multi-tool in order to change a tire. ......

Yep. The spare tire is underneath the box.

But I used a tow truck before on the Old G Ride. I was not emptying the ass end in the middle of the freeway at 4:30. I turned on my rear red/blue strobes as I pulled over to get through traffic. Local PD Called a tow truck, IDed me as police, and got a me free tow to discount tire! Thanks HPD!

[Wendell]

Almax Security Chain Immobiliser Series III 16mm and Immobiliser Series IV 19mm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Zrgu7Dqg4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Zrgu7Dqg4

Best Strongest Security Chain Bolt Cutter Cropper Proof Chain
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnS4ZkTGUY)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnS4ZkTGUY

[awmp]

Good topic, curious as well how to secure high dollar items, I have a 4 door Tundra and trying to figure out the best way.

[Gray222]

Lots of good options so far.

So the situation i am referring to here is a personal vehicle and secure discreet storage.

One setup i saw was a metal box, like from home depot or the like, that was re inforced with new/better hinges and one very heavy duty locking system installed. Then the whole thing was secured into the rear of the vehicle (trunk/cargo area) through bolts into the chasis. Guy had kit, rifles, ammo, etc inside it and had an alarm system on the box that would require turning off once it opens in order to stop it. The whole setup wasn't too expensive either. Anyone know of such a kit thats turnkey?

[S Jenks]

Timely thread. I'm on a regional riot/SAR team and have a good amount of equipment I have to bring to training/callouts. No long gun but body armor, duty belt, helmet, gas mask, cold weather uniforms, etc.

I drive a Subaru without a trunk (no G-Ride for me) and live far enough away from my station that it's easier to keep the gear with me and respond directly than it is to go to the station, gear up and grab a cruiser.

I've been looking at some of the Tuffy products but don't feel like dropping $700 on a simple lockbox. I've been thinking of reaching out to the local vo/tech school to see if the metal fab students would make an appropriate-sized setup for the cost of materials.

[TGS]

I've been looking at some of the Tuffy products but don't feel like dropping $700 on a simple lockbox. I've been thinking of reaching out to the local vo/tech school to see if the metal fab students would make an appropriate-sized setup for the cost of materials.

Maybe NH is different than where I grew up, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable having vo-tech handle that task. Almost akin to a police department asking prisoners to build their armory door at an offsite storage warehouse. In our education system, Vo-tech has become the dumping ground for the fucked up kids. More than half the kids from my high-school who attended vo-tech were drug addicts or so.e other form of upstanding pillar of society, some of which were already in/out of jail at least once by 18.

[S Jenks]

Maybe NH is different than where I grew up, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable having vo-tech handle that task. Almost akin to a police department asking prisoners to build their armory door at an offsite storage warehouse. In our education system, Vo-tech has become the dumping ground for the fucked up kids. More than half the kids from my high-school who attended vo-tech were drug addicts or so.e other form of upstanding pillar of society, some of which were already in/out of jail at least once by 18.

Good point, I'll have to think about it. The one near me is almost like a private school, students have to test to get in. My youngest brother graduated from there in 2012. He said he doesn't know any of the current metal fab/welding students so as long as I sanitized my vehicle I doubt they'd be able to figure out where I live/work as I'm about 45 minutes away. But it is something to keep in mind that I didn't consider.

Plus I usually adhere to the mantra of "buy once, cry once" and one probably shouldn't skimp when it comes to this.

[Cookie Monster]

I've had a company called Highway Products build me two custom sized lockable boxes and have been really happy with them. What you are talking about will probably run $500 to $1000 but call them. They got folks that all they do is estimates, really helpful.

The Suburu is a tough nut though, any box in the back will block access to the spare.

[Gray222]

http://www.breachbangclear.com/trunk-gun-update-a-practical-solution/

http://santacruzgunlocks.com/by-weapon/patrol-rifles/

[El Cid]

http://www.breachbangclear.com/trunk-gun-update-a-practical-solution/

http://santacruzgunlocks.com/by-weapon/patrol-rifles/

Hard to say without seeing it in person - but it appears that a thief would only need to unthread or use the QD on the can and would have the rifle and suppressor free rather quickly.

ETA - and the take down pins are not protected. Unpinning the upper and lower receivers appears to be another quick and easy option.

For LE style quick release long gun racks my favorite is the Blac-Rac. It protects the middle of the rifle and works with any combo of light/laser attachments and any optics.

[HCM]

Lots of good options so far.

So the situation i am referring to here is a personal vehicle and secure discreet storage.

One setup i saw was a metal box, like from home depot or the like, that was re inforced with new/better hinges and one very heavy duty locking system installed. Then the whole thing was secured into the rear of the vehicle (trunk/cargo area) through bolts into the chasis. Guy had kit, rifles, ammo, etc inside it and had an alarm system on the box that would require turning off once it opens in order to stop it. The whole setup wasn't too expensive either. Anyone know of such a kit thats turnkey?

Not turnkey but we've had success having a local police vehicle shop wire the lid of diamond plate tool boxes in the back of pick ups into the vehicles alarms system.

[Gray222]

Not turnkey but we've had success having a local police vehicle shop wire the lid of diamond plate tool boxes in the back of pick ups into the vehicles alarms system.

I've seen something similar.

For our patrol vehicles we have an alarm system setup with a deactivation button inside the center console and a hidden button in the trunk where two long guns sit. Alarm system is a cool idea.

[Lon]

Im thinking about replacing my shotgun specific lock in my trunk with this universal one:

http://m.galls.com/santa-cruz-gun-locks-universal-gun-lock?PMWTNO=000000000002264

That way I can put my AK, AR or a shotgun back there. Anyone have experience with them?

[Chuck Whitlock]

So now I'm either gonna get another 870 or a different bracket to hold an AR.


Im thinking about replacing my shotgun specific lock in my trunk with this universal one:

http://m.galls.com/santa-cruz-gun-locks-universal-gun-lock?PMWTNO=000000000002264

That way I can put my AK, AR or a shotgun back there. Anyone have experience with them?

You beat me to the punch...I was going to suggest that very thing.

At my last agency, our vehicles came outfitted with dual gun racks, and the rifle lock heads didn't fit our rifles. I swapped them out for the universal lock head and was very pleased. I was also able to cannibalize parts from previous rack systems and make workable solutions with K9 cages. I'm a fan of the universal. I like to mount it just forward of the magwell/optic, if possible.

[NEPAKevin]

In my pickup, I have a steel lock box that a friend who is a fabricator built for me that sits under the back seat and has a large compartment for long guns and two smaller ones that straddle the hump for hand guns or accessories.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4X5tsTzEOK0/VnB5u96XGAI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/EqAZGAUQcbE/w958-h719-no/DSCN1747.JPG

[deputyG23]

None of our vehicles have locking racks for long guns and our road grunt Crown Vics are gradually being traded in for the PPV? (aka Ford Explorer).
Since I am now a management puke, I have a Chevy HHR for a work vehicle. The Mossberg pumpgun barely fits in the back and I cover it with my issued jail blanket to conceal it from common observation. Not an ideal situation but I make do.
We have finally been given permission to review our firearms policy and hope that meaningful changes can be made in regards to proper security and deployment of shotguns stored in vehicles.
As far as POV long gun carriage, I would be perfectly content with my Winchester 94 30-30 in the trunk but vehicle break ins are too common here and I dont want to arm some turd that may hit my car one night for toll change.

[rob_s]

Piggybacking on this thread. I'd like to find a cable/trigger lock type device that would allow me to lock the gun to keep kids out but allow quick access on my end. Maybe a cable would be best so it could also be secured to something. Not concerned about totally encasing the gun or preventing a determined their with tools.

[Malamute]

Many gun shops have had piles of the small cable locks for cheap or free after they were mandated or commonly given with new guns years ago. I grabbed a few for the sort of thing you are looking at. Some bike cables may be useful for securing to seat frames or whatever. A dog run cable could be subsituted also, though youd have a lot of spare cable rolled up out of the way.

I keep a small lockbox in the vehicle when travelling with the key on a cord around my neck, along with the vehicle door remote.

[MDFA]

My recent solution to when I transport firearms and need to secure them. It's a Tuffy 36 x 20 x 9 box and it fits my 2018 Jeep Compass very well. It has both a combination lock as well as a keyed push button. No I don't leave firearms in it 24/7, so let's not open up that whole debate.... The model number is 327 Tactical Security Vault. It's secured by a cable and there are also 4 holes in the bottom to screw it down as well. The interior is lined.
4537445375

Hope this helps anyone in the market for one.

[Duelist]

My recent solution to when I transport firearms and need to secure them. It's a Tuffy 36 x 20 x 9 box and it fits my 2018 Jeep Compass very well. It has both a combination lock as well as a keyed push button. No I don't leave firearms in it 24/7, so let's not open up that whole debate.... The model number is 327 Tactical Security Vault. It's secured by a cable and there are also 4 holes in the bottom to screw it down as well. The interior is lined.
4537445375

Hope this helps anyone in the market for one.

Do you have a link for that?

[mmc45414]

Do you have a link for that?Tuffy has a lotta stuff.
https://www.tuffyproducts.com/default.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQiAw4jvBRCJARIsAHYewPNDvEY FVxQFbXpn6cZp2uj5276TnkPZUb4ND4akUjme4wMq0dckGT8aA qNEEALw_wcB
I have their box under the back seat of the extended cap F-150. You take out the jack, put in the box, then bolt the jack.mount back in. Nice box that would be tough to remove.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Cookie Monster]

I unbolted the support brackets for under the back seat of my truck and had Highway Products make me a custom lock box with split doors that match the 70/30 seat split. Bolted it to the truck with the bolt holes for the brackets. Hidden, tons of storage, three or more rifles and other kit.

Child car seats now make the box absolutely worthless. With the three seats in the back, 30 minutes minimum to get into that box.

[mmc45414]

Tuffy has a lotta stuff. I have their box under the back seat of the extended cap F-150. You take out the jack, put in the box, then bolt the jack.mount back in. Nice box that would be tough to remove.

Here is the specific one I have:
https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-425-tuffy-under-rear-seat-lockbox-for-f-150-x-cab.aspx
You have the option to store the jack someplace else and there would be enough room for an AR, but might be a little short, like maybe a 14.5" pinned gun would fit.

I plan to remove the center section of my seat and fabricate a way to mount one of these:
https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-88-series-ii-security-console-12-12-wide.aspx
I had one in our older Suburban and it was great.

[Rex G]

Tuffy Products made/makes the big box in the back of my wife’s 2004 Jeep Wrangler. Until I sold my ‘98 Wrangler, it was my lock box. Good, long-lasting products.

[Wendell]

...Highway Products make me a custom lock box with split doors...

Highway Products (https://www.highwayproducts.com/)' 'Double Barn Door Underbody Box (https://www.highwayproducts.com/c/semi-truck-boxes/p/double-barn-door-underbody-box/)' with the optional 'Security Bar Lock (https://www.highwayproducts.com/c/semi-truck-boxes/p/double-barn-door-underbody-box/)' (combined with a pick-resistant high-security padlock), looks to be the best and most secure trunk option that I've ever seen. I've been watching them for a while now, on some passing tractor-trailers, but - until now - I don't know who'd made them. And, to think, they do custom work, too!

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Maybe NH is different than where I grew up, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable having vo-tech handle that task. Almost akin to a police department asking prisoners to build their armory door at an offsite storage warehouse. In our education system, Vo-tech has become the dumping ground for the fucked up kids. More than half the kids from my high-school who attended vo-tech were drug addicts or so.e other form of upstanding pillar of society, some of which were already in/out of jail at least once by 18.

Must vary by area. I attended Vo Tec part time in 2019 to upgrade some skills. I attended the daytime curriculum where the students were full time and I was pretty impressed with the quality of the kids. Especially compared to some of the yahoos that were enrolled 30 or so years ago when I attended full time.