Author Topic: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?  (Read 44943 times)

kilopaparomeo

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Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« on: March 07, 2010, 05:49:19 PM »
Well, I've searched the forum pretty extensively and have either used the wrong search terms or have overlooked the specific thread.  My google fu also reveals only a few hits that are relevant. Here's the deal.

As some of you have seen, my collection is around 105 guns (haven't done a count recently). None are "collector grade" e.g., $5000+ guns, however, quite a few are $1000-2000 guns and/or historical firearms. Today, I have a couple of small safes that the higher value firearms sit in and the lower value ones are on wall racks. These all exist in a locked basement room with dehumidifiers.

I want a secure, fireproof solution. I've looked into the really large (e.g., 60-75 capacity) gun safes. The biggest issues are

1) that the guns are really packed in there and tend to get "dinged" when I get them out

2) these safes are HEAVY and difficult to move...especially since I need to have them in the basement. Lots of twists and turns to get them there.

So, I'm seriously considering a walk in vault. A few companies will custom build them (such as http://www.rhinovault.com/index.html ). I'm also looking into having a mason build one using rebar reinforced, concrete filled cinder block. Climate controlled and lighted. Fireproof vault door. I'm thinking a room roughly 6x8 or 8x10 would work well.

Now the question -- where to find plans?

Does anyone know someone that is qualified to design rooms like this? Are there plans available that can be purchased?

Info is appreciated.
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alfsauve

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2010, 06:01:01 PM »
You could look at some of the old "fallout shelter" plans.  While they were intended to be in cellars/basements, it might give you some ideas.   
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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2010, 06:18:34 PM »
You are not going to find "plans"  there are several reason for this.  every thing from local building codes, to people want to get paid.

Its not as simple and retro fiting walls and wiz bang boom done.  

I would be more then happy to speak with you about generalizations, and what needs to be done, but there is a bunch of questions I need answered 1st.

like

what kind of foundation do you have?

what kind of soil conditions do you have?

above of bellow grade?


what kind of protection are you looking for?

budget?

I think you get the idea.


PS if you like I can PM you my phone number and we can talk more about this... I'm a general contractor.  And yes I have built several of these over the years to store things like guns, art, computers, wine... you name it.
I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

stewlamonster

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2010, 07:14:14 PM »
I live in tornado country and I would think that a safe room would meet your needs quite well.

Stew

m25operator

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2010, 07:24:11 PM »
KPR, since you already have a basement, which I assume has brick walls, Your more than halfway there, if you have ground level windows, then seal them off with concrete or steel, then put in a very sturdy steel door for the entrance, including, if you want to go high tech, a hydraulic cylinder operated door. If the ceiling is wood then you would want to reinforce with concrete, if it is already brick or concrete, the fire is not a problem unless there is fuel and 02 present.

I so wish I could have a basement here in Dallas.
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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #5 on: Today at 05:20:47 AM »

twyacht

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2010, 07:48:56 PM »
Be sure to include a good investment in firewalls. Most are rated 1hr, 2hr, kinda like bulkheads on a ship.. Many options are out there.

With a brick walled basement, you should be able to construct a cell sized "walk-in vault", with burn walls and lighting, even an outlet or two for de-humidifiers, etc,...

What about your ammo? same room ?

I would opt for commercial grade studs, ditch the wood, morter up an interior fortification, and look into steel doors similar to watertight doors on ships, or a commercial grade steel door. You have the "couple" pistols or so worth protecting. ;)

It can get as secure as you can afford, but even great options are out there even if your not re-building Ft. Knox.
Thomas Jefferson: The strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny of government. That is why our masters in Washington are so anxious to disarm us. They are not afraid of criminals. They are afraid of a populace which cannot be subdued by tyrants."
Col. Jeff Cooper.

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2010, 07:50:47 PM »
m25 its alot more too it then that, alot more.

Things like moisture control, settling, radon in some areas, building codes,  etc etc.


 most people think they can just use thier existing foundation wall(s) for one or more of thier "vault" walls, they are very much mistaken.  Doing so will lead to a whol bunch of probs that will be $$$$$ to fix later, things like water seapage, uneven settling and structural failures.  All of those can and would hapen if you were to build a masonary type structure and connect it to your foundation.  

dehumidifiers for example are basicly an AC but in reverse, they produce lots of water and use the same power as a AC unit.  Now you have a higher power bill and you have to deal with the water.   I could go on for days about this type of thing and go into great detail about.   Its not as simple as "lets just make a concreate box and throw a metal door in it."

I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

twyacht

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2010, 08:00:35 PM »
If its anything like my father in laws basement in MD, he has a sump pump also. When the heavy rains come, that pump runs quite a bit. He has had it fail, and ended up with a flooded basement. (Which would suck if there was a gun vault, wine cellar, etc down there).

All good points to consider.


Thomas Jefferson: The strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny of government. That is why our masters in Washington are so anxious to disarm us. They are not afraid of criminals. They are afraid of a populace which cannot be subdued by tyrants."
Col. Jeff Cooper.

MikeBjerum

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2010, 08:34:49 PM »
With a good mason the plans are nothing more than a basic floor plan and knowledge of the door requirements. 

One thing I learned from research several years ago is to build a room within a room.  Build the main room, including the poured concrete ceiling.  Then build a second "room" around the first, including poured concrete roof with a six inch insulated gap between the two.  Use refractory grade materials for the joints, filling and poured items on the outer "room".

In our part of the country most older homes have cisterns that are no longer used.  People will add a concrete ceiling and vault door for a secure room for valuables and shelter.  Most of these are eight to ten inch poured concrete walls, so cutting the doors into them is a major project.

Good luck, and keep us informed.

P.S.
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fightingquaker13

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Re: Walk-in gun vault designs / plans?
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2010, 11:46:45 PM »
Is a rental an option? Being Palm Beach County, I know there are a few places that offer secure storage vaults. No, I'm not talking about storage lockers. Basically, its exactly what you are talking about, a large, walk in saftey deposit vault with temp and humidity control for art, wine etc. The market is basically seaonal folks who want to secure the good art and people with big wine collections etc. I am sure here in Fl.guns are not a problem (ammo probably would be). If you could keep half the collection somewhere lke this, and then get a large safe or two for the rest, you might save money over building one of your own. I 'm not reccomending it, but I would look around.
FQ13

 

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