Better safe than sorry
Michael Yardley discusses the best way to store guns – legally
Safety and security are the watchwords in every aspect of shooting. And that goes for the storage of guns, too, writes Michael Yardley
In a family gun room, two generations back, there was little concern for gun security beyond placing a modest selection of well-cleaned guns in the rack of an unlocked room dedicated to the purpose. Commonly, in that era, one would visit farms to see a shotgun propped in a corner of the kitchen. I remember being in one rather grand house and using the firstfloor loo (which over-looked the back lawn). There was a .22 rifle and box of cartridges within and framed instructions on the wall about how it might be put to use to deal with the rabbit population. Today, such a relaxed approach to security or shooting would be grounds for the revocation of a certificate.
What is the law? It emanates from Sections 1 and 2 of the Firearms Act 1968, which made it an offence “for a person not to comply with a condition subject to which a firearm or shotgun certificate is held by him...”
The related statuary instrument – Arms and Ammunition: The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2007 – notes at condition 4a on a shotgun certificate, for example: “the shotguns to which the certificate relates must at all times be stored securely so as to prevent so far as is reasonably practicable, access to the shotguns by an unauthorised person.”
Mike Eveleigh of BASC’S firearms department and a former police inspector notes: “Guns must be stored so nobody who is not authorised can get to them. Unauthorised persons doesn’t just mean burglars, it means wives, children, friends, visitors, etc – anyone who is not licensed to use the gun.” You should not give the keys of a cabinet to anyone who is not licensed to use the guns within. The best advice is to keep them either on your person, hidden or secured in a separate safe.
This brings us to the cabinets themselves. I remember purchasing my first, circa 1970, so a shotgun and rifle could be securely stored in a London mews house. This was inspected by the police and deemed fit for purpose. It was not an especially big deal then. nevertheless, since the 1967 and 1968 Acts (Criminal Justice and Firearms respectively – the second growing out of the latter) official attitudes to civilian possession of guns began to change. The legislation had handed over to chief constables the responsibility for checking out applicants for the new “Shotgun Certificate”. Before that, you went to the Post Office for a “Gun Licence” for smooth-bore, long-barreled guns. (The system for firearms certificates, however, was similar to the one in place today, dating to a fear of terrorism post-first World War.)
Something of a mania for gun cabinets and gun security erupted after the Hungerford tragedy in the 1980s (which did not involve a shotgun). new requirements for shotgun storage were introduced and, in spite of impediments, those who kept their licences were typically buying more guns and participating in a wider variety of shooting sport than previously. This created a welcome, if temporary, boom for a suddenly challenged gun trade (which also profited briefly from the requirement to modify semi-automatic shotguns to a maximum capacity of three shots). A number of firms appeared dedicated to making reasonably priced gun safes from sheet steel. Few have survived but the basic types of cabinet became more or less standardised products.
Quality cabinets today are usually made to the British Standard 7558/92. They are typically made from folded 14 gauge (about 2mm) sheet steel plate and equipped with one or twin deadlocks. Twin locks (or a single central locking system with multiple bolts) and a double-skinned door are to be preferred. The British Standard 7558/92 just mentioned – which is an attack standard rather than a kite mark – suggests that a compliant cabinet must survive if attacked by two British standard burglars for five minutes and a repeat attack on a similar fresh cabinet using the knowledge gained from the first attempt for a further five minutes, the potential perpetrators being armed with, and I am not jesting now: a British standard club hammer (BS876); a British standard flat cold chisel (BS3066); and a jemmy/crowbar (illustrated precisely in the relevant British standard but not accorded a BS number). This may elicit images of men in masks with striped shirts and a bag marked “swag” but the probable reality would be some local villain who, if he was unable to get into the cabinet itself, might well attempt to prise it off the wall (emphasising the importance of attaching it securely, too).
Do not be too worried about what gun safes look like.my preference is not for something that looks as if it belongs in a Texas trophy room, which only attracts attention. Go for plain safes in concealed positions; a safe with a glass front is best kept in a locked gunroom. Central locking or combination locks, now commonly available, would be my call as they reduce potential hassle with too many keys. A lockable compartment is also useful. I would suggest a separate small cabinet for rifle ammunition, too, and another, in a different location, for bolts if you want ultimate security. Traditional wall and floor safes, useful for ammunition, bolts and working parts, and other valuables, can often be purchased at reasonable cost second-hand. I would much prefer an older, quality safe to a cheap one from a home-improvement warehouse shop.
What make to go for as far as new safes are concerned? One of the changes in gun ownership here is that existing gun owners are buying more. Whereas once we made do with one gun to do everything, today many shots will have a pair for grouse, one for high pheasants and a semi-auto for fowling and
My preference is not for something that looks as if it belongs in a Texas trophy room
vermin. So gun cabinets are growing bigger to accommodate the trend and my advice is to buy one rather larger than you think you’ll need.
In the UK, Brattonsound is the industry leader. It began in the early 1980s and makes all shapes and sizes of cabinet now, from single gun models to those intended for nearly 30. I have been happy with its well-evolved products and service. Prices are reasonable, too. If you order a Brattonsound safe from, for example, Holland & Holland or Chris Potter Guns, two of its suppliers, the safe will be delivered to you directly and will come with a three-year, on-site guarantee. The firm does not deal with the public directly as retailers but it does stand by its wares in an admirable, old-world way.
What else is on the market? Browning offers a new range of large, high-end, electronic combination-lock safes made from heavier gauge steel plate and designed for 10 to more than 20 guns. These incorporate the Thermablock fire-retardant system. Infac of Spain is another firm that is long established and well respected for making a wide range of models.
Safes that are made to look like furniture, such as those from the Bespoke Furniture Company, are available, too, as are those that recognise fingerprints. I am, however, always concerned that gizmos may go wrong. So, my advice would be to keep it simple.
Once you’ve bought your safe, where do you put it? Ideally, they should be attached by large rawbolts to an exterior wall. Stud walls, old red bricks and breeze blocks may present issues (if in doubt, consult a fixings specialist). Peter Lamb of Essex Police, a hugely experienced Firearms Enquiries Officer (FEO), notes: “We recommend all firearms to be kept in a British standard gun cabinet fixed solidly using 12mm raw-bolts, if possible, and out of sight to casual visitors to the home. We understand some people do not live in British standard houses and that security must sometimes be adapted to older buildings... we’re sensitive to individual circumstance. Cabinets, it should also be noted, should not exceed their design specification with regard to the number of guns held in them.”
Individuals with one gun may be able to use a security cord or clamp – much may depend on your inspecting FEO – but they are not as secure as conventional steel cabinets, although, potentially, they may have concealment advantages. Any cabinet or secure storage system only buys time. If you can prevent burglars getting easy, quick access to a cabinet by means of additional physical security measures, so much the better. Burglar alarms deter villains, especially those connected to a central station.
Once you have your cabinet properly installed, you will need to prepare guns for short- and long-term storage. No gun should ever be put in a cabinet wet. Bear in mind that condensation may form on a cold gun when brought into a hot room. Central heating generally can have adverse effects on guns. Andy Radford of GMK’S muchrespected workshop comments: “If you oil a wet gun, all you are doing is creating a potentially damaging oilwater mixture. The gun must be dried off before oiling. Guns should not be overoiled, either – just a light film. The cabinet should have been positioned to avoid extremes of temperature and, especially, any damp.”
Other practical advice? I never use snap caps as I believe them to be a safety hazard (you may ease the springs of locks with traditional V-springs with a nylon block on the breech-face). Put all guns into a cabinet muzzles-down, whenever possible. One sees too many older guns damaged by excessive oil in their wood. Modern products such as Napier VP90 – a vapour-phased inhibitor – are less likely to cause such damage (and also prevent damage to guns with plastic stocks and rubberised inserts on gripping surfaces). I use VP90 sachets and Napier aerosol gun oil and lubricants, which contain the same active ingredient. The latter is clever stuff as it not only acts as a solvent but leaves a fine film of rust inhibitor on all metal surfaces. The faceted particles of VP90 in the sachets are designed to encourage the migration of the rust inhibitor from the sachet to metal. Unlike some oils, VP90 does not affect wood or plastic significantly. Balistol is another popular range of gun-care products and gentler on the environment and the user than some.
Traditionally, long-term storage of rifles would involve using Rangoon oil in barrels. This is still extremely effective provided one takes due care of woodwork. Robert Taylor of long-established Bisley riflesmiths GE Fulton & Son comments: “We routinely check stored guns every six months. Initially, we will clean and oil them.”
Finally, remember the key legal word in considering gun storage in and out of the house, in transit or in temporary accommodation, is “reasonable”. You must do your best to take reasonable precautions at all times to secure your guns. Better to be too safe than sorry. To this end, you may want to equip your car with a secure storage locker, too, and you must get in the habit of removing a gun’s bolts and fore-end when in transit. When travelling, never leave a complete gun in a car even if it is locked in the boot. And photograph every gun you own to keep as a record.