Gun Safe for an SUV

[teecro]

Looking for options and opinions of what type of gun safe would you use in an SUV for those times when you can't carry inside or can no longer carry such as in stopping for a drink etc. I have an 07 Hyundai Santa Fe if that helps; it also does not have the 3rd row seating so it does have a fairly large semi hidden compartment under the back storage area that I could bolt a larger lock box in. I'd also like to hear about the under seat cabled storage vaults that seem to be so common; how strong are these things etc?

[andrewt]

I got a Nanovault by GunVault. I think it's the 200 model with the key lock. I used the cable to lock it to the front seat. The cable's long enough so you can bring it above the seat and use it, but that also means it will slide out from under the seat when you brake (in my Chevy Cruze). I just stuck some velcro to the bottom of it so it stays in place, no problem.

You could probably get into it with a lot of effort; it seems they're more useful as a deterrent to someone who wants a quick grab. If you had time and tools you could probably break it, but for $25 it's hard to beat. I don't plan on storing anything in there long-term, just when I go somewhere where I can't carry. Plus my carpet is black so it's pretty hard to see.

[HVYMTLMEC]

no longer carry such as in stopping for a drink etc.

:deal2: :beer: :protest: :etoh: :tsk:

[bobdaney]

i have the model 300 nanovault. very sturdy and has tumbler lock, no key. Replaced the 1500 lb steel cable with a 1/4 in ss cable. very secure.

Also have a Sentry vault, similar design, but with touchpad/key system. Bigger. Doesn't appear to be as heavy gauge steel, but most crooks won't be able to penetrate it without creating a ruccus. They will just go to the next car.

Works for me.

[teecro]

:deal2: :beer: :protest: :etoh: :tsk:

Ten plus days and this is all you can come up with? :doh:


Ended up ordering two different ones from Stack-On; one being a small under seat cabled unit with the electronic 4 button and/or keyed lock and a larger electronic full keypad and pop-up lid for mounting into the hidden compartment under the floor in the back of our SUV

I'll be at work for another couple of weeks so it will be a while before I can post to their design.

[HVYMTLMEC]

Ten plus days and this is all you can come up with?


Yep pretty much and 10 plus days for anyone else to think it is ok to posses
a firearm while intoxicated or to suggest it is ok is my reason. I hope you enjoy prison food.

[hopeitsfast]

Yep pretty much and 10 plus days for anyone else to think it is ok to posses
a firearm while intoxicated or to suggest it is ok is my reason. I hope you enjoy prison food.
A little extreme. He's asking about a safe so he's 'not' possessing firearms if he decides to have a drink. Geez. :lol:

[teecro]

Yep pretty much and 10 plus days for anyone else to think it is ok to posses
a firearm while intoxicated or to suggest it is ok is my reason. I hope you enjoy prison food.

Want to show me where I've stated that I'm willfully looking to be in possession of a firearm while intoxicated or even drive while intoxicated? Quite the contrary as I'm looking for ways to remain completely compliant and within the law. Is this not the reason we put lock boxes in the car so that the firearm can be safely and legally stowed so that a person can stop and have a drink with dinner and still be within the law?

[HVYMTLMEC]

I will apologize for my comment.

[teecro]

I will apologize for my comment.

Thank you; apology accepted!

[Frlall]

I apologize for bump an old topic...
I have strongly considered having some sort of lock box or hidden compartment in my Miata. Just can't get past the convertible "easy to break into" problem.

One of the few negatives that I have found to offset the fun factor of my car.
For that reason I don't even lock it or keep anything at all inside the passenger compartment or trunk. Some day I fully expect to have the cheap $50 stereo stolen while I am at WalMart.

My father had a convertible back in the 70's and two different times the top got cut with a knife so somebody could steal the 8 track tapes he kept sitting in plain sight. He finally figured out the most practical course was just to leave it unlocked because a few tapes were much cheaper than replacing the soft top.

With a lock box my worry is that somebody would see something that they think might be worth their time and trouble to cut an opening in the soft top to unlock the door and check it out. For them it is a 30 second decision that would cost me $1000 and hassle to fix even if they did not find anything worth stealing.

Oklahoma (and other states that allow it) have restrictions on where the weapon can and cannot be carried. To stay legal a concealed carry person does need to have a secure method to store the pistol at those times. To me, the trunk of my Miata does not feel particularly secure but is still more secure than a pickup truck.

For all you folks who live in places where owning and/or carrying a pistol for personal defense is not legal, all I can say is "It sucks to be you".
Having a choice on owning a firearm is good because each person can make an individual decision as to how much personal safety they want to take upon themselves and how much they want to depend on other people or law enforcement. My wife has nothing to do with firearms and that is her personal decision and I respect her for her choice to be passive. That said, the time she was scared for her safety she was real quick to get me to stand between her and the danger. Guess a husband is good for something even with a "liberated" woman.When I travel, that compartment is loaded with all kinds of stuff making it impractical to access a safe. Based on my personal needs, and fully understanding the limitations of cable safes and less expensive gun vaults, I opted for the Gunvault V500 Vehicle Gun Safe (https://secretstorages.com/best-car-gun-safe/) I was able to get it for $99 with free shipping. It attaches via cable to the driver's seat rails, is accessible from the front seat, is easy to unlock and has a secondary mechanical key lock, and offered the best value for the value of the gun stored within. I seldom have to use it, and I never leave anything in it overnight.

[smitdawg]

For anyone checking on this thread now, there's some wicked console safes available for suburbans/yukons...made by a company called Lockr down.

[Rlxlvr]

I apologize for bump an old topic...
I have strongly considered having some sort of lock box or hidden compartment in my Miata. Just can't get past the convertible "easy to break into" problem.

One of the few negatives that I have found to offset the fun factor of my car.
For that reason I don't even lock it or keep anything at all inside the passenger compartment or trunk. Some day I fully expect to have the cheap $50 stereo stolen while I am at WalMart.



same thing with my BMW, fortunately you can't get into the trunk from inside the car without the key. I always leave the cabin unlocked in case someone decides to break in. Unfortunately, left my gun in my trunk the one time I had a gun pulled on me in traffic

[VIGILANT]

For anyone checking on this thread now, there's some wicked console safes available for suburbans/yukons...made by a company called Lockr down.

I'd hate to be the one attempting to enter the combination in a hurry or under duress! Not to mention in the dark or without my reading glasses! Wonder how that knob-lock would stand up against a pair of Channellocks or a pipe wrench?

[since9]

I would not ever store a firearm in a vehicle for no other reason than visible safes are an added "Steal Me!" incentive for thieves and even totally hidden safes quickly become the property of thieves.

A few years back I watched a porch cam of two thieves breaking into a locked, alarmed vehicle. Took them less than 30 seconds between touching the vehicle until the made off with a small, steel handgun safe tucked beneath the driver's seat, and yes, it was bolted to the floor. Thin steel bends easily to Archimedes principle.

The best security for a firearm is a Level II retention holster and an alert gun-owner walking it into the house.

[oldmann1967]

for a rifle, Shotlock AR solo-vault
89029

[Roundballer]

2012, 2018, 2019, 2020

[Mr. Waverly]

2012, 2018, 2019, 2020

Safes never go out of style, and people will always have questions concerning the safe storage and security of their possessions.

Sometimes these ancient threads can provide value.

And, sometimes, they provide a means of boosting one's post count.

[grallen616]

I know it is on the high side for cost (I paid about $500 years ago) but I bought a Truck Vault gun safe while I was driving a ford explorer and then transferred it to a Yukon and still love it after 12+ years. Just a basic standard height safe is 8" and is wide enough to hold most rifles and a couple hand guns without taking up much room (just 8"across the bottom of the cargo area). You can order them with most common exterior colors so they match your car or SUV interior color and they are heavy enough someone is not walking away with them.

https://truckvault.com/

I regularly shoot and transport weapons' that I cant afford to lose so I though it was worth it, by buddy said it was stupid to spend that much and installed a underbed safe and attached it to the cargo tie downs so it did not walk away and is happy with that set up for a couple hundred dollars. I suppose it all depends on the number of weapons, size of weapons, and how often you are going to use it whether or not it is worth it.

[Roundballer]

2012, 2018, 2019, 2020

2022

[apxpred]

For anyone checking on this thread now, there's some wicked console safes available for suburbans/yukons...made by a company called Lockr down.

Ordered one up the other day, hopefully it'll be in this week.

****UPDATE**** Lockrdown has been a major cluster *****. I called after a few weeks to check the status, the lady on the phone was confused & told me they didn't have any material, then she said it was out for powder coat. This was followed up with several inquiries via email that are to this day unanswered. After a month & a half I cancelled. Steer clear of these folks, placed an order w/ console vault, hopefully they are reputable.

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Looking at new vehicles the past couple of years, there seemed to be a plethora of inside/under/hidden center console (mostly) safes available as factory options since around the start of the gonorrherpalitisnoropoxvid-19 apocalyptic plague. Could have been the reason John Q might of had trouble finding them as they were mostly spoken for by the auto manufacturers.

I think Cheby/GM used the lock'r-down Larry-the-Cable-guy-esque drop-in types to git'r-dun, but now the late production '22MY GMCs use the "console vault" brand - - if you want to fondle one in person at the dealer instead of being a interwebs voyeur.
I think Ford & Dodge have also shifted from Tuffy to ConsoleVault as well for the '23MY vehicles.

[VIGILANT]

I can't imagine trying to see and manipulate any kind of tumbler wheels or combination dial, etc in a dark vehicle, under stress! :facepalm:

[orland]

I used Weatherguard locking steel drawers. They are good quality, also.

In either case you would likely need to line them with carpet.