We all want to keep our families safe. Now, more than ever, the fear of crime causes us to think of new ways of protecting our loved ones.
Perhaps you have decided to keep a gun at home to do this. Plenty of plenty make this choice and sleep a lot better at night because of it. Yet, there are still some details you need to sort out in order to do this well.
First of all, is the question of where keep this firearm. In a gun safe is the obvious answer. Yet, this leads us to ask where the safe should go. Is under your bed the smartest location for it?
There are some reasons for believing that putting a tough safe under your bed is a great idea. So, what do you need to know about this type of model?
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Easy Access
Perhaps the biggest reason for choosing an under bed gun safe is to have easy access to it during the night. Can you imagine having to scramble about the house in the dark looking for a gun safe after hearing an intruder? Sounds like a terrible plan, right?
By keeping a firearm under your bed, you will be able to get to it in seconds, even in the pitch dark and with your heart pounding.
This means that you will be ready to defend your home in far less time. Naturally, you will hope that this never happens. However, you will be ready in case it does.
Another option is to put a small gun in your nightstand. This also gives you fast access, but you might not have as much room in here as under your bed.
Hidden and Out of Harm’s Way
The second crucial point is in making sure that no-one else can find this gun safe. If an intruder finds it then they could steal it. Even worse, they could use the firearm in it to threaten you and your family.
Who else do you want to keep far away from this weapon? That’s right, any kids who live in the house shouldn’t be able to get hold of it either. The number of gun-related accidents involving children is very worrying.
One of the main reasons for using a gun safe in the first place is because no-one but you can get into it. If it is hidden and out of sight then the chances of this happening are even lower.
Of course, it isn’t entirely impossible that an inquisitive child could crawl under the bed to play, is it? This is why it is also important that the safe has a secure, child-proof lock that only you can open.
Doesn’t Clutter Up Your Home
Some people love the idea of a big, bold gun safe sitting in a prominent place in their home. This can act as a deterrent while also being a feature in the home’s decoration. Yet, others simply don’t want to clutter up their house in this way.
If you want to get a gun safe but don’t want it to take up valuable floor or wall space then under the bed is a smart place to put it. This is probably going to be really important if you live in small apartment or in a home that has a minimalist style.
Sliding a safe under your bed means that you keep the place neat and tidy. You could even use it to store away documents, passports, and other things that currently clutter up your bedroom.
Peace of Mind
There is no doubt that getting a quality gun safe will give you peace of mind. This is the sort of secure storage space that lets you sleep soundly at night.
Will putting it under your bed make you feel even safer? It might sound strange but it is possible that it does. Knowing that your gun is so close to hand is a very reassuring feeling when you put out the lights at the end of the day.
You will know that no matter what happens during the night, you will be ready to swing into action.
The Different Under Bed Gun Safe Options
As you can imagine, there are different gun safes of this type on the market. Therefore, it is important that you work out which is perfect for you.
To do this, you can consider some of the main features that you might like to have.
- Rolling safes. The simple addition of some wheels makes it a lot easier to pull out the safe.
- Anchored into place. The alternative to the previous point it to anchor the safe into place with bolts. This will make it more difficult for you to get to it, but means that thieves can’t just carry it away with them.
- The size. You might picture a really small safe, but there are also under the bed models that are big enough for shotguns or for various firearms.
- The type of lock. We looked earlier at the importance of being able to access your guns quickly. Do you prefer a traditional lock with a key, a numbered keypad or a fingerprint scanner for this?
- Battery-operated or not? A lot of gun safes run off batteries. With under the bed safes, the problem with this is that you might forget about it and let the batteries run out.
The Disadvantages
Are there are any disadvantages to keeping your gun safe under your bed? For many people this is the perfect move, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to think about some of the possible drawbacks.
- May be awkward to get to in a rush. Not everyone has a big, clear space under their bed. If you store other things here then you may block the access without realizing it.
- You may not find one big enough. By their nature, these safes aren’t as big as some others. If you have a few guns you may need to keep just one of them in here.
- Not as sturdy. These gun safes for under your bed tend to not be as robust as others. Many of them would fail to stand up to a determined attack.
What Safe Should You Choose?
It is clear that choosing the right safe is crucial here. There are a number of factors to take into account that will determine where it suits you or not.
The starting point is to think about your needs. Which of the features that we looked at earlier are likely to be of interest to you? Are there are any of the potential drawbacks that you especially want to avoid?
For a start, it is relatively lightweight. With a weight of just 11 pounds, it is the kind of safe that you can easily move from one spot to another.
Even better, it comes with wheels that make it easy to drag out from under the bed. However, the fact that it can be secured using a steel cable means that burglars can’t just take it away with them.
It is also big enough to fit in valuables as well as a handgun. The width is 16.3”, the depth 26.5”, and the height is 5.8”.
This makes it a versatile type of safe that you can use at home or else take away with you whenever you travel. It is advertised as being the kind of safe that is ideal for use in college dorms, boats, RVs, and even vacation homes or hotels.
This isn’t the toughest gun safe on the market just now. In order to be so light and portable, it is made from durable plastic with metal trim. An experienced and highly determined thief could break in here eventually.
Overall, this is a sensible, low cost type of under bed safe that we would recommend. If you want to keep just one gun at home for security reasons then this is a good place to store it in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are under bed gun safes expensive?
A. Not usually. Because they are typically smaller and less sturdy than free-standing safes they are often cheaper.
Q. Are these safes heavy to move around?
A. Some are heavier than others. If you plan on moving the safe from one room to another then look for one that is relatively light but that can be anchored to the floor or elsewhere.
Q. Is any installation work required?
A. No, you can opt to simply slide the new safe under your bed. Alternatively, you could drill some holes to anchor it, which shouldn’t be too big a job.
Conclusion
An under bed gun safe is a good idea for many people. Even if you have a bigger safe elsewhere in the house, putting one of these models under your bed will help you to feel more secure.
Choose a model that meets your basic needs and you will find that a peaceful night’s sleep is that little bit easier to achieve.