1. GUN CABINETS
This is likely to be the most probable method of storage for most people, with specially designed gun cabinets widely available for purchase across most stores. There are standard requirements for gun cabinets in the UK and storage units are strongly urged to meet these.
If you’re purchasing a cabinet from a vendor, make sure you ask them to see a test certificate to guarantee the unit is up to scratch. While it is not illegal to use a cabinet which doesn’t meet this standard, it makes your chances of keeping your firearm legally safe considerably higher.
It is advised that cabinets:
- Should be made from sheet steel that is at least 14 swg (standard wire gauge) or 2mm thick
- Have continuously welded seams or have been formed by bend construction to ensure there are no cracks or weak points
- Use hinges which are located on the inside of the cabinet. If the hinges are situated on the outside then bolts, blocks or anti-lever bars should be utilised
- Should use a lock mechanism which is also located on the inside of the cabinet and contain at least 5 levers
- Contain a separate lockable storage unit to keep ammunition safe
- Full-length side hinged cabinets should also have two locks – with these located one third and two thirds of the way up the unit
While these requirements are perhaps not as stringent as some of the other laws we’ve encountered, it is still important to keep your gun cabinets as up to spec as possible. Keeping your weapons safe means you eliminate a potential threat before it can even begin to take shape.
Gun cabinets are without question the safest way to store you weapons and are as such highly advised to be used.
2. GUN CLAMPS
Gun cabinets are certainly not the only alternative, however. Gun clamps are another popular method of storage – with these units being considerably smaller for those worried about a cabinet taking up a large amount of space in their home.
Similarly to the cabinet, these clamps must be made out of steel which is 14 swg or 2mm thick, have seam-welded joints or be forged via the use of bend construction and have a lock which meets the requirements of the BS 3621 standard issue.
At worst, a very good quality padlock can be fitted to negate that step – but it is actively encouraged the required standard is met in order to ensure there’s as much safety as possible in the storage process.
3. STEEL CABLES
While it is advised you use one of the previous two methods to store your guns, the use of a regular steel cable is at times also an option. In this instance, a reinforced or industrial strength padlock will probably be enough to secure your weapon.
The complicated part of this storage device comes in the form of the installation process. In order to install the steel cable in a manner which ensures heightened safety, it is encouraged you:
- • Place the cable in a room which does not have direct access to the outside (making it harder for someone to stroll into and pick the gun up willy-nilly) • Prevent the cable from being installed in a shed or an outside building • Make sure you take into account the load bearing strength of your floors if the device is of a heavier variety • Try to attach the cables in such a way that they’re connected to either concrete blocks, a brick wall or the floor • Keep the container out of view when someone walks into a room. Keeping a firearm in the corner can help prevent it from being noticed by intruders • Avoid fixing the container near a heat source
Barrel blocks and trigger guards are also considered by some to be effective storage devices, but it is generally advised to avoid them in favour of the units listed above.
Failure to properly secure your weapons could result in a thief or, even worse than that, a loved one, getting access to them and causing damage to themselves or others. Should that occur, the blame falls on the owner of the air weapon as they are legally the person who is responsible for the gun itself.
