[Firearms Legislation :: This page]

Securing Firearms

BEFORE YOU BUY A SAFE! Before the club will endorse the purchase of your first handgun, they must . your safe keeping facilities. A committee member or someone appointed by the committee will carry out the inspection...

TIPS ON BUYING & MOUNTING A SAFE: These tips will help you meet SSPC's minimum requirements in order to get your Form 3 signed off.

WHERE SHOULD YOU INSTALL YOUR SAFE? Neither the club or Victoria Police will approve a safe mounted in a garage or shed that is not part of the house. Plan to mount it inside the house. The preferred location for a safe is in the floor of a built-in cupboard so that it is not visible from windows and not obvious to visitors. Don't leave things outside the safe that will may give a clue to its contents (an empty Smith & Wesson box on top of the safe is likely to attract the interest of the casual housebreaker.

DO YOU NEED AN ALARM SYSTEM? When Victoria Police calculate the total number of firearms at the property, they include long-arms as well as handguns, it may be worth considering the installation of an alarm system as well. Finally, think like a housebreaker: what would you do to get into the safe or tear it off its hinges? One of the reasons we don't approve garages is the likely availability of power tools, crowbars, etc. in such locations.

GENERAL SAFE CHARACTERISTICS: The safe must have a minimum of 5mm thick walls, plan ahead, the rules always get tougher here. Generally, external hinges are considered too easy to attack, but if they are backed up by an additional internal mechanism (e.g. hinge pins, sliding bolts, internal door retention brackets), they can be acceptable. Don't buy a 'fireproof document safe': these are built to withstand fire but have relatively thin layers of steel and insulating material. Ross key

SAFE LOCKS: The club and Victoria Police do not approve of cheap combination locks. In some instances, where a key is used in conjunction, they may be approved. The preference is for the 'Ross' type lock with at least five levers, see illustration. Remember, if you are the only licensed person in the house then you must be the only person with access to the key!

CONCRETE FLOOR INSTALLATION: Use four Dynabolts or Loxins with a minimum shaft diameter of 9.5mm are recommended. Insurance companies recommend a good layer of liquid nails to help stick the safe to the concrete floor.

TYPICAL WOODEN FLOOR INSTALLATION: Two strips of flat bar or angle iron running from floor joist to floor joist to prevent use of a jigsaw to remove floor and safe.These must be at least as thick as the safe walls. Bolts in four places with 9.5mm minimum bolts; 12mm is better. If you can bolt through a bearer as well, do so! Even a strap over the bearer gives added security. If you must leave the nuts under the floor, burr the threads so that they cannot be removed, or weld the nuts to the plate or Angle Iron as extra security.

WOODEN FLOOR INSTALLATION LEGEND

A If floor joist mounting is not possible, use heavy angle iron or steel plate

B Cup head coach bolts, heads under floor, nuts inside safe!

C Be generous with angle iron. Extend floor joist to floor joist

D Floor of safe

E Floor boards

F Floor joist

G Ideal mounting is through floor joist

Last modified: 09.12.08 by mike