By Home Defense Gun Staffer Ashley
Guns in Apartments
Like many individual’s, I dream of owning a home and customizing it to exactly what I need or want. I would love to change my front window in the middle of the wall into a lovely little reading nook complete with bench, book shelving and storage space. I would love to have a room dedicated to hunting, fishing and the gear that goes with it. Or add a mirror in the hallway that has a recessed lockable cubby hole behind it; perfect for storing a couple of long guns that would be out of sight and safely tucked away.
Reality is that I live in an apartment complex where such alterations are not allowed. As an apartment dweller I realize that more than just the occupants of the apartment have keys and access to my home. Although entry into an apartment is supposed to be for maintenance purposes only I like to err on the side of caution and keep knowledge of my firearms on a need to know basis. I like to keep them locked up just in case the locks were not changed or someone got a hold of a master key. I have seen lots of turnover in staff at different apartment complexes. Being cautious doesn’t hurt anyone, but being slack could invite unwanted guests and unwanted trouble.
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Like many owners of firearms there is a gun safe to lock up our firearms and other valuables. It isn’t exactly what I want in a safe but it is one that is sensible for the current living situation. It is placed where it is out of sight, unless maintenance needs to fix something in its vicinity. One lesson that has been learned while living in an apartment complex is that the size of a collection is fairly limited. There isn’t enough space for more than one safe, and creating more space is a challenge. However, keeping firearms out of sight is a priority. Apartment complexes do not afford the privacy that home ownership would. Your neighbors don’t just come and go, they move in and they move out all within a relatively short period of time.
The area that we live in is not accustomed to hunters. It does have a lot of nosy neighbors. Although we didn’t have any problems in the first complex we lived in, we did learn from a few faux pas that we made. One is that when carrying our gear from the car to the apartment after a day at the range, it is best to use items that do not scream “we own firearms”. Large gun cases tend to set those uncomfortable with guns on edge. This can cause them to tell their children not to be around you, or look at your apartment as a potential future target. Those who are anti-gunners will lecture you and may even complain about how they do not feel safe around you, never mind that you are a law abiding citizen. When living in an apartment, being discrete about having a gun collection is just good common sense.
Suitcases and book bags are a gun owner’s friend. As a college student it was very common for me to be seen with a rolling book bag. As a mother I find it to be helpful when packing everything to the car, or from the car in one trip. As a gun owner I find it to be a handy way to transporting my firearms without making my fellow apartment dwellers nervous. Or shouting that breaking in while the apartment is vacant could net you something very valuable. When buying more than just a box of ammunition, having a rolling suitcase or bag to transport it in has been splendid.
A great option that combines storage, functionality and camouflage is furniture made to have hidden compartments. There are a couple of furniture manufacturers out there that create bookcases and coffee or end tables as well as headboards. Not only does the furniture work for these multi-purposes, but it also looks great in your apartment. There are also decorative items that are functional as well as having cubby holes, such as clocks and paintings.
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For those that are looking for functional furniture but want to save money, or want to be the only ones that know where the hidden compartment is DIY projects are an option as well. Most public libraries have a section on cabinetry and table building, with a few extra pieces and some creativity it is possible to create a drawer that is shorter or a hollow space where it wouldn’t be expected. One thing to keep in mind when purchasing or making items with cubby holes is if there are children in the home. Children love to explore and they are very uncanny in how fast it takes them to get into something or get somewhere that you wouldn’t expect them to.
What experiences do you have with guns in apartments? Let us know in the comments.
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