Unless we’re talking about a gun safe fit for a handgun or two, more traditional gun safes will easily weigh hundreds of pounds. The larger and bulkier it is, the more difficult it is to sling around all that weight.
Moving a large gun safe safely requires a plan, some measurements, emptying the safe, and some solid moving equipment. The type of moving equipment you choose is based on the safe’s size and weight. You also have to consider protecting your floors as well.
Figuring out how to move a gun safe is not worth breaking your back over. If the safe is too big to nudge around on your own, get a friend over to help. It’s always better to play it safe when moving something awkward and heavy.
Tips for How to Move a Gun Safe
Even a decent size gun safe will likely weigh more than your washing machine and dryer combined. It’s a good idea to consider your options before you just grab it and try to go. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make it a little easier.
1. Come up with a gameplan
You’re looking at anywhere between 500 and 1,200lbs for a decent size gun safe. A rickety old dolly isn’t going to do the trick. Start by coming up with a plan to get it out of the house, onto a trailer, to its new location, and safely set down in its new spot.
You’ll need to make a clear path through the house and measure the safe to make sure you have it in the correct position when you move it through each door. You also have a decision to make—move it yourself, movie it with some family members, or call some friends over.
2. Clean it up and dismantle it
Of course, you can’t completely dismantle a safe, but you can strip it down to a barebones safe. Remove all of the weapons inside it, including the ammo. Ammo gets pretty heavy all on its own, and there’s no reason to add that weight to the total.
Any brackets or other materials such as organizers or dehumidifers inside the safe that are removable should be removed. Keep your weapons and ammunition in a dry environment while you’re moving the safe until they’re good to put back in. The most important thing is to make the gun safe as light as it can be.
3. Make sure the safe is secure
If you’ve ever moved dresser drawers or any kind of cabinetry before, you know how the drawers and doors love to open up at the worst possible moment. You don’t want that to happen while you’re moving your gun safe. Be sure to securely strap the door closed and remove anything that might fall or come loose inside.
You should also tape cardboard to any corners or sides if you think there is a possibility the safe will rub up against walls, concrete, brick, or anything that might cause abrasions on the painted surface. Plus, it will help soften any accidental impacts with other furniture, walls, or the trim around doorways.
4. Choose the right moving equipment
You’re going to need a pretty heavy-duty dolly or a furniture dolly. You can probably find some good rental prices on a manual forklift or a power pallet jack. Either of the two should be more than capable of handling up to a ton of weight.
Putting a friend on each corner of the safe probably won’t be practical, especially if you have to work your way through several doorways. With a power pallet jack or something similar, keep some friends on standby just to help stabilize everything.
Bottom line
Moving a large gun safe is not an enviable task. It’s going to be problematic even on a good day. This is especially true if you had it professionally installed and you’re moving it without the help of those same professionals.
Fortunately, they make equipment for that, and most people have friends for a reason. It helps to make the safe as light as possible before attempting to move it. It’s also a good idea to check around town and get some rental prices on moving equipment.
If you don’t think it can be done, you can always hire professional movers who will have the necessary equipment and experience to move your safe without taking out a few doorways and half the furniture on the way out the door.
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