Homebuilt Car Safe

[Butch627]

I drive to Chicago for work every and would like to be able to secure my gun in the car unloaded to keep it legal. I would like it to be quickly and easily accessable. Ive looked at many under seat type lock boxes and haven't seen anything I really like. I would like somthing that would be bolted under the pass seat and have a slide out drawer. The drawer would be open via a spring or gas strut and would pop open via a selonoid like used for a remote door lock or trunk release.

I do a lot of metal fabricating so that part isn't a challange. The tough part for me would be the locking and latching mechanism. Have any of you guys built something similar or seen a build you can give a link to?

Please don't make this a discussion of the legality of guns in Chicago, there are plenty of threads on that all over the board.

 

[bigo334]

Find something like a door popper kit which uses a key fob. It might be to big for the area your using though. Just a idea on where to start.

Here's a link you can find some cheap ones.
http://www.commandocaralarms.com/shaved-door-handles.asp

 

[flhultra]

keep us updated.
I would buy one.

 

[roisigns]

I have thought about a car safe also. Each option incurs a certain amount of delay into the process of retrieving your weapon. How much delay is acceptable? 5 seconds? 10 seconds? 30 seconds?

 

[Chance]

Are you failiar with electronics at all?

You can do this with a small electromagnet either batter powered or hooked to the automobile power. Can be set up so that as long as there is power the magnet will hold the door of your safe closed. If you put a small reed switch in the circuit that is normally closed it will keep the electro magnet energized until you hold a small magnet close to it. When the magnet is close to the reed switch the circuit will be broken (open) and the door will be released.

 

[D80Buckeye]

I'm invading your message forum from Ohio since one of your guys did the same

To get to the point of the car safe idea I have pondered this one myself many times and have ended up back to the drawing board every time as the device I want is a bit of a unicorn. My three requirements are quick access, concealment and security. Initially something built into my door frame area came to mind since that area of the car could easily meet both requirements but if my door were opened by someone other than me while I was in it (ex: car jacking) I now have zero access to my firearm.

Something mounted under the steering column was also a viable option but it likely rules out concealment (to a point). Quick access is easily achievable since I can either just use gravity to pop the safe/secured box with a nudge or flip of a switch. My biggest issue with this location was security & mounting as I would have had to dismantle the area under the steering column to find something to mount all of the hardware to so it just can't be yanked out.

The under-the-seat lock boxes work for the concealment & security (to a point) but quick access is lost without a pretty elaborate setup which I won't get into since I'm tempted to design something.

For now I use this bulldog safe when I'm not in my vehicle with the retaining wire fed through the lock case so you can't just yank the wire's stubby end through the box opening. When I'm in my vehicle I put my firearm in a kydex holster I mounted to the center console.

Hopefully this helps spawn some more ideas

 

[BTSTEVE]

Here is a link to a safe you can mount in your car that is built very nice, very strong looking. It has high security locks on it. I saw them at a gun show in Louisville, Ky and they are awesome. You may want to look at the web page to get ideas for your build and lock. I would love to have one, but they are quite pricey.

Handgun Safe

 

[bwframe]

I'm invading your message forum from Ohio since one of your guys did the same

Welcome to the forum Buckeye!

 

[Avec]

I know some European cars actually have a driver's side glove box some times called a weapon box - Euro delivery only. Depending on your car, you may find info looking there, or find fabrication ideas to create your own

Here is a picture of a normal lower dash panel, and the piece to have a drivers side glove box. This one is from a BMW X5

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/4217/glovebox.png

 

[phylodog]

Appears (from the area code) to be an Indianapolis based company: Rapid Deployment System

 

[87bluejay]

Appears (from the area code) to be an Indianapolis based company: Rapid Deployment System

Thanks for the link....looking for a decent car holster..anyone have any feedback on this system?

 

[k.leonard]

would be interesting to see one in the works! sounds like a pretty fair idea.