How to Move a Gun Safe Quickly and Safely: A 10-Step Guide

Gun safes are no joke when it comes to their weight and awkward size. Moving these safes can be a huge hassle, the same as any heavy object. Whether you’re a gun owner moving to a new home or you’re simply changing where the beast sits in your man cave, moving your large safe can be done both safely and effectively.

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to consider when moving your gun safe.

1. Make Sure Your Gun Safe Is… Safe

This one seems obvious, but it bears mentioning. Having loaded guns in your safe while you’re moving it is a one-way ticket to the hospital. As well, you don’t want to dent your safe or put a hole in your drywall.

This is why preparation is key. From what’s in the gun safe to who’s moving it to how you’re going to move it, you’ll want to think long and hard about the moving process.

2. Empty Your Gun Safe

A heavy safe can be made less heavy by fully gutting it. This means removing all weapons and ammo, especially loaded guns. By removing everything inside the safe, you make it less heavy to move and ensure step #1 is accomplished.

Gun safe moving is tough enough already; guns and ammo weigh a lot when you start to multiply both. Whoever will be moving your gun safe will thank you. Speaking of which…

3. Consider Using Gun Safe Movers

Professional movers or a moving company are fantastic options for those who have the budget. They ensure your safe remains safe and that your house doesn’t get dinged up in the process. They’re experts at moving heavy items, they have the necessary equipment, and they have a moving truck so you can bring it to its next destination.

Professional help via moving services might be your best choice. However, if this isn’t feasible for your situation, you can still move your own gun safe while reducing the risk of injury and keeping your floors and walls clear.

4. Have the Right Equipment

Proper equipment is crucial when it comes to moving your gun safe. Here is a list of the heavy-duty equipment and small accessories you need to ensure a safe and secure gun safe move:

• Appliance Dolly: There are a few types of dollies, but you’ll at least want an appliance or furniture dolly, seeing as they’re built for heavy items like your gun safe. If your safe is located in the basement or upstairs, you’ll require a stair-climbing dolly, which has the ability to go up and down stairs without risking injury or messing up your walls.
• Moving Straps: These should come with the dolly. They are used to tether the gun safe to the body of the moving dolly. This keeps it locked tight against that dolly so it won’t spill out in the front or on the sides.
• Loading Ramp: This piece is beneficial in two ways. One, it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get it in the moving truck. Two, if you don’t have access to a stair-climbing dolly and need to get the safe up or down stairwells, you can place the loading ramp over the stairs to make it a smooth transition.
• Work Gloves: You don’t want your fingers getting pinched in between a rock and a hard place (a.k.a. your gun safe and the wall). With work gloves, you get additional padding and your nails won’t dig into the outer coating of your gun safe. In short, everybody wins.

Again, professional movers have special equipment like dollies and loading ramps already, so they might be the best choice.

5. Plot Out the Route

Does your gun safe have to travel down multiple hallways? Any tight corners you might have to navigate? Is it a quick move or will the safe have to travel a long distance?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself as you map out where your gun safe is going. Find out the safest and quickest route possible. If you’re moving your safe out of the house, figure out which doorway is closest and whether the surface is soft grass (which you want to avoid), a wooden deck, or something harder like concrete or asphalt (ideal).

A heavy safe can do major damage if you reach a spot where you don’t know where to go next. Tight corners are a pain, and stairwells are always tricky. Carefully plan out your gun safe’s movements and you’ll avoid a lot of the trouble.

6. Buddy Up

One person moving your gun safe is asking to get hurt. You definitely want some assistance moving your safe. Ask a friend or two to help, preferably ones that have extensive moving experience; they might even know how to move a gun safe. (Of course, professional gun safe movers are cream of the crop.)

Either way, going it alone is the worst decision you could make. Buddy up, get your safe out and into the truck, and repay the favor with a libation or a similar favor down the road.

7. Secure the Safe onto a Moving Dolly

Now you’re ready to move your safe. The first thing you’ll need to do is slip the lip of your appliance dolly under the backside of the safe. This makes sure that whatever is on the front — be it a wheel crank or a handle of some sort — won’t mar up the walls and won’t break against the back of the dolly.

Once the moving dolly is secure underneath, take the straps and lash them around the safe and the body of the dolly at different heights. That way, wherever the dolly goes, the safe is securely lashed to that dolly.

8. Protect Your Floors and Walls While Moving the Safe

You’re in the process of moving your gun safe. One person is balancing the safe and manning the moving dolly handle, while the others are either right next to person number one, assisting with the weight, or off to the sides, aiding in direction and keeping the gun safe away from the walls.

Communication is vital! If you’re the one mainly manning the dolly and you need a break, say so to your group. They’ll help you find a safe spot to lower the safe, and they’ll assist in slowly lowering it to the floor so the gun safe won’t slam down on the floor. Your buddies will navigate tight corners and add manpower when trying to push it up or safely carry it down a stairwell.

Remember: Slow and steady wins the gun safe moving race. Safety over speed.

9. Have the New Area Prepared

If it’s going in a moving truck, make room for your gun safe so that it’s easy to get to when you take it back out at its new home. If it’s going to a new area in the house, give it a wide berth for lowering. Even if you have tables or shelving around the gun safe spot, move those out of the way for the time being. This gives you the most room to maneuver when putting the safe in its final place. Move the other furniture back to where it was only after the gun safe is set and the dolly is taken away.

10. Slowly Lower Your Gun Safe in its New Home

Slowly slowly slowly slowly… you get the point. This keeps your floors new and clear, instead of putting it under unnecessary strain. And make sure you lower it as close to the end spot as possible. If you lower it farther away, then you have to drag your gun safe into its spot, which could result in deep scratches in the floor (and potentially the walls).

Right before it gets too difficult, unstrap the straps and remove the dolly from underneath the gun safe. For moving it into its final place, put rags under the feet of the gun safe (if it doesn’t have feet and lays flat, you can still put a rag or two underneath). This helps you slide the safe to where you want it. When it’s where it needs to be, remove the rags and put everything surrounding the safe back into place.

Conclusion

Now you know how to move a gun safe. Not only that, but you’ll guarantee safety for everyone and your house. Take everything in this article into consideration, get prepared, and move that sucker!