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Storing a gun in a jeep

27K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  swaggs 
#1 · (Edited)
I am looking for a way to store my gun securely in my jeep. I have a jeep wrangler with a soft top. This basically means that even with the doors locked, you can unzip a window and unlock a door in under 10 seconds. This makes the vehicle pretty much useless as a safe place to have a safe. I have considered the idea of bolting a safe to the floor, but space in a jeep is already at a premium. I have read that many people suggest using a Center-of-Mass safe. My question is do you think this would be secure enough for a vehicle which is not secure?

I have also considered the idea of installing a tuffy glove compartment door replacement. Any thoughts on this?
TJ Security Glove Box for Jeep Wrangler, TJ, Unlimited LJ

Thanks,
MiloSC
 
#3 ·
I actually like that steel glovebox, but I don't have any experience with it, and I don't know how well it is secured to the rest of the vehicle.

You could try the COM safebox, but again as you said, you'll have to find some way of securing and making it not normally visible. You could try both bolting and running a steel security loop and locking it to a seat mount bracket or frame member or such.
 
#5 ·
i would recommend the tuffy box. i have heard nothing but good about their security. if you can take a look at them, i think they have one that goes from windshield to rear/middle roll bar, down the center. that might be a good choice., but i don't know if it would hold a pistol.

The COM safe would be good, but like you said, space is at a premium. maybe use the rear tire carrier bolts to bolt the safe to the back door ? would keep it off the floor. or maybe against the tire well ?
 
#6 ·
maybe use the rear tire carrier bolts to bolt the safe to the back door ? would keep it off the floor. or maybe against the tire well ?
I assume you mean bolting the safe to the inside of the tailgate. I'm not sure if the bolts come all the way through the tailgate. I'll have to check on that tomorrow. But its definitely an interesting idea.

The tuffy overhead console has been mentioned a couple times. As for that I'm not crazy about having to raise my pistol in plain view to place it in an overhead bin(If someone thinks i might be overreacting here just let me know).
 
#7 ·
As for the glove compartment door sounds good in theory, but isn't the glove box itself made out of cardboard, my CJ was, you could reach under the dash and pull it out if you wanted to. How about a safe under the back seat bolted to the floor.
 
#9 ·
Nice thing about a Jeep is besides bunches of existing bolts sticking through places that you might be able to add something to, there's some un-obstructed floor space behind the rear seat where you should be able to bolt something (at least there was on my YJ). The ideal choice, other than the price, would be any of several brands of locking replacement center consoles. Wouldn't have to unholster out in the open where someone may see you and handy from the driver's seat.

Here's a few different types:
OVERHEAD SECURITY CONSOLE
Locking Center Console (probably not the most secure, but it does lock)
Another one like above
And another one
Under seat security (expensive, but room for more than just your handgun)
Tuffy Products A wide selection of different types.

Hoss
 
#10 ·
I have a tuffy center console and glove box in my TJ. The center console "feels" more secure to me since it's bolted through the floor of the jeep and the glovebox door bolts to the metal dash frame.

I velcro'd in an Ohai holster from Crossbreed. it works great. It's at least as secure as a COM box. If someone really really wanted to get into it, they could. But on the rare occasion that I leave my EDC in the jeep, there's also 75lbs. of Schutzhund-trained GSD in there....
 
#11 ·
While I own a Jeep it is a Grand Cherokee 4x4 not a Wrangler. If I owned a Wrangler I think I would put my welding skills to work and fab up a small square water tight safe-box out of 3/16" steel plate and leave a 1/4" flange at the top around the entire perimeter.

Then using flat steel bar stock (at least 1/4" thick) I would drill a 1/4" hole right near one end of the flat steel. Weld that piece to the center floor of the box so that it sticks up from the bottom to the top and ends flush with the very top).

I would then fab a lid for the box that fits down inside the inner dimensions of the steel box (so that the lid doesnt sit on the top flange of the box but fits down into the box). You would need a slot into the lid that the steel flat bar would protrude through by just a half inch. This is where you would put a very good strong lock.

You also would need to weld one triangle shaped piece of flat bar into each corner of the box at a depth of about 9/16" so that the flat lid has somewhere to sit and not fall in to the box.


Then, I would cut a hole in my floor behind the driver seat the size of the box (minus the flange lip). Slip the box down in side the cut hole and weld the box flange to the floor metal.

Paint the finished work or use some kind of spray-on liner for rust protection. Line the inside of the box with dense foam material.
 
#12 ·
I use a Secure-It which is like the COM in my convertible Mustang. It's wrapped around the seat post and it slides under the seat. If you had problems with it sliding around under a Jeep seat some heavy duty double sided tape and rubber shelf/tool drawer liner would take care of it.

I don't like the combo version. If it were a 4 number combo it would be ok but that 3 number one is too easy to defeat.

Consider:
3 numbers = 1000 possible combinations (000 - 999)
1 second = time to change to next number and try latch
1000 seconds = 16.67 minutes to test all possible combinations

That's the max possible time. In reality it will take much less than that because they won't have to go through all possible combinations.

If you lock it up and go to a movie it would be easy for a thief to break in, discover it, and just close the door and run through all the combinations.

The key is much more secure. If you get one of those detachable key rings you can just put the safe key on one half and leave it in the lock on the box until you need to lock your gun in it. Then just lock and clip the key onto your ring and you're all set. This has the added advantage of not having your car destroyed by a thief trying to remove an empty safe.

Another option to look at is one of the electronic combo / key backup safes that mount to a baseplate. This lets you remove them to get them out of the way. A second base plate in the house lets you use the same safe to keep your gun secured inside. I have one of the S&W Versa Vaults. It's ok but very noisy when it opens. It sounds like robocop. There is no way to open it quietly unless you use the key.
 
#14 ·
Thanks a lot guys for all your help. I'm kind of leaning toward the tuffy glove box. I think it will be fairly cost effective with the least amount of headache. Now its just a matter of scraping up the cash... I'd still be interested to hear any more thoughts though.

I run a tuffy in my CJ.
Does very well, better than any safe I've ever seen.

4 Wheel Drive Tuffy Series II
That center console looks pretty good in there. I might have to consider those too. I had kind of written them off because I didn't like the idea of those sharp looking corners to slam my elbow on. DblTap have you had any problems with that? Thats a good looking rig by the way.

Thanks,
MiloSC
 
#16 ·
I wonder about the Tuffy glovebox; while it is steel, it does not seem to attach to steel, or at least not much steel. It is also not very large. I have used a Tuffy center console and their large rear lockbox for several years. The large lockbox can hold long weapons, such as rifles and shotguns, diagonally. A Tuffy under-rear-seat drawer can, IIRC, hold an AR15 with the stock collapsed at least partially, by measurements I took a while back. I have thought about letting my wife have my large lockbox for her Jeep, and getting my Jeep an under-seat drawer, which I will cover with a large rubber mat for the dogs.

I know how tough the center console really is. One time, I had broken the key, could not find the spare, and urgently needed something inside the console. I had read somewhere that the Tuffy console was not all that tough; well, like so much internet trash talk, it was dead wrong. It took a large pry bar, and MUCH prolonged effort, which included a pec injury that took weeks to heal.

If you get a Tuffy console or lockbox, keep up with the spare keys!
 
#17 ·
I run a tuffy overhead console in my CJ. It is steel and bolts from the windshield to the rollbar. Has two lockable compartments, the first holds my stereo and the second holds my pistol. A full size 1911 will fit very easily.
 
#21 ·
Thanks Guys,
I love showing the jeep off. I did a complete frame off rebuild on it with my son over a year and half and turned the keys over to him upon completion. I still get to put miles on it and can say that the Tuffy is one of the great pieces we purchased to install. It sits low enough that banging it with an arm is not a problem.
I've documented a lot of the build, and my boy is going to use it as his senior project.

Fatman_CJ7 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
 
#24 ·
In my Wrangler, I installed a seat lift on the drivers side (hockey pucks) and bought a safeBOX and mounted it with rivnuts under the seat. Then I fabbed up a 12 ga steel bracket that mounts to the the seat bolts and encases the safe... I use it daily when I lock up my Glock before heading into work. And if I do go somewhere shady. I can lock my stereo and anything else up in it...
 
#25 ·
That actually sounds like a very good idea. After looking back at the COM safe, I was trying to figure out if there was a way I could mount it to a sliding platform and bolt it up under the seat but that safeBOX completely takes care of the access issue. Was it necessary to raise the seat? I looked at it today and there was about 5 inches of clearance between that funky rise in the floor and the seat. What are the dimensions of that safe box?

Thanks,
MiloSC
 
#26 ·
I had the same problem with my H3, no place to lock up a rifle. I bought an all aluminum footlocker from RWS and added a bolt cutter proof lock and clasp. It is about 36" by 14" by 12" and with a pad can be used as a back seat. It is well bolted down. I bought it through Truckcustomizers.com if I recall correctly. Even Costco sells one for mounting on a trailer hitch for about $150.
 
#27 ·
When I had my 95 Wrangler, I put a "trunk" in it. It was a steel cover that went across the tiny cargo area in the back, making it into..well a trunk. Ican't remember where I got it though...sorry
That and a COM safe bolted to the floor in the rear might be an idea.
 
#28 ·
When I drive my Wrangler and have to leave the gun in it, I put mine in the truck. As you stated, no real way to lok a Jeep. I keep a lunch bag in the Jeep, unholster and put the gun in the lunch bag, then get out and put the lunch bag in the truck. This way, I do not have to expose my gun.
 
#29 ·
I'll cast yet another vote for the tuffy center console. I actually mounted my CB inside the console. I'm thinking of getting a universal holster and likewise mounting it on the other side (also inside) to securely hold the gun when I have to put it in.
 
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