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Where to mount a gun safe? [Admin Warning: NO POLITICS]

ThunderSquatch

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This doesn’t solve some of the problems discussed here, but here is another option to consider for securing longer firearms and larger items.

Ford Bronco Where to mount a gun safe? [Admin Warning: NO POLITICS] 57B23F72-BF4D-42E7-A840-506D4A5A75E1


This vault is smaller than the Bronco branded vault, but should work better for firearms.
I don’t have my Bronco yet, but since I have a 40” Fast Box, I was thinking about possibly installing this in the rear like the Bronco branded vault.

I also plan on using the Bronco for camping, so my plan is to build a flat plywood sleeping platform that drops in on top when needed. Platform would be laid across the folded seats and the vault.
When you fold the rear seats in the Bronco, there appears to be a large step/ledge in the middle that might make it less than ideal fro sleeping without some kind of a flat platform, or at least having something to elevate the cargo area/floor behind the seats.

I am not sure how any of this would affect the option of storing doors inside.

Another idea is to just bolt a chain to the vault or run a steel cable through it, then throw it in the Bronco only when needed (while briefly leaving the vehicle unattended, camping, etc..).
With the rear seats up and assuming no rear passengers, the vault could even go right behind the front seats. Chain/cable it to the seat mounts, lay the vault on the floor, and maybe even orient the vault door up for easier access.


They also make a 47” Fast Box https://www.secureitgunstorage.com/fast-box-hidden-gun-safes/
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Efthreeoh

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As a gun owner and permitted carrier, for me it's a societal and personal responsibility to NOT let a legal firearm fall into a criminals hands. I don't think "dope head dan" can hurt many with my shades. but I sure as hell don't want anyone harming others with my firearms. I have to have a secure place to put my gun when entering a business that does not permit carry, a safe up front and inside would be ideal.
Okay, but every vehicle has the same problem as the Bronco. No vehicle that I know of comes with a factory installed gun safe.

Thief Dope Head Dan is going to break into any car he thinks has valuables in it that he can sell for his drug habit. Any hardened case if not bolted to the floor pan is easily ripped from the plastic housing it is in. The two vehicle safe options Ford has shown for the Bronco are easily compromised it looks like to me.

I had a Smitty Built 16G steel center console for my YJ. It was bolted to the floor pan and was quite robust. But the top probably could have been levered off with a decent crowbar.
 

Efthreeoh

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I think there is a decent amount of unused space under the rear seat in either body style.

I would remove the rear seats and fab a steel plate that mounts to the seat floor studs. Then you could mount a hardened steel case with a hinged, lockable front door to the under-seat plate with 10MM Rivnuts. Then remount the rear seat back on its studs.
 

Klunatic

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Okay, but every vehicle has the same problem as the Bronco. No vehicle that I know of comes with a factory installed gun safe.

Thief Dope Head Dan is going to break into any car he thinks has valuables in it that he can sell for his drug habit. Any hardened case if not bolted to the floor pan is easily ripped from the plastic housing it is in. The two vehicle safe options Ford has shown for the Bronco are easily compromised it looks like to me.

I had a Smitty Built 16G steel center console for my YJ. It was bolted to the floor pan and was quite robust. But the top probably could have been levered off with a decent crowbar.
I have had my F250 broken into and have a Vaultek safe in the console. It has a 1/4" steel cable running around the base of the passenger seat then into the safe. I don't lock the console and dope head Dave took change and a few other items but wasn't able to remove the safe.

It was empty at the time of the break in (overnight) but still it did its job had it contain a firearm. I would never leave a firearm in my vehicle overnight. That isn't the purpose of a car safe. It just needs to be there to secure the firearm or other valuables when I can't CC it, like at my daughter's college, Govt buildings etc..
 

Klunatic

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I think there is a decent amount of unused space under the rear seat in either body style.

I would remove the rear seats and fab a steel plate that mounts to the seat floor studs. Then you could mount a hardened steel case with a hinged, lockable front door to the under-seat plate with 10MM Rivnuts. Then remount the rear seat back on its studs.
This would be a last resort for me. I want to be able to secure and retrieve the firearm from the drivers seat without having to exit the vehicle, preferably with a bio or keypad lock. This is for several reasons including avoiding prying eyes when I disarm or rearm and also ability to retrieve it if a situation arises while still in the vehicle. Last thing I want is Karen calling the cops becuase she saw my pull out a gun and put it in my waist band. Or dope head Dave and his buddies watch me disarm as I go into gun free zone.
 

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Okay, but every vehicle has the same problem as the Bronco. No vehicle that I know of comes with a factory installed gun safe.

Thief Dope Head Dan is going to break into any car he thinks has valuables in it that he can sell for his drug habit. Any hardened case if not bolted to the floor pan is easily ripped from the plastic housing it is in. The two vehicle safe options Ford has shown for the Bronco are easily compromised it looks like to me.

I had a Smitty Built 16G steel center console for my YJ. It was bolted to the floor pan and was quite robust. But the top probably could have been levered off with a decent crowbar.
Off the top of my head, I know there are Rams with a gun safe option.

Not all valuables are 'created equal'. Firearms are just a little harder to obtain legally than generic "valuables", and the kind of garbage that's breaking into cars, probably can't obtain one legally, because of their priors.
 

R11

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I am searching for a solution as well for EDC when going into Post office/Schools etc. Based on reading the Ford Manual for the Bronco I have questions about the Ford console vault.
1. Is the vault a full box or just cover?
2. Does it retain the ability to use the dead/programing key fob? (see attached photo)
I also am not a fan of 4 tumbler combo lock. I would want bio metric or keypad access. Does anyone know if there is room under the seat or the side of the console to mount a safe such as https://vaulteksafe.com/products/vaultek-slider-series/ ? Measurements 2.6" L x 9.1" W x 11.25" H
Ford Bronco Where to mount a gun safe? [Admin Warning: NO POLITICS] 57B23F72-BF4D-42E7-A840-506D4A5A75E1
It has steel sides, i.e. that line the panels adjacent to driver and passenger, and it has a cutout at the bottom for the dead key fob.

I'm using the steel sides - magnets secure...items.
 

Efthreeoh

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This would be a last resort for me. I want to be able to secure and retrieve the firearm from the drivers seat without having to exit the vehicle, preferably with a bio or keypad lock. This is for several reasons including avoiding prying eyes when I disarm or rearm and also ability to retrieve it if a situation arises while still in the vehicle. Last thing I want is Karen calling the cops becuase she saw my pull out a gun and put it in my waist band. Or dope head Dave and his buddies watch me disarm as I go into gun free zone.
I doubt that many people are actually watching you at any given time. But I've just been offering a few ideas of where to install a custom vehicle safe solution.
 

Efthreeoh

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Off the top of my head, I know there are Rams with a gun safe option.

Not all valuables are 'created equal'. Firearms are just a little harder to obtain legally than generic "valuables", and the kind of garbage that's breaking into cars, probably can't obtain one legally, because of their priors.
Gun ownership is overly regulated in my opinion.

But I'll go back to my original subtle comment. What makes you think your vehicle is more of a target for being broken into if you have a firearm stored in it? Dope head Dan, or his brother Dave, are just looking for valuables to sell. A firearm will just bring more money for his addiction. Trying to have convenient storage of a firearm (i.e. easy access to the firearm) in a physical safe, seem to be a contradiction of terms. The whole purpose of a safe to store valuables is to make it inconvenient for anyone to easily access the valuables. The more inconvenience to access the valuable is in direct relationship to the more secure the valuable is stored.
 

Klunatic

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Gun ownership is overly regulated in my opinion.

But I'll go back to my original subtle comment. What makes you think your vehicle is more of a target for being broken into if you have a firearm stored in it? Dope head Dan, or his brother Dave, are just looking for valuables to sell. A firearm will just bring more money for his addiction. Trying to have convenient storage of a firearm (i.e. easy access to the firearm) in a physical safe, seem to be a contradiction of terms. The whole purpose of a safe to store valuables is to make it inconvenient for anyone to easily access the valuables. The more inconvenience to access the valuable is in direct relationship to the more secure the valuable is stored.
It is not a contradiction to secure a firearm and also make it easily accessible to the owner. Any safe can be broken into, it just a matter of time and tools. The purpose of a safe for my use is to offer a "more" secure way to store a firearm in my vehicle than the plastic center console. In most cases a smash and grab is how your vehicle gets robbed. A safe bolted or cabled to the vehicle will stop this type of theft. Conversely, if the car gets stolen then the safe is useless regardless of how strong it is.

As for people watching you when you leave a vehicle it is naive to not realize theives target people and vehicles. Maybe not dope head Dan or Dave but there are people that do rob vehicles on a daily basis. They do watch people to see what they leave and take from a vehicle.
 
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Gun ownership is overly regulated in my opinion.

But I'll go back to my original subtle comment. What makes you think your vehicle is more of a target for being broken into if you have a firearm stored in it? Dope head Dan, or his brother Dave, are just looking for valuables to sell. A firearm will just bring more money for his addiction. Trying to have convenient storage of a firearm (i.e. easy access to the firearm) in a physical safe, seem to be a contradiction of terms. The whole purpose of a safe to store valuables is to make it inconvenient for anyone to easily access the valuables. The more inconvenience to access the valuable is in direct relationship to the more secure the valuable is stored.
Maybe because the back of his Bronco will look like this. ;)

trucksafe-1024x768.jpg
 

BadBoyBroncoBilly

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It depends what are you needing to secure a pistol or long arm? I like the center consul safe it’s easier to access.
 

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There's power in the center console, correct? If so, hopefully aftermkt will come up with a fingerprint safe. Much quicker and easier access.
 

R11

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Gun ownership is overly regulated in my opinion.

But I'll go back to my original subtle comment. What makes you think your vehicle is more of a target for being broken into if you have a firearm stored in it? Dope head Dan, or his brother Dave, are just looking for valuables to sell. A firearm will just bring more money for his addiction. Trying to have convenient storage of a firearm (i.e. easy access to the firearm) in a physical safe, seem to be a contradiction of terms. The whole purpose of a safe to store valuables is to make it inconvenient for anyone to easily access the valuables. The more inconvenience to access the valuable is in direct relationship to the more secure the valuable is stored.
Indeed.

I just made some simple points that you appeared not to take into account. As to your point, your premise insists that whoever is breaking into the car is necessarily seeking items to sell, but that's obviously not a certainty.

Since this thread was about practical applications, not policy arguments, I'll share a quick video I just finished of how to install the Console Vault, with melodramatic spaghetti western music. 🤙

This is a pretty darned convenient solution.

 

Klunatic

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Maybe because the back of his Bronco will look like this. ;)

Ford Bronco Where to mount a gun safe? [Admin Warning: NO POLITICS] trucksafe-1024x768
I really don't understand where this position that gun owners think their vehicle are more of a "target" came from. It's not a matter of being more of a target its a matter of better securing a firearm in case of a break in.

FYI I have had my F250 broken into twice and I have no stickers on it.
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