I need a moving/storage container for long guns

[dolfinwriter]

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this question!

Long story short, I retired from the Navy in San Diego area and have stayed here because my wife has family here. Her parents are both gone now and my dad in Kansas is getting up in years and I need to be there. So we’re moving to Kansas, and I’m purging our house of 24+ years together of STUFF and doing some repairs to sell the house. We’re keeping my tools, guns, ammo, stockpile of lead, wife’s jewelry, the clothes we actually wear, photo albums…

I really have two questions: (1) I’m looking for a solution for packing rifles and shotguns to move them. I have cases for many of them, but I want to pack them so they don't LOOK LIKE I'm moving a bunch of guns while loading and unloading, and probably storing them somewhere until we find a house to buy back home and can move in.

I have a few hard cases, but those are pretty obvious what they are and what’s in them.

I’ve been looking at plastic tubs like Sterilite, Rubbermaid and Plano from Walmart, Target and Big Lots, but none of them are long enough. We have a lot of them from wife’s years of teaching, moving stuff back and forth between our garage and her classroom each year, and we have a lot that wife’s mom used to move her stuff to a smaller place after my FIL passed away. I’m packing stuff that we’re keeping in those to move to Kansas, instead of boxes that could have disgusting bugs in them.



The attached photo shows one case I found that I can't identify, but I'm thinking maybe it's something a traveling band would use to move instruments. It's basically a plastic box with a lid that fits on like a shoebox lid, swing handle in the middle like a suitcase, and one on each end, three straps to secure it, and wheels at one end. It's about 51" inside length. I got this one for $20 at a thrift store, but I can’t identify it to try to find more of them. I can’t find a brand name or any kind of model number on it. There is only an “Inspected by…” piece of paper inside it. This thing would be perfect if I could find more of them.

Does anyone know of something that would work for my purpose, or have any suggestions for what I'm trying to do? I want to put long guns in cases or wrapped in old blankets to protect them inside something like this. I do have most of my long guns in silicone impregnated gun socks in the safe, and I will probably get enough to cover all of them like that for corrosion protection in storage.

(2) I have some powders that I don’t want to move and can’t store anywhere. Does anyone know if I can sell that stuff here, or on Gunbroker, and ship from California?
Is there anyone local here in the SD area who would be interested in buying new and unopened powders? I’ll just buy what I need after we’ve moved and not have to deal with California’s insanity ever again.

Thank you for any help or suggestions

[Winger Ed.]

I've heard of folks using pick up truck tool boxes. Most people don't give them a second look unless it is left open.
Like work boots, hand tools, and job applications-- they're not normally a high theft item.

I'd just put the powders & reloading stuff in plain cardboard boxes** and take 'em with me in the trailer, U-Haul, or whatever..

**
If you're having a moving company ship everything-
Tape up the box well, and label it "Bible Study course materials & books"
It'll get there just fine.

[gkainz]

golf club bags with covers?

[dolfinwriter]

...label it "Bible Study course materials & books"
It'll get there just fine.

Are you sure about that, in today's world?

[Winger Ed.]

Are you sure about that, in today's world?

Any self respecting thief would look past it in 1/2 a second.

As far as all the HAZMAT business, Bubba and Jamal really don't care what's in a box.
They just want to get done, and go home.

[dolfinwriter]

Any self respecting thief would look past it in 1/2 a second.

I'm thinking of the ANTIFA people out there, and fanatical atheists in general who would probably burn it.

[Dapaki]

Looks just like my portable screen case from Draper. Pebbly finish outside? Shiny inside?

[Petrol & Powder]

Personally, I would obtain secure storage on the other end FIRST.
Something more than just one of those outdoor, U-store-it units. Preferably some place with trusted people there. (indoor storage facility that has good security, an armory maybe?, storage on a military base, ??)
Then I would photograph every item, including serial numbers, make and model.

Then I would crate them up and move them myself.

Putting them in the hands of a mover is a double edge sword. If you don't disclose them to the mover, they will not insure them. If you do disclose them to the mover, you're a bit more protected but the chance of theft goes up.

If the guns are replaceable and not rare family heirlooms, putting them in the hands of a reputable mover and documenting them well; may be a safe bet. If they get stolen the mover is on the hook.
If they are irreplaceable, no amount of insurance will help.

[Petrol & Powder]

As for the powder, I can't help you from this end of the country but I bet there are forum members near you that would be interested.

[tominboise]

When I moved, I used the tall wardrobe moving boxes. Long guns can fit inside, in their cases and be securely packed. It looks like clothes from the outside. Easy peasy....

[Petrol & Powder]

When I moved, I used the tall wardrobe moving boxes. Long guns can fit inside, in their cases and be securely packed. It looks like clothes from the outside. Easy peasy....

Good idea. Don't put too many in one box, it will get heavy.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

If you have enough "stuff" to justify it you could purchase/rent a small shipping container. There is "PODS" for one example, but a fast look at the internet will find container companies who sell them used. Some of them will buy them back after you're done with them, but some won't. It might not matter if you want to keep it and use it for a permanent storage shed...or whatever. When I moved 4 years ago I bought one for $1,200 and loaded in all of my shop equipment, guns, ammo, some household stuff, etc. Then I paid another $800 to have it moved half-way across the state. Mine is a 40 footer, but they are also available in 20 footers, and some odd sizes. I think this one was previously rented by Wal-Mart as it has taped off areas on the floor and stock numbers written on the tape. You've got to be sure to specify that you want one that doesn't leak. I kept mine, and am glad I did. I checked a couple of months ago thinking that I might buy another to use as a woodshed, but they've gone up to $2,000. Here's a photo of mine being moved from my former home to my new one. Some artsy-craftsy people even join several together and make houses out of them.



Just loaded onto truck before move. After relocation.

[Winger Ed.]

but they've gone up to $2,000.

Hmm. They make good hunting cabins too.
Not too long ago, there was a place out West that would give the older ones away if you'd come get it.
Or pay to have it moved. They get old, and get written off for tax purposes,
get less at the scrap yard than it costs to take them, and hundreds of them had sort of stacked stacked up out in the desert.

[dolfinwriter]

Looks just like my portable screen case from Draper. Pebbly finish outside? Shiny inside?

I just did some searches and didn't see any EXACTLY like this, but I saw one Draper that was very similar, and some Da-Lite that were less like this but appeared to be more sturdy. I think I'm going to try local pawnshops too.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

My knowledge about them is just about limited to what I posted. Some of them have been back and forth to China several times. Some of them have been dented and repaired by welding new panels, some are rustier than others. Like I said, specify that it must be a non-leaker. After I got mine I climbed up on it and coated the roof with some of the white sort-of rubbery paint that they put on mobile home roofs.
It has been repaired in a couple of places, but the floor is sound, and it makes for great storage. During the time that I worked for the Air Force I knew a SSgt. who bought a 40 footer and had it hauled to a couple of acres he had bought way up in the Coast Range Mtns. west of Redding, CA. He ran water to it with a flex hose from a nearby spring, had a generator, put in a woodstove and had himself a great place to get away from it all on the weekends. When it was time to go back to the base he'd lock his dirt bike, guns, and other toys in it, lock it, and look forward to the next visit. I'm planning on giving mine a coat of paint this summer.

[rancher1913]

if your dads property is large enough to park a semi trailer on, use an outfit like old dominion freight lines or one like them. they will drop a trailer at your house, you load and lock, they pick it up and drop it at your new location for you to unload, you can rent them for temporary storage so that when you get a house you can unload it there and only handle your stuff one time. once its on the road nobody will know its household stuff.

[nun2kute]

ifitwereme, i'd wrap everything in blankets and use a stand-up or lay down freezer with locks on the door. i'm too cheep to pay someone else to move it.

[dolfinwriter]

ifitwereme, i'd wrap everything in blankets and use a stand-up or lay down freezer with locks on the door. i'm too cheep to pay someone else to move it.

One school of thought is that locks just tell thieves there's something worth stealing there. I always thought a good lock was better than nothing, but I don't have any real hard data either way.

[Winger Ed.]

If you have any doubts as to the security of weapons- take them apart, and put the pieces in a separate container.

A bolt for a Remington, Winchester, etc., can not be had without sending it to the factory to be fitted.

A revolver without a crane & cylinder or a auto without the slide or frame is worthless.

[Gofaaast]

I’ll second wardrobe boxes. When I relocated the first time my movers used those and wrapped my long guns that I did not have cases for in what they called military paper. This paper is 4 or 5 plys and used mainly for overseas shipping they said. I saved it and used it when I reloed again. You can pack a lot of un scoped long guns in one wardrobe box. They will be very desecrate as well.