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Gun Room Input


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It looks like I'm going to have an opportunity to design and build a gun room into an addition to my retirement home.  Met with the architect last week for preliminary design issues, and gave him a basic outline of wants and needs.  Looking at a basement level space of approximately 15 x 20, poured concrete walls, lightweight reinforced concrete ceiling, separate ac/heat/dehumidification and electric, and a vault door in a reinforced opening. I want a work bench in the center of the room, a reloading area, and a mounting system on the wall(s) for storage and display of guns.  Some cabinets and shelves for supplies.  A couple of comfy leather chairs, a big screen and a fridge.  No humidor; the Doc won't let me smoke cigars anymore.

 

If you had the chance now, what would you include?  (No room for tanks, missiles or aircraft). 

 

LL

 

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I’d think in terms of safe room.
 

1) Vault type door, or at the least a commercial grade steel security door.

2) Back up power source up for lights, etc.

3) Security camera system and monitor to see what all is going on around the home/property. Connected to cloud.

4) Cellular internet/phone connection in event main broadband/fiber optic line was cut. 
5) An escape tunnel in case I was trapped in my safe room and ANTIFA decided to burn my house down.

 


 

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Adjustable lighting with bright work lighting. Cushioned flooring. And flooring that shows up dropped or lost small parts well. A couple of wheeled, with locking wheels, work benches around 30 inches long by 24 inches wide. ideally adjustable in height such that one could use them sitting in a regular chair or on a higher bar stool. A couple of nice bar height work stools, no wheels. A way to get wifi into the room for TV or computer (thinking of the concrete and any mesh or rebar). 

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If you are on Facebook, look up George Baylor.  If you don't know of him, he's a long time SASS member who recently bought a home in Texas.  He set up a reloading area in part of his garage.  He has a bunch of photos, which show the tables he bought, a mounting system and his presses.  You will have to scroll back a few weeks worth of posts to find the pictures. 

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11 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

“Basement”

 

I’d pay attention to moisture control features around the exterior of the house. Storm drain systems. Grading that slopes away from the house. 

 

Nothing can can mess up a gun room like water and moisture. 

 

Thanks, Charlie.  I'm fortunate in that regard; the house is basically built into a sand dune, about 150' from the water.  When we rebuilt it 15 years ago, we anticipated rising sea levels, and elevated the house 3' above our engineer's recommendation.  Pour water on the ground and it disappears right into the sand.  No ground water issues; any rain off the roof is gone before you can count to 2.  

 

The moisture issue here is more of a humidity consideration - hence the dehumidification portion of the planned HVAC system.

 

A whole house back-up generator (natural gas - Kohler) is already in the specs.

 

Raylan:  I like the low bench idea; somedays I don't want to be sitting on a tall stool; a low bench would let me pull up a soft chair.  The electric feed and the cable will come in via a conduit.  Definitely need some type of resilient flooring.

 

DDD:  I'm looking at a Browning vault door;

 

Thanks to all for ideas.

 

LL

 

 

 

 

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Best seperate gun room I saw had a hidden entrance/ vestibule before the vault door. If this is a retirement home place power receptacles 36" from the floor so you don't have to stoop to plug unplug stuff. Get usb output receptacles. I second setting it up as a panic room and if possible install a 1/2 bath and storage for comfort items/ food in the event it's USED as a panic room.

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53 minutes ago, Texas Joker said:

power receptacles 36" from the floor

This is a good idea, especially in a basement.

 

Also the 1/2 bath is a good idea too.

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1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I wouldn't put a gun room in any basement. 

OLG 

Unless you lived here. Annual rainfall less than 12”. No chance of flooding. No creeks nearby. 7,000 feet alt. Humidity 15%.

But I don’t have a basement.

:lol:

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I wouldn’t put a workbench in the middle of the room. I prefer it up against the wall where things can only fall off on my side.

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2 minutes ago, Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 said:

Build it bigger than 15 x20 !!!

 

More like 20 X 25 ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

In my dreams!

 

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5 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I wouldn't put a gun room in any basement. 

OLG 

I wouldn't have a basement.  I can't manage the stairs any more.  Above ground I'd hang perforated steel plate or expanded steel plate between the studs in the wall and insulate INSIDE the steel.  Floors and ceilings should be adequately insulated as well.

 

Consider a fire suppression system.

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While I appreciate the concerns that some have about basements, I'll have one, and it will be the best available space for this use.  All basements are not alike.  On this terrain, groundwater is not an issue; it will not be a "wet basement".  The primary drawback is humidity, but on the coast that is equally an issue above grade, and will be handled by a dehumidification system.

 

UB:  I learned long ago (about the first time I used a shotgun reloader) that runway shot, primers and springs always find an opening where the bench meets the wall.  Always.  For me, it's easier to leave a space that I can walk through, so that I can get to the errant piece without having to move the bench.

 

LL

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This is kinda long, but I found it interesting ~ Ian McCollum's gun room wall:

 

 

 

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Howdy,

False walls on interior walls can accommodate storage of

all sorts of things.

Have a poorly hidden safe full of tear gas or stuff like that.

And I would have some fans that could blow air out and

in so fumes could be cleared quick.

Solar panels on the roof of the house and garage with good

battery backups.  I wonder if battery of a Prius or other electric car

could be installed.  

Im still thinkin on this one.

 

at one time I saw a plan for a gun bench that fit into the corner of a room.

The Idea was that panels could be moved and the entire bench and components

could be secured from kids or ???

Best

CR

 

 

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im still gonna add the humidor and ventilation system - not given up cigars yet , i would go with structural concrete lid not lightweight , only good for fire , i want a decent alarm system and backup generator as well as a decent sleeping arrangement - it needs to double as a safe room as long as your spending the money , 

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Loophole, if this will be a reloading room as well, perhaps you need an easy way to shut off all ventilation / air movement  when weighing powder?

 

 

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Build it at least 50% bigger than you think you need.

 

Vault door that swings in so it can’t blow out if something happens.  Is there a chance of aerosolized flammables?  Maybe positive pressure ventilation or a mechanical vent fan so there is no electric motor to arc.  What will that lightweight ceiling withstand?  Do you need a pressure relief system like blowout windows? So if something blew, would the occupants above be safe?

18 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I wouldn't put a gun room in any basement. 

OLG 

Agreed, been there, done that.  Lead and steel get heavier with age.  Something accessible with no stairs is preferable.  If this is a collection room instead of a volume shooting room, the more stable in ground temperature and security are a plus.

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I’m not clear on whether you want to display your guns like in a showroom, or hide them from casual observation.  It can make a difference.

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I agree that it should be bigger if you’ve got the room.  It’s much cheaper in the long run to build it now than add to it later.  I’d also add running water and sewer, not only for the toilet but for a deep sink.  If you wet tumble your brass or clean your guns the sink will save you a bunch of time going to/from a sink.  Another thing to think about is task lighting over the work areas, as we get older the extra lighting helps a ton.  Don’t forget a WiFi/cell repeater so you get reception inside your room.

 

Don’t forget the pictures!

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1 hour ago, Tequila Shooter said:

 I’d also add running water and sewer, not only for the toilet but for a deep sink.  If you wet tumble your brass or clean your guns the sink will save you a bunch of time going to/from a sink.  

I wish I had a sink in my shop and reloading room, especially when cleaning black powder guns. 

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8 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

No can open...

 

LL

 

From "Tremors"   :rolleyes:

 

Reba McEntire ( :wub: ) and Michael Gross, just as the graboid's about to bust into their basement gun vault.  ^_^

 

Tremors Burt Gummer GIF - Tremors BurtGummer MichaelGross GIFs

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