Moving a safe with guns and ammo across the US?

[harleypower69]

Anyone have the name of a moving company that has necessary permits to move a safe with guns and ammo inside across the US? Want to move it as part of a household move.

I am finding most companies won't do it claiming it is against the law and the safe must ship empty. I understand ORM-D regulations but surely a household moving company somewhere has the necessary permits but have yet to find it. I did not run into this problem when I moved in 2004 so am a tad frustrated with this.

Thanks

 

[Harrier]

It seems logical that putting the guns and ammo inside the safe would keep them... safe, BUT...
I don't recommend doing that for a couple reasons.

First it would weigh a ton (literally) and most moving companies charge extra for moving safes, often by the lb, so you would be paying for weight they would otherwise move at no extra charge with household goods. If the safe is going along with the rest of the furniture, the extra weight will be a problem in load balancing the truck, making the safe one of the primary considerations in load placement and other stuff will have to be packed around it, spacing for weight distribution- more work for the movers...

Then there is the issue of contents and damage- since the safe will likely be closed and locked, how are they going to insure it, and verify the contents, condition etc against any future claims at the destination- who's to say that scope wasn't broken before the trip began?. Where did that PM disappear to?

Then there is the legal issues of which I know nothing... however the case could be made that you are giving possession of firearms to the moving company... even if the safe is locked, (who may employ prohibited possessors) and they may need a FFL license to move them across state lines (or think they do) -which they probably don't have- so they don't want anything to do with guns. I don't know how you can not mention them if it obvious your moving a gun safe, but you'll think of something...

I just moved, and I sold my safe to the people who bought my house (so I didn't have to move it) for more than I paid and then bought a replacement in my new location. Let me tell you, moving guns and ammo is not easy. One 50cal can of ammo weighs about 30# -any quantity adds up quick... and depending on how many rifles/pistols you box up together, they get heavy also. It's better to separate things into smaller units that don't weigh as much. I moved the ammo myself in my pickup and didn't say anything about guns to the movers.

As a theft precaution, I removed all the bolts, slides and cylinders and packed them separately so that the gun was incomplete and not resell-able in case it was lost. (in fact, I keep most of them at home this way in case of a break-in... makes it less likely they will be taken if they don't have all the pieces). What I would do is pack a number of long guns individually and then group 2 or 3 together in other bigger boxes so they don't look like gun boxes. Separate and pack AR's uppers/lowers into different smaller boxes, pistol frames and the slides/cylinders/bolts into separate boxes.

I number all boxes on all 4 corners so they can be identified without opening (you have to make a list of contents as you pack). Each room or item category gets its own number series... 100,200,300... I give the guns & parts a distinctive number series so I can find them later. Anal I know, but it works for me....
good luck on your move.

 

[knockonit]

might find a private hauler for the ammo, who runs back and forth across country, always someone looking to fill a spot in or on a trailer.
as for gats, i'd put'm in a gun sock or case, crate them up and ship them to myself to new location or a friends, you can put'm in small crates that can be delivered to a residence, or if you know of a commerical jiont that will accept the package so be it.

again on the ammo, might just sell it and or shoot it, the brain damage and horsefeathers attributed to trying to ship and the logistic side might just be the route shoot or sell. buy new when you arrive and of course, there is the option to downsize, minimize calibres, NOT something i'd probably do, cause i',m a glutton for stupid.
best of luck, moving sucks, haven't done it but five times in 71 years, not planning on another one till later in life, the burn station.
happy saturday, glad to have made it to another one.
Rj

 

[Flash]

My last move was 15 years ago. Sold the old safe and bought a bigger one when I got to the new house. Moved the guns in the back of my pickup truck in a camper shell. Moved the ammo and components in a POD and moved the household goods with a commercial mover.

Worked out well for me.

Oh, and for the record RJ, I've lived in 9 states, some of them 4 separate times, some 3, some 2, then there are the moves within a state. I'd guess I've moved around 25 times or so between my parents moving when I was a kid and me moving later.

Next time I'm going to burn the house down and call it good. I hate moving.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Independent transporters known as "expediters" would be worth looking into. These are folks who own their own rig (usually a simple box truck smaller than a semi) and whom are always looking to pick up an extra item here or there along their route to add to the payload going their way. There are websites dedicated to this niche cargo industry where you can advertise your request and description of your load. Some of them are like an auction site, where expediters looking for cargo will bid on yours. Others are acting as an agent, with haulers they have in their log of drivers that they keep track of where they are and where they're going, who will make the arrangement for you.

However, as you might devise from the name "expediter", this subset of the shipping industry tends to focus prompt and nimble express delivery, so the fees tend to be higher than average shipping costs. Yet,...sometimes competing bidders for your load can drive the cost down. A lot depends on where you're going. Lots of hauls originate from the coast and head inland, but not as many going the other direction. Many haulers are always looking to reduce the cost of returning back towards California with an empty truck.