Whether you plan on moving a mile away or a thousand miles away, there is a lot of planning, and work that goes into getting everything done. You may be worried about whether or not the movers will move your large gun safe. Knowing what it takes to move a gun safe and the cost prior to moving will help the process go more smoothly and reduce your stress.
Some movers will move a gun safe, however, it’s advised to hire a professional moving company geared specifically toward moving exceptionally heavy items such as a large gun safe. Special equipment and techniques are used to properly transfer a large gun safe from one location to another safely.
For more information on the best ways to move a gun safe and other helpful tips continue reading.
Moving A Gun Safe – What You Should Know
The average gun safe weighs between 200 and 600 pounds. Some larger, higher-end gun vaults can weigh around 1500 pounds or more. But unless you are Charlton Heston you likely own a gun safe within the average range of 200 to 600 pounds.
Consult With A Professional Safe Mover
When planning a move to a new home there are lots of things to check off of your to-do list and one of those things should be to locate and hire a professional moving company that is experienced with moving large items such as heavy gun safes.
It is equally as important to be sure that whoever you hire to move your safe is properly insured because moving a gun safe can be risky business if done incorrectly. As mentioned above, a gun safe can weigh a great deal which makes moving them a dangerous task.
Keep Safety At The Top Of Your Priority List
Safety needs to be the number one priority when moving a gun safe for reasons such as:
Improper handling can lead to damage to the home/structure from which you are moving it or into as well as damage to the gun safe itself.
More importantly, if a gun safe is not being handled properly during the moving process it can tip and fall onto a person and cause serious injury or death.
Here’s a video showing the special equipment a mover would use to move a heavy gun safe:
Calculating Associated Costs For Moving A Gun Safe
There are a lot of hidden costs that may not be considered when moving to a new home which is why you may be wondering how much it costs to move a large gun safe if you hire a professional moving company.
A professional moving company will charge anywhere from $150 to over $1000 to move a heavy safe. If the safe is over 600 pounds or can’t be moved by 4 people, some moving companies will not even offer the service of moving your safe for you.
The cost to move a large gun safe can vary drastically depending upon where you live and who you decide to hire therefore, the list below explains how a professional determines what they will charge to move your safe so you understand how they estimate what they will charge you.
Professional movers base their estimates for moving a large gun safe on the following factors:
- How much the safe weighs
- The dimensions of the safe
- Where the safe is located in the home it is being moved from
- Where the safe will be located in the new home
- How far you want the gun safe to be delivered
- If the safe is fully loaded or empty
It is always a good idea to call around and get quotes from multiple professional movers. This gives you a chance to see what most people are charging and get a good idea of who offers the best options.
Obtaining multiple quotes keeps the moving companies competitive and can allow you to get a better deal.
Now that you know the basics of what it takes to have a professional move your large gun safe you may be wondering if you can move it yourself to save a few dollars.
You can find Quality Gun Safes Here on Amazon or check out my other favorite places like Brownells or OpticsPlanet for good deals on gun safes.
DIY Save Moving – Should You Do It?
So you tend to do things on your own or with the help of some friends and are wondering if you can move your large gun safe yourself. Here’s what you need to consider before you try to go full Hulk on the situation to save yourself some money.
Saving money is great, but not if it means that you are putting people and objects in physical danger to do so.
The following list gives reasons why you should not try to move a large gun safe without the help of professionals.
- Safe can tip or fall and crush you or your helpers if you are not careful
- A gun safe is extremely heavy and can cause back injury if improperly lifted
- The safe can cause damage to the floors and/or walls if not carefully moved
- Contents of the safe can be damaged if not stored properly or emptied before moving
If you still feel that you are up to the task of tackling transporting a large safe consider the following things to keep safe:
- A good plan of action; make sure you have all of your ducks in a row before getting too excited and realizing that there is an issue preventing you from moving the safe.
- A truck or trailer with a ramp or easy-loading access.
- Appliance dolly to support the weight and allow you to maneuver through a hall or stairway.
- High-quality ratchet straps to secure the gun safe to the dolly and the truck or trailer.
- Two or more strong people depending upon how much the safe weighs. Generally, a safe that is in the 200-pound range can be moved by two strong people. The heavier the safe, the more people will be required to carefully move the gun safe without injury.
- Foam padding or blankets to cover the corners of the gun safe to protect the floors and walls from accidental damage.
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
After reading this article you have learned that you can move a large gun safe with the help of some strong friends, but it doesn’t mean that you should.
For safety and liability reasons it is always best to hire a professional moving company to move large items such as a gun safe. Your back and your friends will thank you for hiring a professional rather than doing it yourself.
