Storage units do not have the amenities found in a living space. Therefore, you should only use them for storage purposes. You can store books, boxes, lamps, home décor, and artwork in these storage spaces. You can also store your furniture pieces, electronics, and valuable appliances in the storage spaces. Guns in a storage unit are another matter.
You may be tempted to store your guns in a storage-unit. Before doing this, you need to find out whether it is legal to store a gun in a storage unit or not. Below is a discussion on whether it is legal to store guns in storage -units or not.
Is It Okay to Store a Gun in a Storage Unit?
Storage facility owners do not allow gun owners to store guns in storage- units. However, a few storage facility owners allow gun owners to store guns in the storage -units. These storage spaces’ designs are particularly for gun storage. Before you store your guns in these storage spaces, you are usually required to complete some paperwork.
Why Storage Unit Owners Do Not Allow People to Store Guns in Storage -Units
Storage unit owners do not allow people to store guns in self-storage units due to several reasons. Below are some of these reasons.
- Storing guns in a storage-unit can lead to break-ins into the storage facility.
- Guns stored in a storage -unit can pose a danger to the property stored in a storage facility.
- Ex-felons can end up owning guns stored in storage- units.
- A storage unit’s environment is not suitable for gun storage.
- Storing guns in a storage-unit can make storage unit auctions get complicated.
Storing Guns in Storage -Units Can Lead to Break-Ins Into the Storage Facility
Guns are usually more valuable than most essential household items. Therefore, they are more susceptible to theft than essential household items. That means if a storage facility owner allows people to store guns in their storage facility, thieves are likely to break into the facility. Such break-ins can lead to huge losses since the storage facility owner will replace the stolen items.
Guns Can Pose a Danger to the Property Stored In a Storage Facility
Although it is wrong to store guns when they are loaded, some people store loaded guns. Storing such guns in a storage unit can be unsafe due to the explosive nature of the ammunition. For instance, bullet fragments can start a fire that can destroy the other things stored in a storage facility.
Ex-Felons Can End up Owning Guns Stored in Storage -Units
Storage facility owners sometimes auction the things stored in storage units. That usually happens when a person who has rented a storage unit fails to pay the rent. Ex-felons have the ability to place bids during storage auctions. If such a person becomes the highest bidder, the storage facility owner will let them take the commodities in the storage unit. If one of these items is a gun, the ex-felon will end up owning a gun even if it is illegal for ex-felons to own guns. To ensure that ex-felons do not get guns, storage facility owners ensure nobody stores guns in the storage units.
A Storage Unit’s Environment Is Not Suitable for Gun Storage
Regular storage units are not usually climate-controlled. Therefore, when you store your guns in them, the guns are likely to rust due to high humidity levels. Extreme temperature changes may also damage these guns. To prevent all this from happening, storage facility owners prefer not to allow people to store guns in regular storage units.
Storing Guns in a Storage Unit Can Make Storage Unit Auctions Get Complicated
Some storage facility owners do not allow people to store guns in their storage facilities. Such is because they do not want storage auctions to get complicated. For instance, if these storage facility owners allow people to store guns in these facilities, they will have to look for auctioneers certified in gun sales.
These auctioneers will be the ones to lead storage auctions. Storage facility owners will also have to do background checks on bidders to ensure that none of them is an ex-felon. If the highest bidder is an ex-felon, the auctioneer will have to sell the guns separately and give the money to the bidder. All these things are likely to make the auctioning process complicated.
Storage Facility Owners Who Allow Gun Owners to Store Guns in Storage- Units
You can store your gun in a storage unit whose owner allows gun owners to store guns in their storage facility. However, when storing your gun in this storage space, there are things that you need to do. They include:
- Checking the rules of the storage facility
- Preparing the gun for storage
- Checking whether the storage units are climate-controlled or not
- Protecting the gun against theft
Checking the Rules of the Storage Facility
Storage facilities owners usually enforce different rules. For instance, some storage facility owners implement rules that limit the number of guns that you can store. Others also dictate the types of guns that you can store in their storage facilities. You should consider these rules before storing your gun in a storage unit.
Preparing the Gun for Storage
Before storing your gun in a storage unit, you need to clean it to remove the fingerprints and oil that can damage the gun’s barrel. You should also remove any gunpowder residue in the gun as is this residue can cause a fire. Unloading the gun and installing the trigger are the other important things that you should do.
Checking Whether the Storage Unit Is Climate-Controlled or Not
You should only store your gun in climate-controlled storage units. The management fixes the humidity and temperature of these storage spaces at constant levels. When you store your gun in such storage space, it is less likely to rust.
Protecting the Gun Against Theft
According to research, many criminals use guns stolen from people’s houses and cars. That means they prefer using stolen guns when carrying out criminal activities. Therefore, you need to store your gun behind the less desirable property to protect it against theft.
It is illegal to store guns in most of the available self-storage facilities. However, some storage facility owners allow people to store guns in their storage facilities. Before storing your gun in such a facility, you should check the storage facility’s rules and prepare the gun for storage. You should also check if the storage space is suitable for gun storage. It would be best if you only stored guns in climate-controlled storage units.
