Relocating safe and contents
General Topic
I know this has come up before but I think it’s been a while. So pardon me if it’s redundant.
I took a job that’s 2500 miles from my current position. The relocation package is the best I’ve ever heard of. I’m under the impression that they have, and will, ship it all. If so, is it safe…etc?
With the level of trust I have for things lately, I’m tempted to, empty it, remove the door, lay it flat along the back of the cab, pack it all in properly, put the door on, lock it, cover it with a tarp, and ratchet strap the sh** out of it!!!
Am I being too paranoid?!!!
Bryan,
Congratulations! Hope it turns out awesome!
Read the contract closely. From my experience, the company excluded transport or responsibility for any guns, taxidermy, anything with an engine, etc. I moved a lot of what I considered most important myself - hunting and fishing equipment (arrow making, bow making, fly tying, reloading, tools, etc) and taxidermy.
Good luck! Hope it turns out awesome!
PS in your private messages!!!
Tavis
Things on moving vans go missing all the time and they tell you to make a claim. I'd drive it myself, wouldn't chance valuables with movers.
I would like spect them To steal some Stiff but breaking into your locked safe to do it is in fact paranoid to answer your question
They won’t break into your safe. They will steal the whole thing. Send the safe on its own. Drive the contents with you
“Drive the contents with you”
It’s a 40+ hour trip. That makes me even more nervous considering different scenarios. Break down, stopping to sleep, or an accident. I’d almost rather have the whole thing there. At least I’d feel more secure with it. It’ll be harder to steal if it weighs a bit more!
I changed jobs (and moved) 4 times in my working years and my gun safe was moved along with everything else by a professional moving company and I never had an issue. These were legitimate moving companies hired by the company hiring me. Good luck with the move.
Yep. Do some homework and let the shippers handle it. Put an insurance claim on it. Money can’t buy happiness nor replace heartfelt value. But, I’ll buy more safes, more guns, and help comfort that felt loss.
70 I do not know what you have in your safe or if it is even full. I do know you just can't have a full safe loaded in a moving van and expect the contents to arrive in one piece. Without wrapping the guns in padding they will get damaged.
The last move I did with one of my safes i shipped the safe empty and I carried the contents ( 30 plus firearms, jewlrey important papers ) in a Suburban with another truck following in case of the issues you brought up ( accident , breakdown
Good luck with your move
The movers will definitely need you to open the safe so they can properly wrap and pack your guns etc. You wouldn't want them to just move the sealed safe as the guns will flop around and be damaged.
Moving them yourself has the big problem of overnight stays. Nothing is safe overnight in a vehicle in a motel/hotel parking lot. If you make the drive you'd need to have someone stay with the vehicle at every stop, and figure out how to safely move all the guns from car to room and back without leaving them unattended at either end.
Can you find a mover that specializes in guns/valuables? Take a detailed pictures of each item/serial # and have a clearly documented list that they sign off on. Then hope for the best.
I hope this relo is to Alaska because anywhere else 2500 miles from Idaho would be sad.
I was thinking the same thing, Aspen Ghost…
I don’t know if this company works for you. I’ve never used it
I once had a pistol and a knife that meant a lot to me, and other odd things stolen during a move while in the Navy. It was a legit international moving company.
The documentation and claim process was a PITA. And it was all prorated.
depending on the guns and valuables, i would pack and transport them myself. i did just that about twenty years ago while the moving company took the rest.
Are you just talking about firearms? If so, shipping them out of state without the proper licensing could be a issue. How many guns are you moving? Find out the legal process in the state your moving too and maybe just transfer them through a gun shop. Ups, fedx have a good tack record with shipping firearms. Send the empty safe with the movers, less risk all around.
“I hope this relo is to Alaska because anywhere else 2500 miles from Idaho would be sad.”
Unfortunately Idaho doesn’t offer much to a single income family. Everything is expensive but the income levels never change. I have to put the well being of my family first. I moved here in 2017, and although the mountains are beautiful, and love being near them, they don’t pay the bills. My hope us to ultimately retire back to this region.
I haven't counted my guns recently, but it's over 50. None of them are extremely valuable, but several have sentimental value that could never be replaced. I wouldn't let anyone move any of them. It would be a pain, but I would move the guns myself. I had a gun stolen once and even though I was lucky enough to get it back, it was a terrible feeling and a big hassle. Unless the safe is an extremely expensive model, I would let the movers take care of it. Good luck with your move and new start!
70 where are you moving to? This can be important info as if you are moving here to the East there are a lot of gun laws. Where I live pretty much everything is illegal.
I’ll be down in Florida on the space coast. It’ll be a culture shock for sure, but at least Florida still allows people to enjoy their constitutional freedoms. I’ve recently turned down good jobs in other states simply because of their political history and current leadership.
Made lots of moves over an AF career. The movers took care of the safe. I took everything that was inside in my vehicle. Yeah, it can make you nervous when it's parked outside a hotel. Choose your stopping destinations a little more carefully than usual. Never had a problem. If I recall, I don't think the AF even allows you to ship ammo.
Not sure what type of guns you are moving and I wouldn't post anyways on a public forum. I do want to mention though if you have any restricted firearms such as class 3, SBR or suppressors. Check rules for moving them with the ATF as they are very specific as to who can possess them etc.
Just my two cents
I'd probably pack the contents of the safe in my truck, then sleep in my truck on the trip down to Florida. Obviously, that won't work too well if your family is traveling with you, however. Does your truck have a lockable topper or tonneau cover?
Matt
Whatever you do, don’t lay the safe on its back, I’ve read that it will/can screw up the tumblers and you can’t get it open with the combination. Good luck on your new job !
I wouldn't move to Florida but thats me,The back up truck following is a good idea.We had a fire call awhile back where 3 older ladies were traveling and they had started bringing their good jewelry with them so no on could steal from their house and dropped a U joint going down hiway driveshaft poked hole in gas tank and melted good jewels in with a car load of plastic.I bet you could trust the moving company.Might find out if they drive in pairs so they don't stop.
This thread is a few months old, but DON'T trust the moving company!!!!!!!!!!! You never know who the workers are or what their back ground is!
My son is in the military - they always move them from station to station. Moving from Italy back to US, when they received all their belongings, his wife's good jewelry was missing. He filed a claim but didn't do him any good. "No way to prove what was in the "locked" jewelry box. He said NEVER AGAIN!
Also take pics of each piece and write down their serial numbers.
“I have to put the well being of my family first.”
“I’ve recently turned down good jobs in other states simply because of their political history and current leadership.”
Which is it?
One and the same, because not wanting to subject your family to a cesspool of political history and current leadership, is putting the wellbeing of his family first.
Rent a small, enclosed U-Haul trailer and sleep in the truck at local police station?
I rented a Penske moving truck. My gun safes were ratchet strapped to the front of the cargo area. My guns were in soft cases laying on the floor. I screwed my taxidermy to the floor of the cargo area. Worked great. I did this twice.
“I have to put the well being of my family first.” “I’ve recently turned down good jobs in other states simply because of their political history and current leadership.”
“Which is it?”
What’s not to understand? Part of putting my family first means not moving to an uber-liberal dump that doesn’t allow me to protect them the way I see fit. I have the best of both worlds now. A fairly conservative state with a livable income.
Personally, I've had my fair share of moving mishaps, so I get where you're coming from. The last time I switched gigs, I had to move some precious cargo, and let me tell you, it was nerve-wracking. If you're feeling paranoid about the safe and its contents, it might not hurt to take some extra precautions. Your idea of emptying it out and securing it yourself sounds pretty smart, actually. Better safe than sorry, right? But hey, if you're still feeling uneasy about the whole thing, maybe consider reaching out to a pro like
ThreeMovers. They've saved my butt more times than I can count, and they know how to handle delicate stuff like safes with care.
It's kinda funny the spammers like "rickepanton" haven't yet figured out that dredging up old threads and responding with generic, milk-toast replies makes them stick out like a sore thumb, as opposed to their probable intent of coming across like a "regular dude". I'm guessing these posts come from bots with text created by AI though.
