Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Moving - how to transport firearms

I will be moving in a few months to another state (CO). My plan was to transport my guns in my station wagon, but as I load them into the wagon to store out of the house, I fear that the back of the wagon will not be large enough for all.

My plan is (was?) to put them in a moving wardrobe box (50" high) and store them at a friends house while my house is being viewed and, then transport them in the box to CO. I seem to be running out of space.

Moving companies seem to refuse moving guns. My station wagon (VW Passat) is not equipped for towing a trailer.

Suggestions? How have you handled similar situations?

You can fit a hell of a lot of guns into a compact space if you pack them in right. I would build a big wooden box, or buy a case like musicians use, either a hard case or a fiber case that drummers use, that will fit into the back so I could lock them up while traveling through various jurisdictions.

Or a few of them to make moving them more convenient, all locked.

When I travel, no one has permission to search my locked luggage without a warrant.

Colorado has a mag cap limit, btw, so if you have any standard capacity mags, they might have to be broken down into component parts.

Have had the same problem - moved several times with rifles and you are right, the movers will not take them. Even if they would, not sure I would trust my collection to that process.

The last couple of moves - several hundred miles each - I rented one of the smaller U-Haul trucks. Also took the opportunity to load my trophy mounts in the U-Haul along with the rifles. No windows on the box, a good lock, close monitoring and careful parking at hotels and I was not all that worried about theft.

If you're doing a corporate move, your employer may help with the cost - I "sold" it to mine by saving the ridiculous crating charges they were going to have to pay for my mounts. Was a lot cheaper to move them on my own-and gave me plenty of room for the rifles.

Moving is NO FUN!!!!

You might need booster shocks in that Passat. I moved my guns and ammo in the trunk of a car last time I moved (local move) and it took two trips to keep the bumper off the asphalt.

I guess in a wagon you could move the weight more forward. But you get my meaning. Most of us have a LOT of steel/walnut/lead/brass to move, and it's heavier than you think until you try to move it all at once.

Rent a small Ryder rent truck and a car dolly. Pull the Pasatt with it.

Certain states, the gun must be locked up, not accssible and the ammo stored separately. Having them in the back of the rental truck and the truck box locked would satisfy that.

Co mag limit only applies to purchases in CO.ie.theycan't besold here. Anyone can go to Wyoming say and buy one and bring it back

I drove to and from Alaska several times with a WHOLE bunch of guns, of course I own a truck not a frigging Pfff.

Last time I let the movers take most of them.

Last big move we did the U-pack thing, and I didn't notice in the paperwork that they said no firearms.. (wink)

First world problems. Just sell some of them off ahead of time.

djs,

Sounds like a tough situation, especially since your vehicle isn't equipped to pull a trailer.

You might be able to equip it to pull a small trailer more simply and reasonably than you are thinking. Have a conversation with UHaul. Lots of vehicles can pull a SMALL trailer.

If you have a lot of stuff, the suggestion of renting a truck and towing your vehicle may be reasonable.

I don't know what you have beyond guns. If you have a lot of ammo and reloading components, the movers won't take that either. And reloading equipment and components weigh a lot. The movers will charge you by weight, so anything heavy that you move another way, saves money that can help pay for the alternative.

When we moved last June, I rented a UHaul trailer and transported my guns, ammo, reloading components and equipment in it. I also moved our wine collection that way (didn't want it in a moving van for who knows how long). And I also topped off the load with my taxidermy. In our situation, that was a pretty inexpensive way to get heavy, sensitive and valuable stuff moved.

Good luck! It is a heck of an undertaking.

I hauled 80+ firearms to Canada via my Suburban. Also had piles of bullets, many pounds of powder and thousands of brass and primers. Many of the long guns were in cases but a lot were in cloth sleeves properly packed. Handguns were in cases that held eight a piece.

I have made several trips between Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Whenever I moved the rifles (24 in all at the time....all scoped) I did it....didn't trust a moving company. I just used all the cases I had and wrapped the remaining in beach towels.


No damage whatsoever......of course I handled all the firearms myself!!!

You can also add a trailer hitch to your Passat if you need more space or are moving lots of heavy ammo. That is not hard to do and they are handy to have. You can even buy them from U-Haul.

I did the opposite, CO to VA, a couple years ago. Our mover would move firearms if they were locked up. They would not move ammo, as expected. I have a Stack On safe that doesn't weigh a ton, so put each gun in a gun sock or wrapped them in bubble wrap. I taped the barrels to the sides of the safe and then stuffed it full of pillows, bedding, etc. so they wouldn't move. Zero problems. Sample of one, but I would do it again the same way if need be.

I don't own any expensive guns, but I did put the handful with sentimental value in gun cases in my trunk.

Uhhh, would not that be smuggling guns into Canada since handguns are forbidden there?

No. Handguns are not forbidden there. Some are, few actually, and they stayed in the State's. They have a very well set up website to manage such moves.

If a moving company takes possession of your guns to move them to Colorado, you and the mover are breaking the background check law.

Knack box ,each rifle rolled in a packing blanket. U haul truck them or The movers can take it as is. Lock it and tell no one what it is.

Each time I've moved I have rented a U-Haul truck and moved the products that the moving company doesn't want to move like my guns, gas cans, gunpowder, etc. It was also cheaper in the long run to rent the truck to move my motorcycle and anything that was heavy for size, like bullets, books, etc.

Really???

Carriers are allowed to transport guns...

Right on! I'm in process right now and specifically asked about firearms and security for them and was given very clear picture of how they would take them and transport them and return them to me at end of move. Two different movers told me the same thing, and not problem. Not sure I'm satisfied with security but it's not a problem for movers to transport, even in Kalifornia. Their concern was powder and primers but both said "just don't tell us about that since it's illegal." Pack them and shut up!