[a__l__a__n]

I'm having trouble finding a car safe that fits under my driver's seat and will hold a Taurus model 66 with 4" barrel.

I have this one, the NanoVault 200, which is not quite long enough. I've seen several other models with identical dimensions (which actually appear to be exactly the same metal box under a different label) but unfortunately no larger model that would work from any of those labels.

I'm wondering whether this one, the Bulldog BD1150 might work. They list interior dimensions of 10" x 6.25" x 2", compared to the M66 dimensions of 10 1/2" long, 5.68" high, and 1.496' thick. It seems possible that the gun could be turned so that the barrel would be somewhat diagonal and just barely squeeze in, but I'm not sure.

Does anyone know whether this would work? Or, can anyone recommend a box that would work?

 

[jakerson9]

There's probably a cool math way to figure this out, but if it were me, I'd do a quick little mock-up.

Take some cardboard, scotch tape and a ruler.
Cut one piece 10" x 6.25" and cut two more pieces 10.5" x 2" and one piece 6.25"x2".
Put the large square on the table, and set your pistol on top, angle it so it fits, (or not.)
If it fits, stand up the side pieces and scotch tape them together...
If your pistol fits, slide it out, see if you can slide it in again...
Here's what that might look like:

 

[roamer1234]

They have great safes made of leather that fit on your belt. Why would you want a safe in the car? It will take time to go under the seat, get it out and use it. The person who you need it for will know something is up. Can you please tell me? The cardboard mock up is a good idea. That or algebra a2 + b2 = c2 kind of thing.

 

[dogranch]

Your best bet, send me your 66 then go get something that will fit in that safe.

Sorry, I know this post is a waste, but I do want a 66.

 

[a__l__a__n]

I've been less than impressed by the feedback I've read on the Bulldog unit. But I also found this unit (PC650 by Stack-On) which seems promising. I emailed Stack-On and they replied with the following interior dimensions:

The inside dimensions are with out foam is 10.50"Width 6" Depth 2" Height with 3/8" thick egg crate foam 9.75" Width 5.25" Dept 1.25" Heights

I drew the 10.5" x 6" rectangle on paper and it appears that the gun will just fit, with a sixteenth of an inch or so on all sides. I've ordered one on the hopes that the Stack-On rep gave accurate measurements. I'll post here the results once it arrives.

Based on reviews, I'm also considering replacing the cable with a stronger one, if can I determine that a larger one can fit the device. These folks seem to have some pretty good options and prices.

 

[a__l__a__n]

They have great safes made of leather that fit on your belt. Why would you want a safe in the car? It will take time to go under the seat, get it out and use it. The person who you need it for will know something is up. Can you please tell me? The cardboard mock up is a good idea. That or algebra a2 + b2 = c2 kind of thing.

I'm not currently willing to carry my gun into areas where carrying is legally prohibited. So when I arrive at such an area, I need a place to store the gun.

 

[Montkun]

I was in Big Lots the other day and they had an in car fireproof safe with a cable retention for $25. Looked rather promising and the price is pretty nice.

 

[a__l__a__n]

I've been less than impressed by the feedback I've read on the Bulldog unit. But I also found this unit (PC650 by Stack-On) which seems promising. I emailed Stack-On and they replied with the following interior dimensions:



I drew the 10.5" x 6" rectangle on paper and it appears that the gun will just fit, with a sixteenth of an inch or so on all sides. I've ordered one on the hopes that the Stack-On rep gave accurate measurements. I'll post here the results once it arrives.

Based on reviews, I'm also considering replacing the cable with a stronger one, if can I determine that a larger one can fit the device. These folks seem to have some pretty good options and prices.

The Stack-On PC650 works. My Taurus model 66 fits perfectly. I do think I'll need a heavier cable though. Click on images for larger picture:

 

[pioneer461]

I'm not currently willing to carry my gun into areas where carrying is legally prohibited. So when I arrive at such an area, I need a place to store the gun.

Can you call the safe company and ask them if your mod. 66 will fit? Sometimes they know stuff like that.

Probably one of the worst places to store a firearm is in an automobile. Virtually every car prowler I've ever dealt with had a set of bolt / cable cutters very near by. With a safe in a car, they simply rip off the safe and open it later in the privacy of their home, or local chop-shop. Or, they take the whole vehicle and cut it open at their convenience.

Thirty some years of police work taught me, among other things, there is no security system in the world that can not be defeated by a determined thief. I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with former gun owners who left guns in cars. That makes one more gun on the streets in the wrong hands, that becomes a threat to us all.

I understand your frustration in not being able to carry certain places, but there is no place you can park your car where it is immune from thievery. I've even seen cases where locked garages were broken into just to get at the car inside and we've had patrol cars broken into in the PD parking lot. There is no such thing as a safe neighborhood.

 

[a__l__a__n]

Can you call the safe company and ask them if your mod. 66 will fit? Sometimes they know stuff like that.

Probably one of the worst places to store a firearm is in an automobile. Virtually every car prowler I've ever dealt with had a set of bolt / cable cutters very near by. With a safe in a car, they simply rip off the safe and open it later in the privacy of their home, or local chop-shop. Or, they take the whole vehicle and cut it open at their convenience.

Thirty some years of police work taught me, among other things, there is no security system in the world that can not be defeated by a determined thief. I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with former gun owners who left guns in cars. That makes one more gun on the streets in the wrong hands, that becomes a threat to us all.

I understand your frustration in not being able to carry certain places, but there is no place you can park your car where it is immune from thievery. I've even seen cases where locked garages were broken into just to get at the car inside and we've had patrol cars broken into in the PD parking lot. There is no such thing as a safe neighborhood.

I don't think there is a perfect answer. Bottom line, my options are either to lock the gun up in the car in some scenarios, or to go unarmed a lot more, or to break the law by carrying where prohibited and risk losing my carry license. Occasionally locking it in a car safe looks like the least bad option. The law pretty much forces you to do that, or to give up your constitutional right to carry. A decent safe in a car secured by a decently strong cable will deter the average smash-and-grab crook. But if I'm the victim of a targeted break-in by a well equipped crook, I know it won't be enough. OTOH that crook could do the same thing at a lot of gun owners' houses.

I'm sympathetic to the concern of law enforcement officers that guns will be stolen and used against cops. The solution is not for me to give up my rights, and it's not for me to deliberately break laws hoping not to get caught. It's to change laws so that locking the gun in the car is no longer necessary. Until that happens, I'll be locking mine in the car occasionally.

Tufnut.com has a "high-strength cable" which they claim can only be cut with a bench cutter, not with portable cutters. But it's 1/4" steel, and that won't fit in the slot on these portable cases. I've ordered their next size down (3/16" steel) which I believe will fit. That will replace the 1/8" cable that came with the safe. It will be harder to cut, but it can still be cut. I could try drilling out the side of the case to allow the larger 1/4" cable to fit (or I could try their super glue attachment plates) but I'm not sure that is a whole lot better. The crook can always bring his own power tools. Or he could just remove whatever the cable is attached to.... or steal the whole car. Or he could wait until I return and make me (in my disarmed state) unlock the safe. All this because the law prohibits me from carrying in some places where I need to go.

Law enforcement needs to speak out against the laws that force people into these convoluted work-arounds.

 

[rrcop200]

I can see the value of the in-car safe. If you have a carry concealed permit from say Pennsylvania, and plan to travel to New York via NJ, then they tend to arrest honest permitted citizens for a felony if you carry in their state so better off to secure it until you return to your legal non-liberal controlled state. End of sermon. Until they pass the recprocity legislation currently being held up in Congress, that's the story.

 

[busykngt]

There is no such thing as a safe neighborhood.

Which, of course, is why he probably carries to begin with.

 

[busykngt]

Alan, I'm in the same mode; anytime I go to the DFW airport, woo be to me if I were to carry my gun inside (TSA would 'field strip' me before I'd be thrown in the slammer)...not to mention all city/county/state government office buildings I might need to go to! So yes, there is no substitute for having a good, safe place to store your gun inside your vehicle. And if a thief did steal my vehicle, I've probably got bigger problems to deal with anyway...they might use my vehicle to plow into a large group of pedistrans causing more mass murder than my six-shooter would.
--
What a ridiculous argment you say? Well...so is not having a gun safe in the car.
Alan, I haven't done it yet (also been looking for the right box), but my son is a good welder so I'm gona have him make some kind of brace or bracket attachment so that I can put one of those stronger cables on it. That means, any thief had better pull up in their mobile 'chop shop' with their cutting torch in order to get mine out....and that's probably the best you're gona be able to do.

 

[a__l__a__n]

I've upgrade the cable on my Stack-On PC650 with the "high-strength" cable (3/16" - 1/4") from this page: Low-Cost Tufnut Security Cable It's substantially heavier than the one that came with the safe. I had to trim away the plastic sheath to get it to fit into the slot on the safe, but it does fit. A crook would need a better set of bolt cutters to cut this cable, but it would not be impossible to do by any stretch of the imagination.

tufnut.com also has an even heavier grade that they say requires bench cutting equipment to get through -- but to use that with my safe would require either drilling a hole through the wall of the safe, or using their epoxy or super-glue anchors. I have my doubts about the glue, and I'm not sure my low-tech drill bits would make it through these safe walls. I wonder whether it would be worth the effort to take that next step.

Anyway, I've upgraded the strength of the commercial product and I think I'll consider this good enough.

 

[busykngt]

Yeah, I definitely wouldn't be trusting any kind of glue or epoxy - for situations like we're talking about, metal-to-metal contact is the only way to go. As I mentioned, given an experienced thief and enough time, you're probably not going to be able to stop a determined bg. The most you can hope for, is to deter those either less knowledgable or less well equiped for such an activity. If your box is out of sight so that it's not an attractive inducement to break the glass or jimmy the door lock, you're probably already miles ahead. And since most theft from a vehicle is more a matter of opportunity, most bg's aren't walking around with a big 'ole set of bolt cutters down their pants leg anyway.